What Products to Use for an Infant Who Has a Rash

sounds like eczema. My daughter is 21 months and has it off and on since she was a baby (much worse when she was a baby). We used cetaphil soap rather than any other soap as directed by our peditrician who also told me to stop using dreft and use something like ALL free (which has no dyes or fragrances unlike dreft) My daughter at 6 weeks also became extremely fussy and refused to eat(I couldn't even get her to nurse for 5min total), also she was not gaining weight as they wanted her to.... got diagnosed with colic and reflux This was on ongoing saga that lasted until she was 6 months old when we found out she had a milk allergy. I too attempted to breast feed and even went on an elimination diet avoiding pretty much everything except vegetables and fruit...miserable for me. We proceeded to an endoscopy where is how we officially found out it was an allergy. She wouldn't take a bottle or breast d/t the aversion she developed. Anyways if I would have known sooner would have started her on maybe a soy formula and if that didn't work there are some more expensive ones like Alimentum...she eventually went on Elecare as prescribed by her GI doctor and she was a totally new baby. Less fussy, less eczema, and much more sleeping. Anyways, you may want to try soy formula. I know it is difficult to feel like you can't breast feed but in the long run my little girl was so much happier...too bad it too 6 months to figure it out. Good news is now she has out grown the milk allergy and is able to eat like a "normal" kid. From what I have seen from researching and talking to other moms, this is very common. Anyways, sorry for the long explanation, but I wish I had someone going through the similar thing when I was to offer their experience. As far as the skin thing goes now we have much less of a problem and did following the switch of food.

2 moms found this helpful

It sounds to me like you're dealing with eczema and reflux secondary to allergies.

For the rash -- All Free and Clear is very common among these kids and recommended by our allergist. He suggests no fabric softener. I used Downy unscented, but some kids do better with sheets and some with liquid. Dreft was the absolute worst. At four, he still reacts to it if his clothes come in contact with his brothers that have been washed in Dreft.

I used to use Gentle Naturals eczema wash and lotion. Worked better than anything the doctors prescribed. Our new allergist has suggested a 15-20 minute bath every night. This length hydrates the skin. Soap (Dove or Ivory, unscented) at the very end. This is important to keep the bacteria off the skin so when the baby scratches she doesn't get infections. While skin is still wet, put Vanicream all over. You can get this OTC by asking at the pharmacy. Since starting this routine, we have only used steroids once in 6 months. He used to have eczema all the time. His skin is beautiful and soft.

For reflux -- Watch what you eat. Potatoes and rice are actually considered our allergist to be irritating foods. It can be a challenge to figure it out with such a little one. Some zantac from your doctor may help, but you really want to know what's causing it.

You might consider getting your daughter in with a pediatric specialist for allergies. Our son got into National Jewish just before his 3rd birthday, and his entire personality has changed. I think he would be a calmer child if we had got such expert help sooner. I don't know if they could do allergy testing on her. I know it's not real accurate under age 2, but we did get some good answers for our 1 year old when he was seen, so they might be able to help such a little one.

It's a tough thing as a mom to see your baby so miserable. I hope you can find something that gives her relief, and soon!

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My son, who is now 15+ months, had rashes/eczema when he was in his early months (also during the winter). I eliminated dairy, nuts and soy from my diet for a while; this was not easy, but it helped, and I was eventually able to add them back. I also kept a cool mist humidifier in his room. I did bathe him almost every day as part of his bedtime routine, but made sure the water was not too warm, and that he wasn't in the water for too long. I would apply moisturizer while his skin was still damp (because I am a Consultant with the company, I have always used all Arbonne products only, and would recommend them, even if I wasn't associated). I would make sure that whatever products you use on your daughter's skin are free of fragrance, dyes, mineral oil, and nut and seed oils and contain lots of natural, moisturizing ingredients. A Naturopath also suggested that we add probiotics to his diet (you can buy powder for the wee ones). We had a lot of success with all of the above. Hope this helps!

2 moms found this helpful

Your troubles are all too familiar to me. All 3 of my kids have food allergies and 2 of my 3 suffered from horrible reflux with crying during feedings and crying all the time really. And never sleeping... I found helpful info at www.infantreflux.org.

As recommended by a dermatologist, I only use Dove cream soap on the kids. It has been a tremendous help. Also, try Cetaphil Cream to help with the dryness. It definately could be a food allergy.

As for the elimination diet, I gave up and stopped breast feeding due to food allergies. I really wish I hadn't given up because both my kids wound up on Hypoallergenic formula - to the tune of $50-65/week!!! It will take up to 10 days of doing the elimination diet before you see any improvement in your baby and you must not cheat, not even a little. Eliminate all 10 of the common food allergens - search the web for a list.

