Cleaning Baby's Ears - Tips?

[Haydies]

I was cleaning one of Savannah's ear lobes today as it's got a bit of what I think is cradle cap but the MCHN think is eczema... and I noticed that the inside of her ears had a bit of gunk there right near the lobe part. I grabbed a quetip from the bathroom, wet the end and just gently cleaned the gunk I could see. It wasn't even really inside her ear, more just near the edge.

Anyway, when I removed a very gunky quetip, this prompted me to look further. I noticed the inside was in need of a clean, and when I looked behind the ear, I found that too needed a clean right in the skin fold. I started to feel like a really neglecting parent for a minute lol.

I wet a cotton ball and folded it so there were "edges" sort of and used that to clean the skin fold behind her ear. And used another wet one to sort of clean inside her ear - not in the ear canal part, just in the inside like around the top where the bendy curves are etc. I'd never stick anything "in" her ear.

I was just wondering if anyone had some good tips on how to keep her ears clean, especially the part that's sort of in the middle. My finger + cotton ball is fine for the top, but I can't fit it in the middle section, and I'm scared putting a quetip in there.

How do you clean their ears? Bearing in mind she's only 6 weeks old...

[Amelia]

I have been cleaning Rhys' ears since birth with baby cotton buds. The midwifes at the hospital just showed us to stick it in softly and twist around. Cause with the baby cotton buds having the small tip and the buldge of cotton so you can't go to deep.

HTH

[shellbell3]

I was told when Ash was born to break off a small part of a cotton ball, then wet it and roll it into a sausage shape then it fits in snugly to the ear to clean without causing damage.

[lee75]

I do it with the baby buds after a bath when its softer

[~Kim~]

Haydies I was feeling some of that neglectful mother guilt the other day at the doctors, but he told me not to worry - ears are self cleaning, there's no requirement for mums to shove anything in there.

Funnily enough my dad always told us not to put anything smaller than our elbow in our ear (how many of you just tried?!?!? hmmm?).

[Snacks]

Yeah, Kim is right - don't stress about ears. It is better to leave them just to do their thing. (You are right not to stick anything in there - that's really important. But your cotton ball and finger thing around the ear canal sounds just fine!)
I just wipe DD's face and general head area with a face washer in the bath. But keeping behind the ears dry is really important, I've discovered! It gets a little bit festy behind there if it doesn't get dried, LOL!

[Zee]

I use baby cotton ear buds after a bath, luckily DD loves having it done and dosnt move..she just giggles.

[Nadine216]

*blush* I felt little like you after I found out after FOUR months that I have not been cleaning BEHIND the ear, in that little crease, right!!!!! Sure, I did the whole wipe behide the ears, but I never LOOKED. So while letting her bottom get some sun one day, I notice the gunk!!!! Major neglect!!
I just wet the tip of a baby cottonbud with some babyoil and apply before bath time and afterwards just wipe with a cloth. Mind you, she is now 10 months and it's getting easier. I just rub her ears with a wash cloth in the bath and volá - squeaky clean.
I tend to agree with Kim and Snacks - the inside of the ear canal will clean itself, just pick off the wax that are on the outside of the canal, kwim.

[Nelle]

I'm not a huge fan of the Johnson's brand - BUT they do have q-tips or whatever they're called with a bulb on the bud so you can't go too deep - brilliant peace of mind when Riv won't keep still! I've noticed his ears get quite gunky with teething? They look like this oooO============Oooo haha, see how the big O is supposed to be the bulb bit that stops the bud from going too deep?

I've used a normal one before, but have to pick my moments, and it's helpful (as with nail cutting) to have dh there providing the entertainment that keeps Riv still! But the Johnson's ones are handy.

As for behind the ears...I always forget, it was quite dark and gunky there when I cleaned the other day...my bad! I'm sure he's fine though!

[Haydies]

Thanks girls! Sounds like I sort of had it right yesterday. I'm going to get some of those baby q-tips, I remember seeing them when I was pregnant and thinking I wouldn't need them for ages hehe. And don't worry, I'd never stick anything *in* the ear, just around the folds and bumps on the outside. Like the area right up the top where some people get a piercing etc.

~Lindsay~, I hope DD takes after my DH and will enjoy it too... DH's eyes roll back in his head when he cleans his ears. Although he sticks the q-tip *in* in his ear...