Bathing - yes I have lots of questions today :)

[aegis2005]

I'm looking at all the options out their for diaper rash ointment and bathing and all that fun stuff - and am totally overchoiced. As I child I had really bad eczema (and still have occasional eczema break-outs), so did my father as a child, so I'm thinking about cautioning on the side of "sensitive" type products - and Aveeno has always been good to my skin.

Do you need a body wash and a shampoo and a lotion? Do these "all in one" products I read about actually work? How about diaper rash ointment? Use all the time (I babysat for someone who did this back in the day) or only when there's a problem?

Yes, I'm clueless

[tashaandsage]

So tough, because what is good for one baby is not another. It might take trial and error to see what products you need and are best for your little guy. Maisy had cradle cap and required a separate shampoo, where the all in one wash & shampoo was fine for Beckett. Neither of my kids needed body lotion, but then no one in our family suffers from dry skin. I had to use diaper cream (actually not even a diaper cream, but Bag Balm, after trying every cream on the market & prescriptions) after every change with Beckett as a preventative, where Maisy rarely ever had diaper rash. Maybe buy a few sensitive skin items, and then hang on to various samples you get to try out. You'll probably receive favorite brands of other moms as gifts too.

[loskadoodle]

We don't have any skin problems here so I'm not sure if I will help much. We just use johnson and johnson baby all in one. For lotion, I use aveeno and desitin for diaper rash, but our pedi said to only use it if he has a problem, so we have only used it a handful of times. Like Tasha said, you will get alot of samples so try those first and see what you like!

[sara76]

I have excema also. I use plain Dove and Eucerin lotion for myself. Nothing scented except for hand washing. You wouldn't believe the reaction i had to shea butter once. That being said, I've always just used Johnson and Johnson products on her. I had gotten some at my baby shower and it's been good for us.

When they are first born their butt will be red where the diaper was because the skin is new, but that is not diaper rash. My mom wanted to put Desatin on her sooo bad and it made me nuts. She didn't have diaper rash, I didn't want to put stuff on her privates until she needed it. It was so very annoying. For the first 2, maybe even 3 months I bathed her like once a week. She didn't get dirty. She didn't sweat. The hospital used these dry towelettes with warm water as wipes and I would clean her privates and under her chin with those daily, but for the most part I didn't want to wash away her natural babyness too soon. Once I started bathing her every night as our bedtime routine I used Johnson and Johnson sleepy time every other night and plain warm water every other night. Now we bubble bath with it every night. As far as diaper rash, I have Desatin and Butt Paste but she's never had diaper rash. I realize that's just lucky and lots of babies do. She's had a few little bumps a few times and I put a really thick layer of Desatin on and the bumps were vanished by the next diaper change. I never use lotion or baby oil on her. I did use a sample of Johnson and Johnson naturals line on night and her back got rashy. Threw all samples away.

[mskateb]

I think you're going to get a wide range of answers here -- with Lily it was trial and error. She had HORRIBLY sensitive skin and eczema. We tried several, and ultimately stuck with just plain Cetaphil. The creme, not the lotion. I think we used cetaphil cleanser on her body, too, but I kinda don't remember. (GAH, my brain sucks.) Now we use the Aveeno body/hair wash, and it's been fine. I think we've been using it for a long time for her body, too.

We had to stay away from anything with any kind of fragrance because any fragrance, even lavender, is an irritant. (Sidenote: Dreft is the worst offender of all. I highly recommend skipping the Dreft and just getting any free and clear detergent.) And a lot of things for sensitive skin really aren't. Baby Magic and Johnson's were horrible for Lils. Trial and error, baby. We've never bathed her every day; that would be way too hard on her skin, even now. We used the A&D gold diaper rash, and it's always been fine.

[mrschelseap09]

I use California Baby on Lila. You can find it at Target, its a little more expensive than the other products but it supposed to be the safest and highest rated on the market. California Baby also carries a sensitive line. I love that the shampoo/bodywash (all-in-one) comes in pump, it makes bathing so easy! The lotion also comes in a pump and smells sooo good

As for diaper cream, Lila has always had a horrible diaper rash issue. Luckily, it's has stopped since she has been eating solids and pooping solid. Desitin Maximum (purple container) is the only product that has worked for her. I say buy the tub and not the tube, it will save you a ton of money in the long run.

It came out last year that J&J and Aveeno use carcinogenics in their products. (I'm not sure if I spelled the correctly? lol)

[jennifer8080]

I've used California Baby bath wash and lotion on both kids. I also use coconut oil for diaper rash. It's natural, cheap and really effective. Diaper rash has never been a big issue for us, but when she did it have it the coconut oil worked right away. I keep A&D in the diaper bag, it's clear and not as messy as Desitin.

[mrsmew]

I also use California Baby, with the exception of a giant bottle of J&J calming bedtime lotion we got as a shower gift - I use that after her baths sometimes (only a couple times/week). She doesn't seem to have sensitive skin so everything has worked out fine for us, but the California Baby stuff is my favorite.

We use Desitin for diaper rash, but not for every change - only at night or if we're going to be out for long periods where we might not be as on top of diaper changes as we usually are at home (particularly in the summer when it was so hot outside), or if she's looking a little red. We've never really had a problem.

[kimandross]

Q has very sensitive skin and issues with bug bites, so there has been a lot of trial and error. I tend to have better luck with all natural products, and right now I'm using a Burt's Bees shampoo/wash and have a bottle of Arbonne wash that I will use next.

As for diaper rash, I only used when there was a problem, which was not too often. I liked Boudreaux's Butt Paste myself, but like before, its trial and error.

