# Avoid Rubbing Newborns With Oil and Gram Flour for Fairer Skin, Amrita Hospital Specialist Warns of Severe Skin Infection Risks

> New parents frequently face confusion over traditional practices such as skin-lightening massages, sunlight exposure for jaundice, and handling infants. Dr. Prachi Singh, newborn specialist at Amrita Hospital in Faridabad, clarifies critical medical facts to ensure proper infant health and safety.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Parenting · **Published:** 2026-09-02 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/parenting/shishu-ki-rngata-nikharane-ke-lie-tela-aura-besana-ki-malisha-se-bachen-amrita-hospital-ki-shishu-roga-visheshajna-ne-batae-gharel-26082 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Newborn Care, Infant Health Tips, Dr Prachi Singh, Amrita Hospital Faridabad, Neonatal Jaundice, NICU Admission, Baby Massage Risks, Parenting Myths

The arrival of a newborn brings immense joy alongside numerous questions and anxieties for new parents. When an infant cries persistently, falls asleep repeatedly during feeding sessions, or presents a darker skin complexion, family elders frequently recommend traditional home remedies. However, according to Dr. Prachi Singh, a newborn specialist at Amrita Hospital in Faridabad, relying on unverified domestic advice is not always safe for an infant's fragile health. In many instances, these traditional practices can trigger severe skin and systemic complications.

## Myth of Fairer Skin via Home Remedies and Risks of Vigorous Massage
In many households, elders advise vigorously massaging a baby with oil, gram flour (besan), or wheat dough (aata) under the assumption that it lightens skin tone. From a medical perspective, this practice is highly detrimental. Dr. Prachi Singh explicitly cautions against applying gram flour or rubbing oils aggressively onto a newborn's skin. An infant's skin barrier is exceptionally thin and sensitive; harsh friction causes friction burns, rashes, severe irritation, and allergic reactions.

Once the skin barrier is compromised, the risk of dangerous bacterial infections invading the infant's body increases substantially. Furthermore, parents must understand that no external application or traditional mixture can alter a child's genetically determined skin tone. An infant's complexion at birth is their permanent natural skin tone. Attempting skin-lightening procedures on a newborn only jeopardizes their dermal integrity and overall well-being.

## Misconception Regarding Holding and Carrying Newborns
A prevalent myth suggests that carrying a newborn frequently will spoil them and turn them into a demanding child. Dr. Prachi Singh dismisses this concern as entirely baseless. She explains that holding a baby close during the initial weeks is a natural and essential part of infant care. Having spent nine months inside the protective, warm environment of the mother's womb, a newborn relies heavily on physical contact, body heat, and affection to adapt to the external world.

Being held provides infants with a profound sense of security and strengthens the physical bond with their parents. Fearing that showering affection or carrying a baby will spoil their temperament is completely misplaced. Parents should comfortably hold their babies whenever needed to provide warmth and emotional reassurance without any guilt or hesitation.

## Sunlight Exposure Myth for Newborn Jaundice and Brain Risk
Neonatal jaundice is a common condition observed in many infants shortly after birth. However, placing a newborn in direct sunlight to cure jaundice remains a widespread medical misconception. Dr. Prachi Singh points out that sunlight exposure neither treats jaundice effectively nor offers a reliable way to gauge whether bilirubin levels are rising or falling. Assessing the precise severity of neonatal jaundice requires formal clinical evaluation and blood testing conducted by a medical professional.

Exposing an infant to prolonged sunlight carries severe risks of overheating and dehydration. If jaundice progresses unmonitored and bilirubin levels rise excessively, the compound can cross into the brain, causing irreversible neurological damage. Parents noticing signs of jaundice should skip home remedies and immediately consult a pediatrician for proper diagnostic testing and supervised phototherapy.

## Falling Asleep During Feeding and Signs of Low Blood Sugar or Infection
It is fairly common for newborns to fall asleep while breastfeeding or bottle feeding, as the act of suckling requires significant physical effort. However, if an infant repeatedly doses off after taking only a few sips and proves difficult to arouse, the behavior should not be ignored. Dr. Prachi Singh warns that persistent lethargy during feeding sessions can be a red flag for underlying physiological distress.

Lethargy and poor feeding responses often stem from hypoglycemia (dangerously low blood sugar levels) or systemic infections. Because newborns have minimal metabolic reserves, sudden drops in blood sugar can become life-threatening. If guardians observe that their baby is failing to feed adequately and appears unusually sluggish, they must seek emergency medical intervention without delay.

## Understanding NICU Care Needs and Common Delivery Room Practices
Many expecting parents harbor anxieties that hospital protocols routinely mandate placing every newborn into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Dr. Prachi Singh reassures families that NICU admission is strictly reserved for specific medical indications. Full-term infants who cry vigorously upon delivery and demonstrate normal vital parameters are immediately placed in rooming-in care alongside their mothers.

NICU admissions are intended for vulnerable infants who require close monitoring, such as premature babies born before full term, low birth weight newborns, or infants exhibiting respiratory distress. Additionally, babies requiring brief supplemental oxygen during delivery may be placed under short-term NICU observation. A temporary stay in the NICU does not imply a critical prognosis; once stabilizing protocols and observation are complete, infants are promptly transferred back to their mothers.

## What this means for you
Adopting evidence-based infant care practices safeguards newborns from severe skin damage, hidden infections, and neurological risks caused by traditional remedies.

- **Skin Protection:** Discontinuing harsh massages with oil, gram flour, or dough eliminates risks of abrasions, skin irritation, and bacterial infections. Parents should respect the infant's natural complexion and use only doctor-recommended mild formulations if needed.
- **Accurate Jaundice Management:** Replacing ineffective sunbathing traditions with timely clinical evaluations ensures accurate bilirubin tracking. This prevents toxic bilirubin levels from reaching the brain and causing permanent damage.
- **Early Infection Detection:** Promptly evaluating extreme drowsiness during feeding allows early intervention for low blood sugar or systemic infections. Guardians must closely observe feeding intervals and arousal responses.
- **Emotional Bonding:** Dispelling the myth of spoiling infants through holding ensures infants receive essential bodily warmth and affection. Frequent touch fosters psychological security and aids physical regulation.
- **Reduced Hospital Anxiety:** Understanding NICU observation protocols alleviates unnecessary panic for new parents. Brief post-delivery oxygen support or routine observation should not be mistaken for critical illness.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Can massaging a newborn with oil or gram flour make their skin fairer?
No, an infant's complexion is determined naturally at birth. Vigorous rubbing or using gram flour causes skin scratches, irritation, and increases infection risks.

### 2. Does holding a newborn frequently spoil their habits?
Not at all. Emerging from the womb, newborns require maternal touch, warmth, and a sense of security, which is entirely normal and does not spoil them.

### 3. Is exposing a baby to sunlight an effective treatment for newborn jaundice?
This is a misconception. Sunlight exposure fails to measure jaundice severity and risks overheating or dehydration, requiring immediate medical evaluation instead.

### 4. When does a baby falling asleep during feeding become a concern?
If the baby drinks very little milk, falls asleep repeatedly, and proves difficult to wake, it may indicate low blood sugar or an infection requiring doctor consultation.

### 5. Does every newborn need to be admitted to the NICU after birth?
No, full-term infants who cry well and show healthy vital signs stay directly with the mother. NICU care is limited to premature, low weight, or respiratory distressed babies.

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