Like I said, I have experienced relux and food allergies in all 3 of my children who are 4 years, 2 years and 10 months. Please feel free to ask me any specific questions you have!

Best of luck to you!

2 moms found this helpful

My first born had the same type of description when he was 6 weeks. He was unable to break down the proteins found in milk and soy so I had to give those up while nursing. He grew out of it when he was 1. He too has sensitive skin and excema. Unfortunately, one of the worst products to use for babies is Dreft b/c of the abundance of perfumes found in it. I switched to perfume free products, such as All clear, use all chemical free cleaning supplies in my house and NO dryer sheets because of the formaldehyde and high level of perfumes found in them.
DO NOT use Johnson and Johnson baby product b/c of there harsh chemicals and perfumes. Use Eucerin. It is hard b/c we love the smells that we can put on our sweet babies but really when your baby has sensitive skin that is the last thing they need.
Try eliminating milk and soy from your diet and switch laundry detergent and fabric softener and see how you baby responds. If it doesn't help, you can more options you can try next.
Secondly, my second child had reflux terribly, he too would cry ALL THE TIME! Again, with him, he was allergic to the proteins found in milk and soy. I took him to a pediatric GI who had me quit nursing and he had to go on Alimentum or Nutramigen (very expense but life changing for him). He also had to take prescription medication called Prevacid. It was life changing, he was a new baby. He is 2 1/2 now and no longer has reflux or any allergies. I hope this helps, I remember feeling desperate when we were experiencing those times. It will get better, you just have to be open to some changes and trying many different things.
Good luck!!

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Hi K.!

I only use Arbonne products on our entire family - everything made by Arbonne is pure, safe and beneficial and is botanically based. They do not use mineral oil (even Eucerin uses this - it's essentially a derivative of black crude oil and occulusive to the skin), animal products or by-products, and have a 1% preservative base (as opposed to 25-50% on OTC products). Two of my four kids have eczema and we haven't had any occurences for fourteen months. My pediatrician believes in this so much, she set up a wholesale account so that she could offer it to her patients.

It really is amazing stuff and I would glady get you some samples or be happy to chat with you. Feel free to give me a call ###-###-####) or email me ____@____.com

Also, these products are associated with a phenomenal business opportunity that I'd love to share with you. Would $300-$500 make a difference for you on a monthly basis? It does for our family and that's just the beginning!

Have a great day and hopefully this has helped!

Blessings,
K.

2 moms found this helpful

K.,

The first thing I'd do is stop using Dreft. It is loaded with fragrances and chemicals. Go to a dye free/fragrance free detergent. Then I'd switch from Aveeno baby wash to California Baby Super Sensitive baby wash http://www.californiababy.com/super-sensitive-shampoo-bod... I bathe my son every night but I rarely use any soap/body wash on him.

My son had reflux and prevacid helped somewhat but until we dealt with his food allergies/intolerances it didn't help that much. Reflux can be seriously aggravated by food intolerances or allergies. My son is allergic to soy and intolerant to dairy. Dairy gives him green, slimy poop and he'll scream for days. Soy makes him break out into hives and scream for days. "Colic" is usually food related and here is a good resource on the most common problem foods http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/t083301.asp

I started out eliminating dairy, soy, eggs, caffeine, chocolate, citrus, tomates, fish, shellfish and nuts. If you are doing it right (including avoiding these things hidden in other foods) you should start to see improvement within a week if you'd eliminated what is bothering your daughter. For me, that worked. If it wouldn't have, my next step would have been to eliminate gluten and corn. A few things I've learned along the way:

1. Eat a whole food diet as much as possible (for me that means meat, potatoes, rice, veggies, fruit). The less processed your food is, the less chance there is something in it you can't eat.

2. Avoid food substitutes as much as possible. They are expensive and most of them are terrible.

3. Don't ever put anything in your mouth unless you know exactly what is in it. Read labels.

Here is another good resource:
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/food-sensitivity.html

Once about 6 weeks or so had gone by and my son was comfortable and happy, I started adding foods back one at a time. I'm still avoiding dairy and soy and most chocolate (most of it has dairy in it). I waited until 1 year to add eggs. Protein foods seem to be the biggest allergens for my son. I'm still going really easy on nuts and fish/shellfish.

Giving an elimination diet "a few days" is a waste of time. You need to do it for several weeks because there is such a learning curve that you will make plenty of mistakes before you really "get" the diet. Some foods like dairy take a month to completely leave your system so even if you eliminated it for 3 or 4 days and it was what you needed to get rid of, you wouldn't know it in that time frame.

