Cleaning LO's ears?

diamondtaurus · August 2014

Are you supposed to to clean out their ears? And if so, how? I'm obviously not going to stick a q tip in there, but it looks like she's got some wax....

Ashleypixie · August 2014

You're not supposed to stick q-tips in their ears?

Abcollins57 · August 2014

The wax will work it's way out of the canal to where you can clean it without having to insert a q-tip in their ear.

UnofficiallyLO · August 2014

I tried a qtip (for outside the ear canal) but he was pretty squirmy so I just use tp twisted up when I see wax building up.

Rrrrrachel · August 2014

I scrape and rub off anything I see with my finger but only what ends up on the outside.

JessieAlbin · August 2014

I soak a qtip in baby wash soapy water and carefully wipe outside of the ear canal. He hates me when I do it, prolly feels like a wet willy, but it works really well.

janice9821 · August 2014

I pick out the stuff that makes its way out of her ear canal with my pinky finger while she's nursing. I'm aware that's gross.

RocksInTheWater · August 2014

I usually leave it until bath night then use a wet washcloth to wipe out his ears, what I can reach anyhow.

sprightlysparrow7 · August 2014

Yeah I use it on the outer canal only. Or just use a wet washcloth.

And dude, check behind those ears! I am really good at keeping LO clean, but the other day I noticed some dry crusties back there. Yuck!

knotty-girl · August 2014

I use a q-tip while he's nursing so he doesn't turn his head or move so I'd accidentally hurt him. I don't do inside the ear canal just around it. If he's squirmy I use a wet wipe and my finger.

Manda+panda · August 2014

unfamiliarroad said:
I pick out the stuff that makes its way out of her ear canal with my pinky finger while she's nursing. I'm aware that's gross.

This. This is me. It's like a compulsion. Grosses H out. Can't help it. And she has stuff after every bath. She's bathed every day. Girls got lots of wax.

katiedidthat · August 2014

Wipe the outside and leave the rest alone. I remember reading somewhere why you should never use q-tips to clean ears.. I'll go see if I can find it.

Edit: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/21/dont-clean-ear-qtip_n_5600401.html

I know it wasn't this specific article as I'm not a huge fan of Huff Post, but it gives the same description of how cleaning the wax out of ears with q-tips can actually make the problem worse and how ears clean themselves. Pretty neat, I think..

diamondtaurus · August 2014

unfamiliarroad said:

I pick out the stuff that makes its way out of her ear canal with my pinky finger while she's nursing. I'm aware that's gross.

Ha- me too! Just wasn't sure I wanted to publicly admit it

It's a weird compulsion for me too. I am also obsessed with cleaning the dogs ears. Just not with my fingers!

AcaAwkward · August 2014

Our pediatrician told us with DD not to use q-tips inside their ears, even baby ones. I'll use one to get the wax that comes to the outside of the ear canal or I'll just pick it.

heybulldog52 · August 2014

We were also told not to put q-tips inside baby's ears. I will occasionally use either a q-tip or my finger to remove anything from outer ear, never ear canal.

hpanabaker · August 2014

Q-tips

PoppySeedWindsor · August 2014

unfamiliarroad said:

I pick out the stuff that makes its way out of her ear canal with my pinky finger while she's nursing. I'm aware that's gross.

I'm gross too then cause this is EXACTLY what I do.

It's sooooooo satisfying, too.

ladygali · August 2014

Yeah, I pick it out with my finger or a tissue when it's at the edge. It's the weirdest shade of orange!! I also get some crust from the curve just above the ear canal and behind the ear, like someone said earlier. Who knew babies got so crusty?!

Be careful with q-tips since it can push wax into the ear and become impacted. You could also accidentally rupture the eardrum. My DH is an audiologist, so I get reminders from him all the time (but I do it anyway. Hey, I'm careful!) I also sometimes get a pic of the dry, compacted wax he has to pick out of patients' ears. Ew.

MamaFantastic · August 2014

Mostly just a fingernail scrape here and there, but I did use a Qtip to wipe the outer opening the other day. My trick is to position the shaft of the Qtip almost perpendicular to the canal and hold it very close to the cotton tip so I can't accidentally stick it in if she jerks her head unexpectedly. I felt perfectly safe doing that.

Kriztyn · August 2014

I bought the infant qtips (has a thicker edge so cannot go INSIDE the ear).. and i just rub the outside and corners. I read that the wax will exit on its own but you can clean the outside of the ear if you want.