It was around the time that my daughter turned two months old that I first noticed the red, scaly skin in the folds of her little elbows while I was dressing her after her bath. All the “new baby” excitement was dying down and the visits had dwindled. So I remember how lonely and worried I felt all alone with what looked like a very itchy baby. What could I do to make it better?
Then, it seemed to get worse. We went on vacation and I don’t know if it was the stress of traveling or the heat on the beach, but it popped up on her little cheeks and on her back. I really started to worry! She got fussy and I was sure it was itchy. I tried baths and other things, but nothing seemed to help. When we got back, I took her to the pediatrician and found out what it was: eczema. Having a name to it made me feel a little better. I embarked on a mission to figure out what it was and how I could help her.
The first thing I learned when I researched eczema was that a lot of early eczema clears up by the time kids get to school age. I also found out from my mother-in-law that my husband also had it as a baby. (That’s the second thing I learned: it can be hereditary).
Here’s how I helped my daughter get through her bouts with eczema:
I learned the triggers for my daughter’s eczema and tried to avoid them. When our apartment got very dry with the heat in the winter that seemed to exacerbate it, so I ran a humidifier in her bedroom. I changed laundry detergents. Although I’d gotten special baby-friendly laundry detergent, by the time she was two months old some of her stuff was going in with our wash. I switched to an irritant-free detergent and that helped. I washed her with a mild, soap-free, fragrance-free cleanser and with only water when it was possible. I found the right lotions to soothe her sensitive skin. Eucerin Baby Eczema Relief Body Creme is a great choice as a daily moisturizer. It protects moisturizes skin to help prevent the very dry, irritated skin associated with eczema. It calms and soothes her itchy skin. If, despite all your best efforts your baby still has a flare-up, Eucerin Baby Eczema Relief Instant Therapy, with its immediate itch-relief formula is a must-have! Made with oatmeal, ceramides and licochalcone, a natural licorice root extract, it gently soothes. What I like best about Eucerin Baby is that these products are free of fragrances, dyes, and steroids, which is important for babies with eczema.It seems like forever ago that I first discovered those red, scaly patches on my little girl, but I remember how worried and overwhelmed I felt. So if you’re in that boat right now, don’t worry! Time, care and a little Eucerin Baby usually makes it better.
Did your baby have eczema? How did you soothe it?