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So we thought we were doing pretty well in the baby care department. We were giving Violet baths every other day so that we didn't dry out her skin. We were cleaning her little bod with Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo and using Johnson's Baby Oil. Her clothing was washed in Seventh Generation Free & Clear laundry detergent, and her little tush was slathered in Boudreaux's Butt Paste whenever it looked a little rashy. And of course, Johnson & Johnson Baby Lotion to keep her precious skin oh so soft. Well guess what - it seems we were doing it ALL WRONG.
Apparently our little babe is not only sensitive in the personality department but in the skin department as well. We had recently switched her from Pampers Sensitive Swaddlers to regular old non-sensitive diapers. She had been in sensitives in the NICU and we had just never really made the switch. But you know, Pampers Sensitives aren't cheap and I wasn't working. Since she had never had a real problem, we thought we were in the clear. Well, shortly after switching to regular diapers she got a horrible rash. We switched back to sensitives and voila! The diaper rash cleared up overnight. But unfortunately, the peeling chafing skin remained.
No biggie, we thought, that'll just take a little longer to heal. And we waited. And waited. And it spread. It spread to her underarms, her belly, her chest and her legs, then it got red and rashy. This all happened in a matter of 24 hours. So we called up the doctor and scheduled an appointment for the following day. We slathered her in lotion and put her to sleep in the buff now theorizing that maybe something in her clothing was irritating her skin.
Then we got to the doctor...and found out that we were just doing everything wrong. Even when we thought we were being super careful - who knew? We were ordered to make some major changes to our baby products and to slather her skin in Vaseline twice a day. Here are the new products we are now using:
For bathtime - Dove's unscented bar soap for sensitive skin. (which I already use on myself lol)
For laundry - Dreft Detergent (with NO fabric softener)
For the tush - A+D Ointment (reminds me of Vaseline but with a weird medicinal smell)
For the head - Plain ol' Mineral Oil (baby oil is basically just scented mineral oil anyway, so we're eliminating the scenty-ness)
For the bod - Vaseline Pure Petroleum Jelly
So bye bye sweet smelling, albeit rashy baby, hello smooth-skinned funny smelling baby! We're happy to say that her dry rashy skin started to heal up almost immediately. By the next day the redness and rash were completely gone. A few days after making the big switch there was no more peeling skin to be found. And now our babe is as smooth as, well, a baby's bottom!
So another baby mystery solved after a lot of head-scratching on our part. Hope this helps for anyone else out there who has a super sensitive babe! xo, Lauren
So another baby mystery solved after a lot of head-scratching on our part. Hope this helps for anyone else out there who has a super sensitive babe! xo, Lauren
I had some of those issues with Rylan just not quite to that extent. I was using the Seventh Generation detergent and he seemed to be getting some little red bumps so I switched to All Free and Clear and the bumps went away. I was also using the Johnson's soap and I switched to Dove when it seemed that he was getting some red, dry patches which healed as well. I have the Butt Paste and that never seemed to cause any issues but I love A&D and tend to pick that over anything because it creates such a skin barrier. Glad she is looking and feeling much better even though she now smells a little funny :) I still sneak a little Johnson's lotion on the back of his neck, behind his ears, and a quick smear on his cheeks for a great smelling baby since I use Cetaphil lotion on his body (no scent). Yay for a happy baby and parents!
ReplyDeleteA & D is my favorite rash cream when Vaseline doesn't work. We don't have sensitive babies but I decided to wash Henry's clothes in vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice. Then I dry his clothes on the line. I have to do it like that for his cloth diapers anyway and my load is never full with just diapers. Pure Castile Soap is really gentle for baths too, but costly compared to Dove or other sensitive bar soaps.
ReplyDeleteSoon enough she will smell wonderful (especially after the A&D is gone) and if you ever use a fragrance on her it will likely smell too strong and UN-baby-like!!
Lauren, you have a wonderful blog post. It's amazing to me how much 'crap' they put in our personal care products, including for babies. We have eliminated nearly every scent possible, as well as cleaning chemicals. My kids are healthier... and my youngest (who has reactive airway - not asthma, but similar symptoms caused by things around her, including cigarette smoke, etc), well she has been breathing healthier ever since we cut chemicals out of our cleaning closet. Something else to consider... the products that we breath in. We don't need amonia to clean windows. Vinegar and water - much cheaper and safer. Baking soda and water or vinegar - much cheaper and safer than comet. If you're interested, you can check out the chemicals that are in some of our personal care products at the following website... you might be amazed! http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/
ReplyDeleteBy the way (sorry for hogging your post!), another safe alternative for her skin is natural (not 'commercialized' with artificial stuff) coconut oil. It smells much better than mineral oil :-) If you are interested and can't find it, let me know. My girlfriend uses it. I'm guessing she probably found it at Sonnewald's, but can check for sure if you'd like.
ReplyDeleteLauren, I remember reading that a lot of moms had problems with pampers "dry max". Something was supposedly causing chemical burns, but not for everyone. I steer clear of pampers since then. My little guy is sensetive too- bad eczema flare ups if we switch detergents or soaps. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteJennifer...that site is terrifying!
ReplyDeleteNow that it's been mentioned, I recall a lot of issues with Dry Max too.
As long as people demand 'smelly' products, they will continue to be produced. There is a bill in some congressional location that will require the cosmetics industry to be better regulated. For example, perfume companies don't keep their 'secret formulas' off of the label because they are afraid of reproduction... that happens anyway. They just don't want people to know what toxic chemicals they are *legally* using to make the perfume.
