Your baby has the most delicate, sensitive skin there is. When you need something to help take care of that skin, and keep it healthy, you don’t want to reach for just anything. Due to the sensitivity of baby’s skin, most products can really irritate it. It’s best to go with something all natural, and perfectly safe. This is why so many mothers are turning to Shea Butter. It is all natural, safe for baby’s sensitive skin, and protects your baby’s skin from a number of different things.
Sun Protection
Too much exposure to the sun is unhealthy for anyone, especially your little one. The damaging UV rays can really be bad for baby’s skin. Also, too much sun exposure can lead to sunburn, which is bad enough for adults, but can be miserable to a baby. Shea Butter contains a natural sun screen which will help protect your baby’s skin from the sun. While it is doing this, it also keeps your baby’s skin soft, hydrated, and healthy. Rub some on your baby’s skin before you go outside and rest assured that his or her skin is safe!
Diaper Rash
We all know how bad diaper rash can be. It looks terrible, and can be really painful for your baby. Most of the time, diaper rash occurs at night, when wetness is trapped close to the skin for an extended period of time. With the acids in urine, it doesn’t take long for diaper rash to develop. When possible, allow your baby to go without a diaper in order for the skin to breathe. Also, rub Shea Butter on your baby’s skin to protect it. There is natural latex in Shea Butter which is not irritating, but provides a protective barrier for your baby’s skin, keeping moisture out. Remembering to rub it on at night will keep your baby drier, and will not allow the wetness to reach your baby’s skin.
Baby Massage
Many parents utilize the many benefits of baby massage. It is a bonding time for mother or father and baby to play, talk, sing, or laugh. It also does great things for your baby. When you are participating in baby massage, try using it to make it even better. When it absorbs into your baby’s skin, so does Vitamins A, C and E, essential fats and acids which keep the skin healthy, and other great nutrients which promote healthy and happy skin!
Shea Butter is amazing for so many different things, that it is a must for mothers. It is one of the few things that you can feel safe with, because it is all natural and safe for babies. If only a mother could rely on more things like Shea Butter!
By: Dr. Robyn Tisdale Scott
Today, one in every four or five babies and toddlers suffer from dry skin. This makes them prone to more serious skin conditions such as eczema. Since their skin is more delicate than adults’ skin, it is important to know the ins and outs of skin care for them.
Causes of Baby Dry Skin
When the baby is born, she is initially covered in a slippery coat of amniotic fluid. During the first several days, her skin may still not be used to such a dry environment and develop patches of dry skin and redness. Dryness in the air, such as during winter and inside heated homes, can also strip her skin of moisture.
Doting parents may be tempted to give the baby daily baths to make sure she stays clean. What most people don’t know is that daily baths are unnecessary, and may actually harm and dry the skin even more. Summer is also a time for swimming in the pool and the ocean, especially for active toddlers. The salt and chlorine have drying effects on the skin and can cause rashes.
Prevention and treatment of baby dry skin
Adding a humidifier or vaporizer in the baby’s room will help control the moisture content in the air and help hydrate her dry skin. When the temperature gets too cold, it is often a better idea to give the baby more clothes to wear instead of turning the heat up; doing so will lower the humidity. During the summer, take steps to protect the baby from sunburn. Give her gloves or mittens during the winter, both to protect against dropping humidity levels and scratching.
When it comes to washing the baby, a bath every three or four days is actually enough to give her a measure of protection against dry skin. As the baby grows and begins to crawl and get dirty, a bath scheduled every other day is reasonable; just make sure to avoid bubble baths as much as possible, as soap and lather tends to dry the skin. It is often enough to simply sponge areas that look dry during the day.
While giving baby a bath, it is advisable to use warm water instead of hot, as hot water dries the skin. It is also a good idea to cut down the bath time to ten minutes or so-any longer will sap most of the moisture from her skin. Don’t use soap on the baby. Instead, use a soap-free, fragrance-free cleanser. Soap, as in every other possible case, dries the skin. Within a few minutes after the bath, pat her dry and apply a moisturizer, lotion, or emollient. This will lock in the moisture her skin took in from the bath and keep her skin supple until the next bath time. Make sure the moisturizer has no dyes and heavy perfumes, as these can irritate and dry skin.
When washing the baby’s clothes, wash them in a batch separate from the clothes of other members of the family. Do not use laundry soap and fabric softeners on her clothes, as the detergents can irritate her dry skin and cause allergies. Tea-tree oil and baking soda has been advised in the past as a substitute for laundry detergents. During the day, make sure the child isn’t dressed too tightly, and try to avoid any wool or nylon in her wardrobe. Wool, as well as other synthetic materials, has rough edges which easily causes irritation, especially on the baby’s delicate skin. Disposable and cloth diapers are both fine and acceptable for babies. There is only one rule to remember about diapers: if it’s wet, change it. Many parents leave disposable diapers on their babies for too long, until the core bursts and exposes the baby’s skin to more than just wetness.
Toddlers love to play in the water, and trips to the beach or the pool are often in order during the summer. To protect against dry skin caused by salt and chlorine, rinse the child completely in tap water after swimming, then apply a good moisturizer. As a general rule for children, the thicker the moisturizer, the better.
Consult your doctor
Regularly check your child’s skin for any dry skin and redness. While eczema is often treatable with regular applications of moisturizers, it is often best to see the child’s doctor if the redness does not disappear or if the child is always uncomfortable. Red, dry skin may also be an indication of icthyosis, a genetic medical condition. As dry skin gets worse, it may break, swell, or get infected.
It is always a good idea to consult with your doctor if your child’s dry skin problems worry you. Schedule a visit if her dry skin does not respond to home treatments.
By: Della Franklin