Getting soap in baby’s eyes can be heartbreaking, but it happens to most of us…
For some reason, it always seems to hurt us moms more than it hurts our kids when things like these happen. I guess maybe because we blame ourselves for these instances.
Yes, it’s hard to see your child in pain, but there’s no need to beat yourself up about it. As long as you know what to do, and prepare yourself for these accidents, you’ll be fine in your baby’s book.
And, lucky for you, we’re here to help with just that. In this article we cover everything there is to know about getting soap in baby’s eyes, so continue on.
What to do if You Get Soap in Baby’s Eyes
Getting soap in baby’s eyes is sure to happen somewhere along the way, and when it does, you can try these methods to help get the soap out of your child’s eyes to relieve the pain.
Here’s how to get soap out of baby’s eyes:
Flush Eyes Out With Water
The first thing to do is rinse your baby’s eyes with water. You should do this gently and carefully, so as not to get water in her mouth and nose.
Make sure the water is clean – using soapy bath water is not a smart way to clean the eyes. Put the water in something with a small spout, like a teapot (a water bottle can work also), and tilt your child’s head to the side.
From there, separate the eyelids and pour water slowly onto the eye. Once you’re done with one side, repeat with the other eye.
Wipe Down Eyes
If you aren’t too confident about pouring water on your baby’s face, you can use a wet washcloth to gently wipe the eyes. This method is best for newborns and smaller baby’s.
Simply wet a washcloth with clean water and wipe your baby’s eyes until no soap remains.
Use Breast Milk
This is something I like to do to keep my baby’s eyes clean, regardless if they get soap in them or not.
After you’ve rinsed away the soap with water, you can add about 2-3 drops of breast milk to wipe the eyes with. Breast Milk has been proven to help clean baby’s eyes, so using it to remove excess soap should help your baby feel better.
Use Eye Drops
This is another thing that can be done after you’ve washed away the soap from your baby’s eyes. Dry the eyes and add a drop of prescribed baby eye drops to prevent any infection.
Make sure you speak with your pediatrician before doing so. Let your doctor know that there was soap in baby’s eyes so they can prescribe the right medication for you.
Hopefully, these methods help you get soap out of your baby’s eyes and keep them free of any infections.
What Happens if Soap Gets in Baby’s Eyes?
Getting soap in the eyes is considered a minor eye injury that doesn’t usually need medical attention. However, if soap gets in baby’s eyes, there is always a risk of infection.
There really shouldn’t be any need for concern if you follow the above methods to clean your baby’s eyes, but, just to be on the safe side, here are the signs to look out for in case of infection:
- Redness in, or around the eye
- Stinging
- Burning
- Sensitivity to light
- Eyes watering
- Blurred vision
- Swollen eyelids
- Discoloration around the eye
If you sense that your baby has any one of these symptoms, be sure to get medical care or talk with your pediatrician.
Does Baby Shampoo Hurt Eyes?
It’s recommended that you always wash your baby with baby shampoo and body wash. This is because baby bath products are always much more gentle than regular soap and shampoo for older kids and adults.
From my experience with always using Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Shampoo to wash my kids, I have never seen it hurt their eyes. However, I have heard of other baby shampoos irritating the eyes.
This isn’t technically a problem with baby shampoo manufacturers. Baby shampoo is made without harsh chemicals and ingredients. But, there are still ingredients in the shampoo that can bother the eyes.
Eyes are very sensitive, so even baby shampoo can bother your child’s eyes, but it will be much less painful and much safer than regular shampoo and soap for adults.
How to Keep Water Out of Baby’s Eyes?
If you’re worried about getting soap in baby’s eyes, the best thing to do is try to avoid it altogether. It may not be the easiest thing to do, but there are ways to help prevent soap from getting in your baby’s eyes.
Stick With Topping and Tailing
The top and tail method is the safest way to bathe a newborn. Newborns don’t need much bath time, as their skin is super sensitive, and too much water can dry it out.
The best thing to do when your baby is still so small and fragile is to wash them with a washcloth. Add some mild baby soap and water to the washcloth and rub it on your baby’s body and hair.
You can then wipe the soap off with a wet washcloth and, if you’d like, gently pour water over their tiny body. This will prevent you from getting soap in their eyes or pouring water over their face.
You can also use a wet washcloth to gently wipe their face with. No need to use any soap on their face.
Use a Water Bottle
Instead of pouring water over your child’s head with a pitcher or cup, use a plastic water bottle.
With a water bottle, you have control of where the water goes, and how fast it comes down. This will help you rinse your child’s hair without getting soap and water all over their eyes, mouth and nose.
There are also rinse cups that make it easy to guide the water and prevent it from getting it on your baby’s face.
Get a Baby Bath Visor
A baby bath visor, or bath cap, is probably one of the best ways to keep water and soap out of your baby’s eyes. A bath visor sits securely around the head under the hairline of your child.
You can then wash their hair as usual and when you rinse the soap out, the bath visor shields your little one’s face. There are many different designs to choose from that meet you and your child’s needs.
Cover Your Child’s Face
This may not be the easiest idea, but, if your kids let you, place a dry towel or washcloth over their face while you wash their hair. Doing this can prevent the water from drenching their face.
You can also tell your kids to cover their faces with their hands while looking down. This is something my 5-year-old does when I wash his hair, and it prevents water and soap from pouring down over his face.
Tilt Head Back
You can do this easily with a small baby or newborn, but, when it comes to older kids, this is a tough task. Rest assured, there are some things you can do.
If your child is scared to tilt their head back, tell them to imagine stars on the ceiling and distract them by singing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”. Have them sing with you as well while you rinse their hair.
You can always put some actual fake stars on your bathroom ceiling for them to look at. Or you can put anything else that makes them want to look up. This helps make bathtime fun for kids.
Sooner or later, your child will have to get used to water being poured over their head and onto their faces. However, while they’re still young, encourage them to tilt their head back.
Conclusion
Now that you know what to do if you get soap in baby’s eyes, you’ll feel much better about bathing your little one and washing their hair.
And, now that you know how to prevent this from happening, you can also try to avoid the bath hating phase. (Because, we all know how hard it is to get kids to “let mommy wash your hair” again.)
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