My son is 15 months old and he was able to go off the prevacid at about 11 months old. He's doing great. He still can't tolerate dairy and soy so I still watch what he (and I) eat. He is able to tolerate some hypoallergenic formula now (there are different levels of hypoallergenic). I've been doing the diet now for 14 months and I will tell you that it becomes a lifestyle and it gets easier but starting it is hard. As an added bonus I've lost 20 pounds and my cholestrol dropped from 290 to 204. I work full time also so the answer is yes this can be done even when you go back to work.

Anyway, I know this is all really intimidating. If you want to talk or need more info, my email is ____@____.com

In my experience, pediatricians know very, very little about food intolerances especially in breastfed babies. My son's pediatric GI doctor wasn't much more helpful. He did tell me that I'm the only mom he's ever dealt with who has bothered to do an elimination diet long term. Most just do the formula. Lots of people will discourage you and tell you it is too hard but it really isn't. If it is important to you, you can make it work.

T.

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Hi there! I had to respond because I was you about a year ago. My son was 2 months old when he came down with a rash but it was more localized to his face and elbows and back of his legs, and it was oozing. The doctor said it was exzema and to try certain creams. Well, I tried everything, just like you. He got oatmeal baths once a week, every lotion you can imagine, and more. We even tried steroid creams as a last resort and still very little improvement. My doctor was still very unconcerned. Finally, a different doctor said he bet my son had food allergies, which nobody had suggested yet. At about 5 months old I had to ask, and almost beg, my doctor for a blood test, and sure enough, my son was off the charts for eggs, milk, soy, peanut and wheat. When I found out, I adjusted my diet for a while, at he immediately showed improvemnets. I was working then so that was really tough not eat all of those things. Then at 9 months, per the doctor's advice, we switched my son from strictly breastfeeding to a hypoallergenic formula. He is almost 16 months now and he is doing so well. We still just bathe him with Cetaphil soap and also use the lotion afterwards. Cetaphil is the only thing that keeps him smooth and not itchy.

I'm not saying that's what's going on with your son, and I hope it's not. I'm just letting you know what our experience has been. I remember being you and feeling so powerless in caring for my son because nothing would work. I learned I really had to be the advocate for my son because it seems the doctors are too busy or something. If I were you, I would maybe ask for a blood test. It has been a tough road for us, but knowing about his allergies has made all the difference! Good luck!

2 moms found this helpful

Wow, lots of responses. My son has lots of food allergies (food allergy testing is GREAT), and we do use a detergent free of dyes and perfumes, and do an extra rinse cycle, but he still had eczema.

We finally went to the experts at Nat'l Jewish in Denver, who had us do a routine that helped overnight, and we continue to do it now most nights. See if it ROCKS your world! ;-) I thought it was extreme, until I saw the results.

1. Bathe your baby for 15-20 minutes (yes, every night--more bathing is actually a good thing, but don't use any soap unless needed...Aveeno is great), pouring water over her during the bath, and placing a wet washcloth on her head to keep her head wet.

2. Take her out of the bath. Pat most of the water off. Within 3 minutes, slather on thickly a cream like Eucerin, Aquaphor or Vanicream (from pharmacy).

3. Put her in her crib, go to the bathroom and wet a pair of cotton pajamas in the sink with warm water. Ring them out and put them on her (that's the crazy part).

4. Put a thick pair of dry pajamas over. Keep her room toastier than normal at night, since the wet pajamas may be a bit cold.

5. Leave them on all night. In the morning, apply another round of cream. You may need one more in the middle of the day.

2 moms found this helpful

My 5 year old has food allergies and has in the past had pretty bad, full body, eczema. What I have found that works best is a bath every single night followed immediately (within 2 minutes) by slathering on Vanicream lotion (I get it OTC at my local Walgreens, but have to ask the pharmacist for it). This will help put moisture back into the skin. Try it for a week and see if it works. Another thing that we had to do (which you might try when it gets warmer) is after bath wet plain cotton PJs completely in hot water. Then put the wet PJs on the baby followed by some heavier dry PJs. The idea is that the wetness soaks in to the skin as long as you leave it on.

You might also switch to an allergen free laundry soap (like All Free and Clear) and stop using soap in the tub for a little while to see if that helps.

We have a great allergist at National Jewish if you end up needing her.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi K.-Have you tried using natural products without perfumes and sodium lauryl sulphates? Dreft says it's for baby, but most of their formulas contain perfume. My sister's daughter had many skin issues and going to something perfume free & natural like seventh generation baby, which is what I use with my daughter. If it continues, I'd recommend what several friends have done with children with severe food & skin allergies. NAET is available for babies and is a sort of Indian version of accupuncture/accupressure. We have a friend whose child was so allergic to wheat and milk that he'd break out if touched with it. Within a couple days, he was eating dairy--it was that amazing. http://www.naet.com/ Hang in there!