ReplyDeleteI bought Pampers wipes recently... the 'Unscented' ones. My children are 5 and 8 so we don't use them much. The perfume smell gave me an instant headache. I chose these over the 'Sensitive' ones because of the price... both were labeled ...'Unscented'. I called P&G and complained. She said to me "If you want the TRULY unscented ones, you need to buy the ones labeled 'Sensitive'" Seriously? TRULY unscented? I think it should be illegal to market something as unscented and then put masking fragrance in it. Deoderants and other products are the same way.
ReplyDeleteCan you tell this is a hot button for me?!?! (Sorry, Lauren!)
All great changes, but you may want to do a little research on mineral oil and petroleum jelly. As by-products of crude oil, they aren't exactly great for your skin...or your sweet baby's! Mineral oil actually clogs the pores and doesn't let the bad stuff out. It's SUPER cheap, so the big companies will keep trying to get us to use it...
ReplyDeleteMy baby girl never had problems with regular pampers, but then they came out with "Dry Max" and she got a rash about a week after we got our first package of those diapers. After a few weeks of unsuccessfully fighting diaper rash, my husband read an article that said Dry Max was causing skin problems and we switched to nice cheap Target brand diapers. We haven't had a severe rash problem since.
ReplyDeleteA good soap that I recommend to everyone is Dr.Bronner's organic baby soap. I actually use it on myself. Great stuff!
ReplyDeleteDitto what someone else said about vaseline and mineral oil, they are made from petroleum oil and clog your skin. My sister is a massage therapist and she advised never to use mineral oil since it it clogs your pores and keeps water from getting in. I understand you need a barrier from the moisture though. We just use olive oil or coconut oil. Dr. Bronner's soap is great too. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI thought I had the world's most sensitive skinned baby, but it appears I'm not alone! Just wanted to pass on a couple more things to help you. My pediatrician gave me the best diaper rash cream recipe...that's right, a recipe...you actually put a bunch of products together to make the perfect concoction. Here it is:
ReplyDelete1/2 tube Desitin
1/2 tube A & D
1 tube Bacitracin
2-3 tbsp Maalox
Mix these four ingredients together and store in a container of some sort. Beware, mixing can get REALLY messy, so maybe wear some rubber gloves. And whatever you use to mix these ingredients in...prepare to throw away because the creams are impossible to wash off completely.
Also, Mustela Stelatopia Moisturizing Cream and Cream Cleanser. You can find these at Babies R Us, it's pricey, but great stuff for ultra sensitive skin.
Hope these tips help!
Lacey
I love your blog! Your baby is so beautiful. But I would caution before using products like mineral oil and Vaseline. There are lots of great natural alternatives for both Vaseline and mineral oil. Alba makes and un-petroleum that feels and looks just like vaseline without all the yuckies that vaseline has. You should look into it for yourself though :) and form your own opinion. Also some companies like aura cacia make natural oils, like jojoba, or grapseed, maybe those could replace the mineral oil. It soaks into your skin and can do damage. I would look into it further :)
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks for all of the incredibly intelligent comments and suggestions - I heart my readers! :) I never really thought about what Vaseline was...looking into it for sure! It definitely worked on her skin (and fast) but if there's a better alternative for it I'm all for it!
ReplyDeleteSo Johnson and Johnson is making a "natural" baby soap that doesn't have SLS in it, it is made from plant derived ingredients. . . costs a little less than the Burt's Baby Soap/Shampoo that I have always used on my kids. Haven't used it on the new baby yet, so we'll see if it works okay.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, the best diaper ointment hands down is Lanolin (yes, the stuff you use for boobies for breastfeeding). It is 100% natural and will not irritate a baby's bottom. Basically clean off baby and then make sure bottom is dry or lanolin won't stick. Put lanolin on areas that have rash, or you want to protect and it will make a waterproof barrier (so no wetness or nasty stuff will touch her skin). I guarantee any rash will be cleared up by the end of the day. I used this on my kids whenever they had a touch of rash and it always cleared it right up. And your baby shouldn't have any reaction to it.
Hope that helps.
I never used whipes, they always smelled funny to me. Like making-me-want-to-gag-chemically funny. So we would use wet wash clothes for her bum. And gave her a bath before bedtime (every night in the summer and every 3rd night when its winter). And we never had any issues with rash. EVER. Try it, it's so easy :)
ReplyDeleteI never used whipes, they always smelled funny to me. Like making-me-want-to-gag-chemically funny. So we would use wet wash clothes for her bum. And gave her a bath before bedtime (every night in the summer and every 3rd night when its winter). And we never had any issues with rash. EVER. Try it, it's so easy :)
ReplyDeleteI thought I had the world's most sensitive skinned baby, but it appears I'm not alone! Just wanted to pass on a couple more things to help you. My pediatrician gave me the best diaper rash cream recipe...that's right, a recipe...you actually put a bunch of products together to make the perfect concoction. Here it is:
ReplyDelete1/2 tube Desitin
1/2 tube A & D
1 tube Bacitracin
2-3 tbsp Maalox
Mix these four ingredients together and store in a container of some sort. Beware, mixing can get REALLY messy, so maybe wear some rubber gloves. And whatever you use to mix these ingredients in...prepare to throw away because the creams are impossible to wash off completely.
Also, Mustela Stelatopia Moisturizing Cream and Cream Cleanser. You can find these at Babies R Us, it's pricey, but great stuff for ultra sensitive skin.
Hope these tips help!
Lacey
Wow, thanks for all of the incredibly intelligent comments and suggestions - I heart my readers! :) I never really thought about what Vaseline was...looking into it for sure! It definitely worked on her skin (and fast) but if there's a better alternative for it I'm all for it!
ReplyDelete