How to help your child with sensitive skin
You are new parent to the most beautiful, perfect, bundle of love… and its amazing and it’s hard! Add in a consistent rashes, dry skin and irritation can make you feel like your failing while losing your mind. This article gives information we learned the hard way. I hope it helps you and your baby’s sensitive skin.
If you have a toddler with sensitive skin you know that diaper rash is brutal and reoccurring! We faught this battle with our infant for what felt like forever until we found out the system that works! Here are the dos and don’ts we follow!
What we do:
– Make sure baby’s skin is 100% dry before putting on any ointment or diaper.
-Switch up diaper brands until you find one that doesn’t irritate their skin. (For us it was Pampers Swaddlers linked here!).
-ALWAYS apply diaper cream. (We use aquafor – linked here!)
-Give diaper free time as often as possible (We do this every day after bath for about an hour)
What I suggested you avoid:
-Letting a diaper rash continue once notice. Immediately take steps to correct it.
-Using any kind of ointment/cream for different types of rashes. Check what their needs are and what that ointment/cream is made for.
-Using scented products.
Soaps are an expensive trial and error that took us a while to find the right one! Soaps cry dry baby skin out, cause rashes or irritation. Here is what works for us and doesn’t:
What we do:
-Use scent free, dye free and soaps formulated for sensitive skin. our favorites are baby bum, aquafor and burts bees.
-If your baby presents with a diaper rash have them soak the rash in baking soda water. Mix 2 tablespoons baking soda to their bath water. Give diaper free time after.
What I suggest you avoid:
-Don’t use soap during every bath if you give bath daily. We did every other or every third.
-Scented products
Sensitive skin skin can make days in the sun less that fun! We have found a few things that can help!
What we do:
-Use sun screen that works for your babe’s skin. Our favorite is blue lizard sunscreen. Fun fact the bottle will change color if UV rays are present so you always know when it is needed.
– Hats are key to avoid suncreen hair (not fun to clean every day of summer). Our child took a lot if tries to find hats that worked. This is our favorite for 12 months-24months then this is our favorite for 24 months+
-UV block clothing and swim suits our favorite currently is linked here
What I suggest you avoid
-Aresol sum screen spray
-No sun screen
Laundry detergent can be a tough choice before baby (let alone baby with sensitive skin). There is a plethora of brands, scents, strengths, organic, synthetic, in the bottle, in a pod or even in a sheet. No add the stress of what safe for baby… oh and wont give them a rash. May the odds be ever in your favor.
What we do:
-Use scent and dye free detergent
-Use natural fabric softeners like wool balls
-Buy a sample size/ travel size if available to test child’s reaction.
What I suggest you avoid:
-Scented detergents
-Fabric softeners (liquid or sheets)