1 mom found this helpful

Hi Kristin-
I completely understand how you feel and where you are coming from. I myself and a mom of a 16 month old little boy who had dry skin and cradle cap. Here's something that will worked for me and encouraged me to stay at home with my little one!

I recently started my own business with a health and wellness company called Arbonne last January. We have several health and nutrition products, that are all natural, safe and beneficial. Specifically, our ABC Baby Care line product are amazing! I have know many mom's in our same situation who's children have mild to extreme cases of eczema and this products really works! Products are extremely sensitive to babies skin, are no tears b/c of the natural botanical and not an antiseptic like some other products, fragrant free and pediatrician approved! My father is a pediatrician and pediatric oncologist in NC. He has endorsed this product referring me to many of his nurses and patients alike. Using the body lotion, body oil (which contains NO mineral oils), diaper cream and body wash, I am very hopefully that your daughter will respond well. I have spoken with some mom's that said as a result of using these products, their child stopped having to go to a dermatologist, slept better at night and reduced fevers.

Arbonne has a wonderful 45-day return or exchange program if the products due not provide the results you are looking for.
I would love the opportunity to share with you further. Reading your comment about, I think you would enjoy the products and be thrilled with the benefits. Please visit, www.arbonne.com for further product detail info. Go to shop online ABC Baby Care. Also, I offer 35-50% off all products for Moms, so keep this in mind when shopping. It's a great savings on phenomenal products.

If you are interested in learning more, feel free to contact me at, ____@____.com or ###-###-####!
Best,
E.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi K.... I haven't had the problem with the rash from food, but my little one has extremely bad eczema (which she's had from day 1). The Eucerin wasn't "heavy" enough of a moisturizer, so our dr. recommended Vanacream. You have to get it through the pharmacy (it is over the counter, but they will most likely have to order it.) Also, we switched from using Aveeno to cetaphil for her baths. I feel for you on the itchies! If her rash doesn't start to clear up you might try having your pediatrician recommend an allergist. We were lucky and managed to get our dd in a study at National Jewish in Denver for eczema and asthma which has helped tremendously - there might be something similar in your area. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

Hi
simple addition to what you're doing - use plain cornstarch for a few days after changing drop the eucerin until the healing occurs.
Way back when....a doctor helped me with this in Denver
when a child I helped care for had the worst of worse diaper rashes. It worked but you have to change often and not let a wet diaper sit there. For rice, eat white basmati
only during this time and ongoing for any problems. It really works. Some kind of mellow healer, white basmati.
D.

1 mom found this helpful

You've gotten a TON of advice on here, so I'm not sure if mine is a repeat, but my son did and still does struggle with excema and the dry skin that comes with it. When his skin is really bad, but use "aquafor".. A cross between Eucerin and vaseline is how I would describe it. We cover him in it in the morning and before bed, giving him a bath every night before bed to open the pores before we put it on. (DON'T use soap every day... The warm bath just opens the pores to take in the moisture of the Aquafor). Good luck and let us know how it turns out!!

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I would suggest you use a laundry detergent that is free and clear(ALL Free and clear). Also I would not use any fabric softeners or blaech. As far as the lotion I would go to whole foods and get one of their baby lotions or oils.

1 mom found this helpful

I believe the best products available are the Arbonne Baby Care (ABC) products. They are pure, safe and beneficial. They are botanically-based and contain NO mineral oil. All ABC products are formulated with safe, gentle ingredients for sensitive skin. They have the Hair and Body Wash, Body Lotion, Body Oil, Herbal Diaper Rash Cream and Sunscreen.
I can show you how you can order Arbonne products at wholesale. I can also show you how you can make an income so you can spend more time with your precious daughter.

C. F
____@____.com

1 mom found this helpful

If there is no illness present and the rash is just due to dry skin, then use olive oil. It is safe, pure, all natural and very effective.

C. McCollett, CBE, CLD, MWA
The Westside Birth Connection
###-###-####
www.westsidebirthconnection.com
Treasurer, Pikes Peak Regional Doula Association
www.csdoulas.com
Marketing Chair, Colorado Doulas Association
www.coloradodoulas.com

1 mom found this helpful

You might want to try Vitamin E oil...my son had a horrible rash on his legs and it went away within days when I used vitamin E oil. I used the actual caplets and poked a hole in it and squeezed the E out.

1 mom found this helpful

K.,

My name is H. Zoellner and I live in Goodyear, AZ. I can't even imagine what you must be going through with your baby. I pray for a change very, very soon.

