nappy rash
the first thing you need to know about nappy rash is that, no matter how carefully you look after your baby's skin, the chances are that she will, at some time, experience this mild but irritating condition.
bottom W
Te line!
hen you consider that a baby's bottom will spend, on average, two or more years, encased in nappies,
it's no wonder it's such a common problem! What causes nappy rash?
One of the reasons why nappy rash is so common is because the nappy area provides the perfect conditions for a rash to develop. It's moist and dark, and experiences a constant supply of urine and faeces, so, no matter how many times a day you change your baby's nappy, it's still exposed on a regular basis to these external irritants. Te friction caused by the nappy rubbing against your baby's sensitive skin can also be a factor.
What does it look like? Te most common symptom of nappy rash is simple irritation, which causes pink or very red skin. Tis usually disappears in a few days. Since yeast can thrive in the moist nappy
area, your baby may develop a yeast infection (Candida). Tis can cause a bright red rash, oſten with small red pimples, and will usually cause redness in the folds and creases of a baby's skin. If there's a bacterial infection, there will
usually be yellowish, fluid-filled bumps and possible crusty area. Tis type of infection will probably require antibiotics. If you think your baby might have a
yeast/fungal infection, a bacterial infection 48MODERNMUM Spring 2016
or infantile eczema, ask your doctor or health visitor for advice.
Prevention Tere's no doubt that, with nappy rash, prevention is definitely preferable to cure, so try these simple steps to stop the problem from arising in the first place:
• Change wet or soiled nappies as soon as possible. With young babies, this can mean up to ten or twelve times a day; at least six to eight times for older babies. • Try and leave your baby's nappy off for as long as possible each day. Lay her on a towel without a nappy so that fresh air can circulate around the nappy area. • Try, where possible, to avoid using soap, bubble baths, lotions or talcum powder and pat, rather than rub, her bottom dry. • Use a barrier cream before putting on a clean nappy. • If, despite your best efforts, your baby is still unfortunate enough to experience nappy rash, try a nappy rash ointment, which is specifically formulated to soothe and treat the rash.
When to seek medical advice
If your baby's rash doesn’t clear up within a couple of days, speak to your GP or midwife. For more information about the
prevention or treatment of nappy rash visit
www.metanium.co.uk.
Seven trigger times for nappy rash!
Research has indicated that there are seven key trigger times when your baby is more likely to develop nappy rash. Tese are usually times when your baby's stools become looser. Te most common causes of looser stools are:
• Diarrhoea: Nappy rash usually begins when your baby's delicate skin is in prolonged contacted with urine and faeces, which are obviously more common when she has diarrhoea.
• Weaning:A change in diet from liquids to solids can lead to looser stools.
• Common cold:When a baby has a cold, her stools are likely to become looser.
• Teething:Nappy rash is very common during teething, usually as a result of diarrhoea.
• Antibiotics:Tese can upset the digestive system and can consequently lead to diarrhoea and nappy rash.
• Starting to sleep through the night: When your baby begins to sleep through the night, nappy changing may be delayed, making nappy rash more likely to develop.
• Change in diet: Just as with weaning, moving on from breast milk can lead to more frequent, watery stools. „
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