Problem with Baby Wipes and Daughter

My son is doing the same thing right now. He's 2 yrs old. I asked him what is wrong and he says "cold" and "ouchies", so maybe make sure the wipes are warmed, or use diaper cream to keep diaper rash at bay,

also, you could try going to a "sensitive" wipe. We used those when he was a baby an he seemed to like those better. Or you could try cloth wipes. I've heard those are gentle too.

I would suggest trying to get your D to tell you what is bothering her. I also use distraction when I am wiping my son, and my mother sings a song when she wipes him. "wiping this way and that way and this way and that way - the more we clean the poopies the happier we'll be". etc)

Probably the wipes hurt, I doubt it's self consciousness. I would just use a warm wet wash cloth or dry toilet paper.

If it's red or you have changed wipey brands lately she could be "alergic" to the wet wipes. Or maybe it's cold and uncomfotable?

Make sure she is not red in that area...she may be sensitive to the baby wipes. Also make sure you are wiping from the vaginal area to the bottom and not the other direction. Sometimes children simply do not want to sit still to get cleaned up.

Good luck,

L. :)

Hi T.,
Your daughter may have a vaginal yeast infection. do you use unscented and plain baby wipes? Has she taken a lot of baths with bubble baths and soaps? she may even have yeast infection in her mouth that goes hand in hand with vaginal yeast infection. My daughter had these as a small toddler too, usually caused by soaps and bubble baths.... and bottle drinking..at the same time... take her to the doc and see if she has it... maybe D.

What about making your own wipes? They are SO cheap!

Just go to the grocery store and get some paper towels....I use bounty's select a size and then I cut them in half. Put a bunch of the paper towel cut in half in a plastic bag and pour in 2 cups of water, 1/8 cup of organic sweet almond oil (or baby oil), a few drops of tea tree oil, and some organic baby shampoo. Mix it all up and there you have organic and safe wipes.

All my nieces and cousins had this around the same age, but a lot of them had diaper rash problems because of teething/molars. I actually had a few cousins start using homemade wipes or natural wipes (those made WITHOUT chlorine) when this happened. That helped with a few of them. We come from a big family so I've heard this a lot. Also, I think most little girls at that age are more aware of themselves and also more aware that they want to do what THEY want to do... not what you're making them do (like changing diapers). I think it's just a stage. If it lasts for a long time, though, I think having her checked for hypersensitivity is a viable option. My cousin's little girl was diagnosed as "hypersensitive" (her skin is so sensitive, she even gets splotchy sunburn while sitting in the car). She always squirmed and hating getting her diaper changed because it literally hurt her. It's basically that she's more sensitive. Good luck, but don't worry about it for now. I'm sure it will pass. :)

I would have to agree with the wipes warmer, if there are no other signs of a problem, those things are cold, ask yourself would you want to wipe with them??? Probably not. I know the wipes warmer had made a big difference with the daycare kids, they lay still now instead of squirming even the boys.

Hi T. i have a 18 month old daughter who is the same way. I don't really have a answer for you but want you to now your not alone! Maybe its their age?

Try the old fashioned wash cloth: run hot/warm water over it and squeeze out the excess. Then press it lightly to her bottom. She will relax as she enjoys the warmth of the cloth... her legs will drop and she will enjoy the experience.

Baby wipes are laden with alcohol and other toxic substances that sting a little girl's genitals. I would suggest abandoning them for something soothing, warm and more likely to clean up the problem without leaving behind any nasty chemicals.

Depending on the types of wipes you are using it may be the baby wipes. When my daughter was in diapers we (her father and I) used Seventh Generation wipes. Prior to that I used the wipes they gave me at the hospital. Her skin did not take well to them; we switched. Didn't have any further problems after that.

I was having the same problem with my two year old boy and found that he just didn't like how cold they are so we got a wipe warmer.

At around 1 1/2, my daughter did the same. I think it was the cold wipe and the chemicals in the wipes. We started giving her a "Spa Treatment" -- she really liked that we called it this, and would relax even before we brought out the nice warm, soft wash cloth.

But I would look at her vagina and see that it isn't red and irritated. A warm bath with some baking soda has helped my daughter in the past.

My daughter has always been like that. She's 1.5 now. I just assumed it is sensitive and feels weird to her.