I have been using an all mineral soap for 4 years now. It has absolutely no chemicals, etc. in it and it quicly clears up skin problems of all kinds when bathing in it. The product is Naturerich Mineral Soap and is bought online. It's not cheap, but it's the only product I have been able to find without ANY chemicals. A lot of products boast about being natural, but this product truly is. My family uses it for our body and hair. I have 2 girls 7 and 5 and even my husband likes it. There are many stories about the miracles of this product, but one comes to mind that reminds me of you. A few years ago there was a 2 year old that had a horrible rash since birth, where her skin was like tree bark. The doctors tried everything and nothing worked for 2 years. The baby cried all the time. After bathing her in this soap for 2 weeks, it was completely gone. I'm not saying that this product heals, just that our bodies heal itself when given the right things. If you want to know more, give me a call or email me. Again, my name is H. and my phone number is 623-594-0289/email ____@____.com will not be disappointed and I can maybe even send you a sample or let you try some. You and your baby are in my prayers! H.

1 mom found this helpful

Wow, you look like you're overwhelmed with responses... Here's what I used and just loved it.

Turtle Island Herbs - Shotgun Skin Dressing Salve

Turtle Island skin dressings and salves are also among their most popular products. Of special note is the Shotgun Skin Dressing. Many people consider this to be their "first aid kit in a tin" because of its numerous and varied uses. It can be applied for just about any temporary irritation of the skin.

Ingredients: Golden seal root and leaf, Chaparral leaf, Marshmallow root, Myrrh gum, Echinacea root and flower,Osha root, Bloodroot, Wild Geranium, Yerba Mansa root, Almond oil, Safflower oil, Beeswax, Vitamin E oil.

1 mom found this helpful

Hello- My daughter developed a rash that was on her right arm and torso. Our doc told us it was something that was irritating her skin. He told us to use All Free detergent, no fabric softeners, Lubriderm lotion and Neutrogena regular glygerin bar soap. He told us that Johnson and Johnson products and Dreft are not mild like some think and have fragrances and other things that can be irritating to infant skin. We also switched diapers. We had been using Huggies at the time and went back to Pampers. That seemed to help most. Hope this helps you out. Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful

We started using Liquid Dove Body Wash(generic works just as well) on my son and it worked almost immediately. We still use it to this day and he has never had dry skin or a rash since. We do not even put lotion on our children!

I also stopped using Dreft and switched to the ALL-Free and Clear and that has seemed to help as well. No dryer sheets either:)

1 mom found this helpful

You should try a lukewarm bath, not too warm, just warm enough so she does not get cold and when it is running pour a little bit of baking soda. My toddler has had really bad skin rashes and terribly dry itchy skin since he was a baby and we have had 3 different peds tell us that. The eucerin is great too, which I read you are using, make sure you apply it at least once a day. I always applied after baths, and in the morning and before bed. Make sure you do not use anything with scents or dyes because it can make it worse. And since you are breastfeeding I would definitely try the elimination diet because she may be sensitive to something you eat, although some doctors say that what you eat should not cause problems. Maybe try using your own detergent instead of dreft, she may have a sensitivity to it or try another one. My toddler had breakouts when I used baby detergent, when I started using tide it went away. He still has the eczema, but it is better. If it turns out to be just something she has than your doctor may prescribe you a mild steroid cream, like we have for severe cases. Hope this helps a little. Good lock and God bles.

1 mom found this helpful

Wow! You have gotten a lot of great advice. My advice is probably a duplicate from the other great moms, but my daughter had horrible ezcema when she was an infant. We used cetaphil soap and lotion and it helped a lot. She still gets dry patches in the creases behind her knees and the cetaphil does the trick. It got so bad, that her peditrician also prescribed her a steroid cream to use when it was at its worst. That is called Fluticasone Propionate and is a prescription. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

Hi K.,

I am a SAHM of a one year old daughter. Our first, and I am 40. Our daughter has sensitive skin as well. I was looking for help for her and I discovered a great baby wash and lotion for her as well as laundry soap and fabric softener that is all natural and bio-degradable. Once I started using these instead of store bought products I noticed a huge differnece in her skin.

We use products from the Shaklee corp. They have been around for 52 years. You can check out my website if you would like. I swear by Shaklee products because of the difference they made for our daughter. Also, I use the cleaning products as well because they are all natural and non-toxic. I don't have to worry about exposing her to bleach or chemicals if she falls and I am cleaning and have to run to her aide.

The website is www.shaklee.net/homehealth

If you have any questions or just want to talk about anything let me know.

Sincerely,

D. K
###-###-####

1 mom found this helpful

You may also want to consider allergies to your cleaning products. It's amazing how many toxic chemicals are in our everyday cleaning products. You may be spraying the room or wiping the crib down with clorox wipes or a disinfectant spray and these all have horrible side effects to very sensative skin types.

Visit http://www.TotalWellnessInfo.com and I would be happy to share a line of products that are sensative and eco-friendly (no toxic chemicals). They have products so you can completely convert your entire home and personal care items.

