Have you experienced rashes? How was it, and how did you know what the cause was? Please share your experience for other mothers to learn. I will just share mine. So it started immediately, week one of going home with my baby. The first thing that happened was the diaper rash. I had bought a lot of diapers and in the process, I realized that she would get irritation and it became very difficult because the whole of her thighs and the bum( the bum was looking pale white) had rashes. Days later, I noticed again the same rashes had spread through the back and I started wondering what the cause could possibly be. I later realized that actually the kind of vest that was stressing the baby. I thought they were 100% cotton but they were actually not, they were polyester-ish. To me they would look pretty and I bought them thinking, well, they are awesome and fantastic, but I came to realize if the vest or if the inner garments are not cotton then the bay is likely to get rashes. I also had the change the brand of the diapers.
The kind of detergents you use are also another cause of rashes. Normally, you are so excited cause it is actually a new-born- someone you have never met before and you do not know what reacts to them.
Mostly, they come when you have already bought some of these facilities that you may require and you buy these pretty soap that has a very nice fragrance and you think, “Oops, so this is it, my baby is going to
be smelling so heavenly!” Then you wash your baby and they turn all white with rashes all over.
Another thing that also happens is when you start or whenever you are breastfeeding, you realize that once you eat something specific, your baby starts reacting and they start getting these very bad rashes and start itching and being uncomfortable. For me it used to happen with eggs. I never ate eggs for almost two years or I would eat them sparingly maybe an egg or maximum two eggs per week until I was done breastfeeding. This was because every time I took eggs, my baby would get these terrible rashes
especially around the shoulder areas and the back.
Upon starting weaning/complementary feeding, again this is a new person and you have never fed them before and you never know what kind of foods he/she is allergic to so it is a matter of trial and error. I pumped a lot; I have shared the story of pumping and storing breastmilk and keeping it fresh for a very long time. I actually ran out of stock at some point and I realized that I needed to introduce formula or packet milk or any other milk that is available. What I didn’t know is that my baby is lactose intolerant, which is another terrible cause of rashes. For food, you have to follow the three-day rule. The three day rule is whereby once you introduce a specific food, give it for three consistent days so that you are able to tell that this specific food is causing an allergy to my baby. If it is causing any kind of irritation like rashes and all that, then you need to stop it. Of course I had already checked with the milk brands that I was using and eggs. Till today, my baby does not eat eggs.
So how to you manage? It became a very long journey because it is something that never ends.
Sometimes you try so hard like maybe you are having your breakfast and you take a piece of egg and you are thinking that that is so small and it is not going to affect her but oops, she still gets that irritation. So I have been journeying to hospitals severally because sometimes it is so bad and you cannot stand it and the baby looks pale white with dry skin. I remember this time I went to the doctor and we did all the tests and the doctor went, “Okay, this looks like eczema.” I was prescribed a lot of creams and medication. I remember asking the pharmacist, “This is a lot for a one and a half year old baby, is there something else I can do.” Luckily, the pharmacist was kind enough to share some of these tips that I am about to share
with you. It has worked for us for the last three years and we have stopped applying some of those cream.
So how do you manage the rashes?
Use warm water- When you are giving them a bathe, use warm water and add some salt. Not too much, just salt to taste. Soak your baby 3-4 times a day. When you get them out of the water, do not rub as you
wipe, tap. Rubbing causes more irritation. Tap the baby to dry and apply Vaseline GENEROUSLY. Do that at least three times a day and the rashes will eventually clear up.
The most important thing is figuring out what is causing these rashes. If it is about clothes, tell your nanny, especially if you are working, you are most likely not the one to do the child’s laundry and what they do is use these harsh detergents and want to make sure that your clothes are clean and smelling very nice and what these detergents end up causing a lot of skin irritation. So basically, talk to your nannies and tell them to ensure that the clothes are rinsed very very well. It’s personalized so just look at what could be causing irritation to the baby and avoid it. If the baby is allergic to animal protein, for example, go to plant protein. With time we will be sharing some of these weaning recipes with you here.
So basically the best way to deal with rashes and eczema is by:
- Know the cause of irritation. If it is a food, drop it. For milk you can avoid giving milk or formula
and opt for natural yoghurt. - Use warm salty water- soak the baby at least three times a day.
- Apply Vaseline generously.
- At night, ensure you use 100% cotton, especially for the inner wears.
Thank you for joining us today and let’s journey together. Leave any questions or comments in the
comments section.