How to clean a baby's ears?

[dusty]

DD has quite a bit of wax around the entrance to her ear. What is the best/safest way to clean her ears? I've used a soft damp cloth but there is quite a bit further in I can't reach that way.

[Phteven]

There are some ear cleaning buds that are kind of bulbous that you might want to use but I'm not sure it would be a good idea because ears are such delicate things. I think you might have to invoke the nothing bigger than a finger rule and just accept the wax. If it is really building up and you think it is affecting her hearing or hurting her a Dr can syringe it for you.

[Rowellen]

With my DS, I just flicked out the visible wax with a clean finger but I never ever stuck anything in the ear canal. Not even those special baby ear buds. I was too scared. The wax comes out by itself usually.

[Visitor7]

If you're worried about it, getting your gp to see if it's a wax build up. If it's not, then leave it. DD2 had a lot of wax, but not too much, so we were advised not to do anything about it. Was never a problem.

[CoNNiE_Melb]

I use those Johnsons baby cotton buds, they actually dont allow you to go into the ear canal, the just clean around the entrance, they do the job for us.

[Arimeh]

My kids always have waxy ears, and DD2's are the worst, she gets a great build up and it turns into bit globs of the stuff

I use normal cotton buds, however, I hold the end of it and sort of flick it around the outside of their ear, just collecting the wax as I go.

[ss_storm]

I'd just leave it..wipe away what you can with a damp face washer but don't go digging around in there. It may come out by itself, but it's also there to protect the inner ear. Once she is older if it's still a problem you can go to a doc and get it flushed out, but for the moment I'd just clean what you can without messing around too much.

[dusty]

Thanks everyone, it's not a problem just messy and DD doesn't like me cleaning there much. I'll just leave them & show the MCHN tomorrow.

[~Kim~]

I don't like peole sticking things in my ears either lol.

Ears are self cleaning models anyways. The wax stops other nasties getting in there. When there's too much, it just comes out.

[dusty]

Great points Kim thanks
Ps what a gorgeous avatar you have

[~Kim~]

Thanks Dusty I made it myself

[blackduckies]

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO don't stick anything in there.
Tilly has a lot of ear wax (very orange as well) and it makes its way out, as its supposed to. I have meantioned to to her paed JIC who says its normal..I guess like anything else (whatever it maybe) some have more than others??

[amberj]

DS has heaps of wax that gets really gluggy. Our GP recommended that we put a few drops of olive oil in his ear when it gets bad. This helps to loosen the wax and it comes out easier. Seems to work well for him.