Newborns aren’t as breakable as they look, but their skin is very delicate. Their developing immune system means that if they are exposed to many chemicals as a newborn, they might develop allergies later in life.

In the first one or two months of life, newborns don’t actually need many skin products. Even skin products made just for babies might be too harsh to use on brand new little ones.

For the most part, you can avoid skin products by only giving your baby a sponge bath one to three times a week. It can be tempting to bathe the baby more, but it’s best to avoid the compulsion. When you’re giving your baby a bath, you can just use warm water without special skin products. Mild (non-colored or scented) soap is okay. If you do use skin products, use the all-natural kind that will be super gentle on baby’s skin.

Bathing newborns too often can cause eczema to occur. When the skin is stripped of its natural oils, it has a harder time keeping out dirt and germs, and keeping in essential moisture. This can cause all sorts of problems, including dry, flaky skin. If your baby has eczema, check out special skin products just for this problem in infants.

Diaper rash is another common problem for which there are many skin products. You can often avoid diaper rash and skin products altogether by changing diapers every two or three hours and by using breathable diapers free from dyes or chemicals. Cloth diapers are becoming a more popular option right now, too, and cost a fraction of what buying hundreds of disposable diapers each month will cost you.

If you do need skin products to deal with diaper rash, stick with natural, trusted brands. Good old Vaseline will work wonders, as will specialized diaper creams. Just make sure you follow the directions on these skin products so that you aren’t harming baby’s skin while you try to make things better.