So, you think you have skin that is so special and so unique? Sure, you may have needy skin but trust me; your baby's skin is even needier! Skin serves as the largest organ on the human body so it goes without saying that it is important to take care of. Skin protects the body from sickness, acts as the barrier to hold in vital organs and waters and keeps oil glands open to allow oxygen in and out of the body.

When a baby is first born it is crucially important to take care of the skin because anything that goes unprotected can affect the entire body. The first few months that a baby is in the world its skin can not protect it self, it is still developing. Sunlight can be damaging, cold temperatures can be harmful and certain lotions can be wrong for a baby's skin.

Since you now know that a baby needs special attention when it comes to skin protection and baby skin care, let us look at how to do it. Here are the 'rules of baby skin care' so to speak:

Less is more: While this slogan goes against nearly everything we have ever been told in life, when it comes to baby skin care less lotion and baby products is better then more. While protection is good, too much protection is often worse then too little! Do not lather your baby with lotions; instead just use the recommended amounts.

Keep your baby out of the sun. The sun can be the deadliest when it is at its peak, usually between 11AM and 3PM. During these hours you should aim to keep your baby either wrapped up or inside. Here is why: The sun has ultraviolet rays that can easily penetrate through skin when it is not fully developed. The pigments (which also lead to the color of the skin) have not been fully established and baby skin can not yet reflect sun rays.

Use baby skin care products not adult ones. While you may think this is common sense, many parents either disregard this rule just thinking that it is irrelevant. The truth is your baby does not have fully functioning skin and it needs a gentler product. You may think that your lotion is gentle and timid but it is not to the level that a product designed for a baby is. Use baby skin care products such as lotions, cleansers and washes.

Rashes happen. You may be super mom, capable of changing your babies diaper in less then 10 seconds and folding the laundry at the same time, but you will not be able to get around the diaper rash that occurs on your babies behind! The trick is treating the rash quickly and making it disappear before the tears arrive! Here's how you can do it: Clean the baby thoroughly everyday, rash or no rash; make sure you always have fresh diapers on hand; use a specially made diaper rash cream, moisturize your baby consistently.

Babies can be fun when they are the smallest but protecting their skin must come before nearly all else when you are caring for your 'little one.' Remember the four rules of baby skin care when you are dealing with your babies. The first five to six months are the most important when caring for unprotected skin so remember to follow a consistent plan. Consistency is everything when you are taking care of your baby so keep a close eye on lotions, sunlight exposure, baby skin care products and rashes!