Sincerely,
C.~

1 mom found this helpful

K.-
Your poor baby! I hope the rash isn't painful! I would switch laundry detergents ASAP! I use and recommend Shaklee's Get Clean products. If you are local to Longmont, I could bring some by for you to try. To find out more about their products- go to http://www.shaklee.net/startahealthylife/getclean
For her rash, I recommend Earth Mama Angel Baby- their products are all natural and wonderful! The Baby Bottom Balm has been a lifesaver for my daughter's diaper rash (caused by sensitivites in my diet)(Can also be used all over, not just on baby's bum), but their Baby Lotion and Oil will be helpful as well. I can also let you try these as well as give you a good discount on them, if you are interested. To learn more about Earth Mama Angel Baby, go to http://www.naturalchoices4baby.com or feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.
Good luck and I hope your daughter finds relief soon!
H. Gaitten

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Hi K.;
I am sure you have had many responses. From a naturopathic perspective, YES, breast fed babies can be developing reactions to the food YOU are eating. Think about what your allergens are and if you are sensitive to any foods. eliminate those ones for sure. the most common food allergens are: wheat, dairy, corn, soy, alcohol, caffeine, peanuts, citrus, preservatives, etc. Next add essential fats into your diet. lastly, give your baby a finger dip of probiotics powder. you can buy one for infants from an alternative doc and maybe over the counter. be careful with food introduction if this has not resolved by then. good luck. K. www.naturemedclinic.com

1 mom found this helpful

Hey K., congrats on your new baby. You should really call a lactation consultant. They really do help nursing mothers and it is a great outreach for those of us who really don't or didn't know anything about breastfeeding and the ups and downs of what can happen. The first thing my doc told me was elimination diet, but my lactation consultant said other wise and she was right. Find one and give them a call. Totally worth it. Good luck. It will get better, things always do. lol
Also, i read some other responses, Arbonne does work too. I use the weight loss product and love it. Their skin care products are soooo good. Kind of expensive, but for your baby i would try the lotion. It is not any more expensive than the Eurcine (SP?) at the store. I am so surprised how many people use these products. they are very worth it.

1 mom found this helpful

I hope everyone has a chance to read this- I have seen a post about using baby oil. IT is sad but true, that that is the worst thing to use on our children and ourselves.
It acts like a saran wrap on our skin and causes it to not breath. It also interfers with the function of the skin.
I was not aware of this, but I am now and want every mom to know what baby oil is- it is crude oil, like in the oil spills, they just process it to get the colors out and add fragrance to cover up the smell.
That is why when there are oil spills that all the animals suffocate and die. We are doing that to our children. Over time it does have negative reactions to our skin.
This was so eye opening to me that I never want to assume that everyone knew this.

Arbonnes baby products are amazing and dont hurt your child while coming up with the underlying cause.
my daughters allergist recommends them to her patients.
She knows that children need a break from the rashes while the parents and doctors work together to find the link. Almost always it is a food or chemical link.
If you want more info about how to get the baby samples, I can put you in touch with my friend.
THe main thing is to help your infant get relief and that in turn gives you some too:)
Best wishes,
D.

1 mom found this helpful

I use Smith's Rosebud Salve on my son's very dry areas (where there is peeling) and it clears it up very quickly. It's amazing stuff. Keep using it as a preventive measure even after the areas clear up. It's also great for chapped cheeks, etc. I received it as a gift, but I was told you can buy it at Sephora.com; it's probably available other places, but you might have to search the Internet for locations in Denver.

1 mom found this helpful

K.--

You poor thing---I lived this with my son. That rash, no doubt about it, is a food allergy. DO NOT put aquaphor, Eucerin, or any other mineral oil based lotion on it. The reason these seem to help is because they clog the pores so the substance being eliminated through the skin cannot get out to cause the rash. So while the rash gets better, the toxins stay in the baby's body and make things worse. The rash means your baby's elimination system and liver are over-taxed and so the body dumps through the skin. The reflux is your baby's way of telling you that it can't handle something you are eating.

PLEASE, PLEASE don't wait to get allergy tested. While elimination diet could work, I tried that for two months and my son just got worse and worse. Turns out he was allergic to so many things that I was not eliminating enough and he got to the point where is digestive system was so swollen he couldn't poop without the help of a suppository for 14 months of his life. I have a doctor that uses a non-invasive diagnostic tool to determine food allergies that could completely take the guesswork out of it for you. It would save you so much time and stress--I do not want anyone to go through what I went through. I truly believe this doctor saved my son's life and I would highly recommend him!! He is a doctor of chiropractic medicine, so I hope you're not averse to going an alternative route. We tried the western medicine route with my son and he just got worse, so I found this doc when I was at my wits end. The practice is Alternative Chiropractic--Dr. Elliott Smith. Receptionist is Louisa--you can tell her J. Parker insisted you call. Phone is ###-###-####. By the way--no more rashes, no more digestion problems, and he's hardly ever sick now.

