The number of babies with eczema in the world is high and it is also growing. There are a number of sensible conclusions as to the reason for this. The truth is however that there are tried, tested and proven ways of bringing a baby’s eczema under control. This article will tell you about the pregnancy treatment as well as how you can energize your baby’s eczema prevention and treatment program.

1. Inside your body and the body of your baby there is a battle between good bacteria and bad bacteria. When the good ones are winning the war, eczema is not allowed to flare up in your body. When the bad bacteria are in control, inflammation and eczema has the tendency to party like it’s 1999.

What you want to do is make sure that you have these beneficial bacteria in amounts high enough that they pass from you into your baby when you are breastfeeding him.

2. A valuable treatment for him depending on the type of eczema he has is to treat your baby’s surroundings for dust mites. If his eczema is atopic, this remedy will be especially helpful.

3. Keep your baby’s skin moist. Dry skin is itchy skin, and itchy skin that has eczema can easily turn on the itch scratch cycle in your baby.

4. Mittens or socks on your baby’s hands should help him tremendously. The soft finishings you put on his hands will buffer his skin against the grabbing and digging of fingernails. You want to keep the eczema from advancing to this stage of development, but when it does you need to get him to stop scratching; the mittens are designed to take some of the impact out of his scratching.

5. You have heard it said that if you have eczema you should stay away from milk. Milk is a huge irritant. However, a more accurate statement would be that if you have eczema you should not drink milk. There are methods of using milk that will allow your body to draw moisture from inside your body. Milk treatments should keep your skin moist so that it will not develop that tendency to itch.

By: Broyde McDonald

A surprising number of mothers will buy expensive lotions and soaps for their sensitive skins, and yet bathe and shampoo their baby in cheaper, chemical-ridden products.

Even those moms who believe they are being very careful about the products they use on their baby are likely not being careful enough.

An article in Clinical Pediatrics reports that over three out of four infants suffer rashes within the first few months of births. Sadly, the reason for such frequent breakouts appears to be the skin care products parents use to keep their babies’ skin moisturized. A baby’s skin, like all organs, is not fully developed and isn’t as effective a barrier against toxic substances. Natural skin care products are much, much safer than the chemical-heavy conventional ones.

The Danger of Over-The-Counter Products

Many products supposedly designed for infants’ sensitive skin are the same harsh cleansers for adults, just put in a cute package with a higher price. Reading labels to see what is really in the bottle is even more critical for your baby than for yourself.

Many bubble baths destroy beneficial bacteria on the baby’s skin. In fact the problem is so bad that infant bubble bath carries an FDA warning against excessive bathing. These products often contain known carcinogens and irritants such as formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane.

Shampoos are no better. Ingredients to avoid include quaternium 15, imidazolidinyl urea, and parabens. Of course you should also stay away from artificial colors and fragrances.

Baby powders are one of the most common treatments for diaper rash. Many moms use cornstarch, and treat rash with whipped-up egg white that’s allowed to dry and form a protective barrier.

Lotions and oils that contain petrochemicals, artificial colors, or artificial fragrances should never be used on a baby.

Natural Skin Care Products

Although most of the skin problems that babies face are due to dangerous ingredients in mass-produced skin care products, this is not the only concern. Even organic skin care products can cause problems if used excessively.

During the first year, babies do not need to be bathed frequently or even at all. An occasional wipe of the genitals and buttocks with a damp cloth is usually all that is needed. If a bath is needed, a small amount of warm water should suffice. Babies don’t sweat like children and adults so don’t need soap most of the time. If necessary, use a mild soap containing palm, coconut, or olive oil and use as little as possible. Never use antibacterial soap.

Shampoo is also seldom, if ever, needed during the first year. If needed, use a very mild organic shampoo.

Lotions that contain soothing or healing natural skin care ingredients such as chamomile or aloe can be beneficial. They moisturize well and a gentle massage can help a fussy baby sleep.

By: Christine Harrell