My daughter is almost 2 and I have been going through the same thing. I think it started when she would get diaper rash while teething and again when she has a terrible stomach virus and had diarrhea for 4 days so her bottom was raw. I would just tell her as I'm changing her that ''I'll be really soft'' and I make sure I'll wipe very gently. Now whenever I change her she tells me to be ''soft'' and I say ''Ok, Mommy will be really soft''. I think she likes it because she thinks she's telling me what to do and I listen to her. Hope this helps!!

Around the same age my son became very sensitive to being cleaned up. He would say ouch anytime I had to clean around his Penis. This IS normal. They are more aware of things, sensations, but don't yet know how to categorize it.

Talking it through has helped a lot, and of course being very gentle. Explaining it does not really hurt...maybe tickles or feels "different."

Of course, in case there is some type of infection you may want to bring her into the MD. They can make sure there is nothing wrong before you assume this is a normal stage.

Good luck! It's usually something new everyday!

My daughter is 1 and I have had the same problem (it just started this week). She just cries when we wipe her. Please let me know what people tell you. J.

my daughter is the same way at 2 1/2. I assume it must be a stage. maybe she's getting ready for potty training?

It could be the brand of wipes you use. I had this problem with my son and one of my neices. No make that three of my neices. And it could be a sign to you to start potty training her. But don't force it on her. Well hopefully it helped a little. A. R

Who is watching the baby while you work?

Definitely make sure she isn't red in the vaginal area and if she is take her to the doctor to see if she has a yeast infection. My newborn started screaming anytime we wiped her and we took her to the doctor's and they had to give us cream for a yeast infection and now she only cries when they are to cold.

I didn't have daughter's (unfortunately!) but the first thought that crossed my mind is maybe she doesn't like the cold! Have you tried using a wipey warmer? Just a thought-

I make my own wipes because my daughter had problems with vaginitis. This is just normal irritation usually caused by soaps and bubble baths. My doc told me that little girls should NEVER soak in soapy baths, including bubble baths. THis can irritate the vaginal area noticed especially with girls that have sensitive skin. I started using homemade wipes and have never had the issue again. Of course my daughter is older now and was potty trained at the age of 2, but I now have a baby boy and we have no problems with irritated skin. However, if I substitute store bought wipes, instant rash. Let me know if you want the recipe. IT is so easy to make and it is CHEAP! (UNDER one dollar per roll.

DUE TO THE HUGE RESPONSE FOR THE RECIPE, I AM ADDING THIS TO MY RESPONSE- HERE YOU GO EVERYONE

Take a roll of Bounty white paper towels (do not substitute). Cut in have with a large non-serrated knife, so it looks like two large rolls of toilet paper.
In a large food storeage container (ie. rubbermaid 10 c. air tight container), add 2 T baby wash (I use baby magic or aveeno), 1 1/2 T baby oil, and 1 3/4 c HOT water. Add roll of baby towel and cover. Let set about 2 hours, so the water mixture is absorbed. When you need to use, remove the paper towel core from the middle and pull wipes from center (like the old fashioned wipes our parents used). You are set!!!

My daughter started doing the same thing at about 16 months. I got tired of the fight every time I changed her diaper that I decided to potty train her so that she could wipe herself. She is now almost 23 months and has been potty trained for about 2 weeks now. She learned very quickly. No more fights about changing diapers. It has been wonderful! Maybe it's time for your daughter as well?

Had this problem also with my 2 year. I would talk to her as I was cleaning her, let her know exactly what I was doing. This help alot. After I was done cleaning up the worest part, I used a warm wash cloth, when it came time to clean in between. This made it easier. Also knew it was time to start potting training her. She potty train very fast. Hope this helps.

Try using baby oil on a cotton ball, this is also my secret to diaper rash...Funny, our parents used baby oil all the time! This is not what the baby whipe manufactures want to hear. It is less expensive, my doc recommended it 20 years ago when the whipes first came out and so many diaper rashes started, and the kids love it. I only use whipes for poo.
(Just an opinion from a day care provoder with 27 years experience changing thousands of diapers!)
M. in Wisconsin

Just a little added note, if you happen to have radiators in your house (with the shelves on top), we like to keep our wipes/diaper cream/lotions etc... there. That way they are nice and toasty warm when you go to use them!