As for products that will help ease the skin I can recommend two. Both can be found at whole foods--one is a borage oil based lotion (borage oil has the essential fatty acids in it that the skin uses to repair itself) whose name defies me at the moment. But tell them the borage oil lotion for eczema and they'll be able to help you. The other is Earth Momma, Angel Baby lotion and Angel Baby bottom balm. They are expensive but do not have mineral oil or lanolin (a very common allergen). They are all natural, organic--the earth momma angel baby products are the only ones that never bothered my son. They also have a baby oil that has no nut oils, preservatives or fragrances that can bother sensitive skin, and a wonderful body wash. You can get the Earth Momma Angel baby stuff on line at www.earthmommaangelbaby.com. Vitamin Cottage and Whole foods also carry these products.

If you have any questions at all please contact me. I lived this and am happy to help you avoid going through what I went through!!

Good luck!
J. Parker

1 mom found this helpful

Hi K.,

You poor thing and that poor baby!! I know how frustrating the rashes can be! My daughter is one year old and has super sensitive skin. I used All unscented, as another mom suggested here. I didn't use fabric softeners in her laundry until after 6 months, per our Dr. I only use Downey-free. Also, I found my daughter's skin rashes more if I dress her in non-cotton clothes. Her skin just needs to breathe! I too used the olive oil, I did find the J&J creamy lotion (it comes in a tube) works better with her dry spots. My Dr also had me use a little cortisone cream on the rash/dry spots. I did have a friend who had to follow the diet deal, it was hard for her, but did help her son until his system was able to deal with the other foods (around 8 months) and she lost mega weight, shallow, I know but a plus anyway! :)

My daughter didn't have reflux, but was very gassy and fussy, we used the Mylicon gas drops at each feeding (not the generic, it contains sorbitol, an artificial sweetner that is not healthy for the bowels, and fed her more upright (hard to do when nursing) :) Also, my Dr recommended feeding her smaller amounts more often.

Good luck!! I hope he is feeling better soon!

1 mom found this helpful

Hi K., although I have not had this pronblem with my kids. I think you are right that it may be a allergic reaction something. My son who is 7, just started to get little patches of ezema. Because of his age I was able to be a prcription creme. I personally wouldn't do that for as young as your little one is. You said you use Dreft? I would continue that, also if you think it is skin contact and her skin is super senitive. What about her touching your clothes, blankets, husbands clothes, and anybody eles that would hold her, that their clothes would touch her. I had to switch our laundry detergent as well. It is the Arm and Hammer for senstive skin. It is perfume free and dye free. So far his skin ezema rashes have deminished. Also, as crazy as it seems she may be allergic to the Dreft?? I wish you luck. I hope this helps rule out another possiblity.God Bless you and your baby. Pray that he hels her and you can figure everything out. :)
D. T.-Mother of 2, Girl-9, and boy-7. Married for almost 10 years...

Hello K.! My first question is whether the baby is gaining any weight with all the reflux...I am taking it that the baby is actually vomiting.....if this is the case, when she vomits does is just dribble down or does it actually project like in a stream across a few feet up to across the room? If she is gaining weight, great....if she is having trouble gaining weight and the vomit is alot that is actually a projectile type take her to another pediatrician and insist that she be checked for pyloric stenosis....this is a condition in which the muscle just above the stomach is either partially closed up or closed completely and the child has projectile like vomiting. If your doctor has already ruled this out, wonderful! You can get baby drops for "gas" baby mylanta type...my daughter got these for my granddaughter and it helped alot with her problems with a gassy stomach and what she described as just "alot of vomiting" when she burped the child. As for the rash...it does sound similar to an allergic type reaction except for the sandpaper and peeling explaination....this causes me to think more of psoriasis or exema or even fifths disease disease.... if after you go on the elimination diet (make sure you do not eat any milk products during this)your daughter shows no improvement go back to your doctor for further help! You might try using only the regular Ivory handsoap or the regular Dove soap .... these have no perfumes or additives that would be harsh to the infants skin and are actually very soothing to the infant. Aveeno still has perfumes in it. You could also use only Cetaphil lotion frequently on her and bathe her in it actually. Cetaphil has no harsh chemicals and no perfumes in it and is used by alot of pts that have multiple allergies to ingrediants in soaps and lotions. Good Luck and I hope your daughter improves quickly!