Oh, and as a side note, if you're worried about possible skin irritation, don't buy Dreft. Its got a ton of perfume in it. I use the free and clear Up and Up brand for all our laundry now and it works great.

[melis74]

Mia had eczema and a friend told me she used California Baby for her daughter when she had it. I tried it and it worked great! I used the California Baby Calendula Cream for her eczema. I also use their shampoo and body wash as well as their sunscreen and we have had no sensitivity issues.

As for diaper cream, we only use it when needed. We had some diarrhea issues when we found out about her milk protein allergy and had to use diaper cream. First we tried Butt Paste and her skin reacted, then we tried Desitin and it seemed to work at first, but then she started getting little bumps from it as well. We are now using Triple Paste, and while it isn't cheap, her little bottom tolerates it just fine. The first time Mia was on antibiotics she got a horrible diaper rash, sores, etc and we ended up getting a prescription for Nystatin to cut it. Just something to keep in mind if your little guy does end up with sensitive skin.

[mrsjason]

Oct 8, 2012 10:26:44 GMT -5 sara76 said:

I have excema also. I use plain Dove and Eucerin lotion for myself. Nothing scented except for hand washing. You wouldn't believe the reaction i had to shea butter once. That being said, I've always just used Johnson and Johnson products on her. I had gotten some at my baby shower and it's been good for us.

When they are first born their butt will be red where the diaper was because the skin is new, but that is not diaper rash. My mom wanted to put Desatin on her sooo bad and it made me nuts. She didn't have diaper rash, I didn't want to put stuff on her privates until she needed it. It was so very annoying. For the first 2, maybe even 3 months I bathed her like once a week. She didn't get dirty. She didn't sweat. The hospital used these dry towelettes with warm water as wipes and I would clean her privates and under her chin with those daily, but for the most part I didn't want to wash away her natural babyness too soon. Once I started bathing her every night as our bedtime routine I used Johnson and Johnson sleepy time every other night and plain warm water every other night. Now we bubble bath with it every night. As far as diaper rash, I have Desatin and Butt Paste but she's never had diaper rash. I realize that's just lucky and lots of babies do. She's had a few little bumps a few times and I put a really thick layer of Desatin on and the bumps were vanished by the next diaper change. I never use lotion or baby oil on her. I did use a sample of Johnson and Johnson naturals line on night and her back got rashy. Threw all samples away.

I did not know about cleaning under the chin when I first had Macy (whoops). I was totally embarrassed when the pedi showed me under her neck and informed me that I should be wiping this area after every diaper change. Gosh, this seems so basic. Babies should really come with a manual.

As for diaper creams, I like Destin. It goes on creamy and stays put until the next diaper change. Macy hardly gets diaper rash but when she does this stuff usually does the trick. Once when she was about 6 months old she had a crazy virus that made her poop, no joke, 20 times a day. She got a horrible diaper rash and the only thing that made a impact was jock itch cream, but I was told by the pedi to use it very lightly.

And bathing, I just used Johnson products or aveno. Although Macy has super dry, frizzy hair (got that from her dad) and I am having trouble finding shampoo that doesn't totally dry out her hair. It's horrible after a bath.

[sara76]

Kathy, lol @ wiping under their chin. I had read it somewhere and I was an over producer in the beginning so she constantly had milk dribbling down her chin.

And I have dry frizzy hair too, and her dad has none. So far she takes after her dad but I'm pretty sure that when she does get some it will be like mine.

[mrschelseap09]

Oct 9, 2012 12:51:42 GMT -5 mrsjason said:

Oct 8, 2012 10:26:44 GMT -5 sara76 said:

I have excema also. I use plain Dove and Eucerin lotion for myself. Nothing scented except for hand washing. You wouldn't believe the reaction i had to shea butter once. That being said, I've always just used Johnson and Johnson products on her. I had gotten some at my baby shower and it's been good for us.

When they are first born their butt will be red where the diaper was because the skin is new, but that is not diaper rash. My mom wanted to put Desatin on her sooo bad and it made me nuts. She didn't have diaper rash, I didn't want to put stuff on her privates until she needed it. It was so very annoying. For the first 2, maybe even 3 months I bathed her like once a week. She didn't get dirty. She didn't sweat. The hospital used these dry towelettes with warm water as wipes and I would clean her privates and under her chin with those daily, but for the most part I didn't want to wash away her natural babyness too soon. Once I started bathing her every night as our bedtime routine I used Johnson and Johnson sleepy time every other night and plain warm water every other night. Now we bubble bath with it every night. As far as diaper rash, I have Desatin and Butt Paste but she's never had diaper rash. I realize that's just lucky and lots of babies do. She's had a few little bumps a few times and I put a really thick layer of Desatin on and the bumps were vanished by the next diaper change. I never use lotion or baby oil on her. I did use a sample of Johnson and Johnson naturals line on night and her back got rashy. Threw all samples away.

I did not know about cleaning under the chin when I first had Macy (whoops). I was totally embarrassed when the pedi showed me under her neck and informed me that I should be wiping this area after every diaper change. Gosh, this seems so basic. Babies should really come with a manual.

As for diaper creams, I like Destin. It goes on creamy and stays put until the next diaper change. Macy hardly gets diaper rash but when she does this stuff usually does the trick. Once when she was about 6 months old she had a crazy virus that made her poop, no joke, 20 times a day. She got a horrible diaper rash and the only thing that made a impact was jock itch cream, but I was told by the pedi to use it very lightly.

And bathing, I just used Johnson products or aveno. Although Macy has super dry, frizzy hair (got that from her dad) and I am having trouble finding shampoo that doesn't totally dry out her hair. It's horrible after a bath.

I use no tangles conditioning spray for Lila, it seems to do the trick. It's impossible to brush through her curls without it.