Soft as a baby’s bottom. Baby smooth skin. Baby-like complexion.
Idioms that hold so true. There’s nothing like running your hand along an infants sweet chunky arm, blowing on their smooth bellies, kissing their tender cheeks…
Unless your infant is one of the many that struggles with baby eczema.
Eczema is a very common rash, frequently found in infants and young toddlers, resulting in dry, rough, scaly, red patches on that sweet tender skin.
Lotions, coconut oils, aquaphor, and steroidal cream are frequently used to treat that awful dry skin. With baby O being so young, when his legs became dry and rough to the touch, and my semi-crunchy ways, I was hesitant to turn to hydrocortisone cream, and determined to find another solution.
I stopped bathing him every other day, stretching baths to twice a week, and kept the water lukewarm, after reading how hot water and frequent baths can strip babies of their natural skin oils. I lathered him every evening, and often in the mornings, with my little lotion-and-aquaphor mixture, or alternatively, with coconut oil.
Still that alligator-rough skin prevailed.
Until, perusing Pinterest one day, I thought, well, oatmeal baths work for adults, and it’s gentle, why couldn’t it work for baby O?
Thus, my baby eczema bath solution was born.
I blended a couple cups of oats in the blender until they reached a fine powder.
A scoop of oats, a large glob of coconut oil, mix in the running water, and let baby marinate!
I was so impressed with how smooth and sweet O’s skin was afterwards, and pleasantly surprised when it was still soft and smooth the next afternoon. The lotions never lasted that long!
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As long as I consistently used this soothing bath on my chunky man a couple times a week, we have not had an eczema outbreak since!
(I should add that baby O’s eczema was mild, and while this may help treat some babies, it may not heal it completely for babies with stronger cases.)
Disclaimer: We strongly advice you to check in with your baby’s doctor before trying out any medication of homemade remedies. It’s always best to be safe than sorry. 🙂Â
We would love to hear from you so leave us a comment below! Do you have any crunchy tips or tricks to treat baby eczema?
Be sure to join us in our social media accounts to be up to date with the progress of our project!
And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our HTÂ #BreastfeedingWorldÂ
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Lauren Lewis is no stranger to childcare development, having spent over 10 years as a nanny or family childcare provider. She’s the wife of a travel geek, mother of two vivacious children, and has an amazing talent for trailing lost things behind her a la Hansel and Gretel. Her passion for lifting up women and advocating for children pours out in her work as a Central Indiana Event Coordinator, Writer, and Social Media Relations Director for Breastfeeding World. Her life is full of busy, crazy and LOUD. It is full of love and hope, ups and downs. And coffee, always lots of coffee- but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
