Paediatrician warns ‘never apply kajal or give water to baby before 6 months’: 10 things you should not do

Paediatrician Dr Rastogi discourages practices like using kajal, giving water to infants under six months, applying talcum powder, and more.

Every family has some age-old practices that they follow to ensure the overall well-being of newborns in their households. If you are born in a desi home, you would have seen your elders practise techniques like pulling the nose of a kid to straighten it, putting oils in the ear and nose, and more. But how useful or harmful are these practices?

10 things you should never do or give to your baby

In an Instagram post from April 2023, Dr Sanchi Rastogi, a paediatrician specialising in child development, neurology and nutrition, and a mom herself, shared 10 things she would never do to her baby as a paediatrician. Let's find out what they are.

Sharing the post, Dr Sanchi Rastogi wrote, “Many of us are told to follow old practices by our older generation when it comes to children. But these are unnecessary and even harmful. As a paediatrician mom, I did not follow any of these.” Here are the 10 things she warned a parent should never do:

1. Shaping the nose to get a better shape

According to Dr Rastogi, shaping or pulling a baby's nose to get a better shape is not recommended. She revealed, “Facial structure changes with time as muscles and bones grow. You can’t change it with a massage.”

2. Squeezing milk from nipples

According to the paediatrician, squeezing the milk out from the nipples is traumatic and can cause mastitis or breast tissue infection.

3. Wiping lips after breastfeeding

Wiping lips after breastfeeding is not required, according to the paediatrician. "Breastmilk does not turn lips darker," she warned.

4. Oil in the ears and nose

Putting oils in the ear and nose is a practice followed in many desi households. However, the paediatrician does not recommend it as the ears and nose are self-cleaning.

5. Applying kajal

The paediatrician discourages using kajal on a baby's eyes as it contains lead and carbon particles, which are not good for the eyes and can cause infection too.

6. Giving water before 6 months

Water should not be given to children below 6 months, the paediatrician warns, as breastmilk is enough to quench their thirst and provide adequate nourishment and prevent dehydration even in hot weather.

7. Gripe water

Often, parents give their child ghutti or gripe water. However, the paediatrician does not recommend it as the ingredients can be harmful to the baby.

8. Using talcum powder

Applying talcum powder is not recommended as it can cause breathing troubles. “Contamination with asbestos has been linked to cancer,” the paediatrician stated.

9. Using ubtan

According to the paediatrician, applying ubtan on a baby's skin to make their complexion better is not recommended, as it can cause irritant dermatitis. Moreover, skin colour is governed by genetics.

10. Giving honey

No honey or food items which contain honey should be given to children below the age of 1 year, as it may lead to botulism, a life-threatening infection, the paediatrician warned.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.