Hi I know I am very late in responding to your request but I couldnt pass it up when I saw it!
A lot of people have similar problems with their little ones as you have seen with all the responses you got! =)
Have you tried using ALL NATURAL bath products? A lot of products that are used now have so many chemicals in them as well as mineral oil and petroleum which are SO DRYING! Even Eucerine, Aquaphor, Cetiphil, and Arbon products include these ingredients unfortunatley!
My sister in law started her own company a couple years ago where we hand make natural bath products with NO artifical ingredients or chemicals! It's called Bubble Goddess Bath Company and we are from Castle Rock Colorado, where it is VERY DRY!
Anyway we have helped a lot of families with eczema, psorisis and other dry skin problems just by having them use our products! I know it would work for your little gilr!
I would highly reccomend using our Aloe Baby Bar soap for every bath (it is so safe I used it on my son for his very first bath) Then follow up with our Oh Baby Butter two to three times a day until the condition has cleared up. After that you should only have to use it once a day.

My son had horrible reflux about a month after he was born. He would cry all the time and you could tell he felt horrible. We ended up trying three different medicines before we found one that worked the best! He was a whole different baby once we got it under control. He never had a rash luckily, but he did grow out of it at about 6 months and has been fine ever since! =)

I would love to send you samples of our bath products so you could try them out on her!

Let me know if there is anything else I can do and I hope your little girl is better SOON!

T. B.
Team Leader
Bubble Goddess Bath Company
"Natural Bath Products For Your Inner Goddess"
###-###-####
____@____.com

Not sure if you've found an answer yet, but it could be a reaction to the products you are using. Eucerin is actually very bad...it has mineral oil in it, which is actually occulsive. You need to read all product labels and make sure you don't see mineral oil, petroleum, petrolatum. My daughter had horrible exzema, but we've cleared it up by using natural, gentle soap and lotion (I use Arbonne) and also using organic detergent.

Try Seventh Generation baby detergent. It has no scent like Dreft does.
Also, cut dairy and wheat out of your diet for a few weeks. I could take a while to see a difference, so don't give up.

Good luck.

My hubby claims I'm allergic to everything, and so far 3/4 of my kids have had eczema. Dreft will give me the itchies. I've had the best luck with Amway's bioquest and trizyme with a rinse with 1/2 white vinegar (to get excess soap out). No dryer sheets!

We can't use most over the counter soaps and lotions (add shampoos and hair products for me). I've resorted to making my own through soapcrafters.com. Non or mild scented glycerin soap is an easy over the counter test.

You could try eliminating or severely cutting down on your own diet for the biggies: soy, cow's milk, wheat, peanuts, seasonings ... go a few days and try reintruducing. I couldn't have any spices with my daughter when nursing.

Good luck, and feel free to contact me! =)

I have heard wonderful things about virgin coconut oil...it is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal and is all natural...read the ingredients on the soaps and lotions you are using...if you can't pronounce them or they have ANY kind of alchohol please don't poison your baby with it...be an ingredient detective for all of your sakes! You can call me for more info ###-###-####
M.

You are describing my daughter to a tee at the same age. But by 6 weeks of age she also began having constant ear infections. I went off all major food allergens (wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, etc.) and saw all rashes disappear as well as the constant crying and ear infections. She was a different baby. She was breastfed only so what I ate made all the difference. You have a rare pediatrician to have even suggested the elimination diet. Itis a new challenge but well worth it.
All the best to you,
Mom in Phoenix

I had to stop eating foods that had tomatoes or hot spices, like pizza, spaghetti, Mexican, jambalaya because it definitely bothered my son. He's get really gassy and spit up a lot after eating those things. I also used Johnson's Soothing Naturals baby wash. I tried Aveeno wash and it dried out my sons's skin way more the Johnson's wash.

Hi K.. I see that others have responded that Arbonne Baby Care products are the best...and they are! If you'd like some free samples, please let me know and I'll send you some! These products are fabulous! They're 100% certified vegan, all natural with no chemical dyes or fragrances or mineral oil. You can check them out at my website or email me at: www.mandyolsen.myarbonne.com. Good luck finding something that works for your baby! I have a 7 week old, so I know how you feel. :)
-M. O.

Try the Wileda baby products. They are biodynamic which means they are not only organic but every part of the plant is used in some way in the process. There is nothing extra or harmful in the products. I love them for my 15 mo. old son who has sensitive skin and often has rashes and skin irritation. You can find Wileda at any of the natural gorcers. Good luck!

Hi! We live in Colorado which is very dry like NV. My pediatrician said to not use lotion, but to use regular vasaline on our little guys skin. Put it on right after a bath especially and it should help keep the moisture in. I would stay away from the Eucerine and other lotions. Also - Dove liquid sensitive skin works for bathing well. Very moisturizing and costs less then the Aveno Baby. God Bless!

My daughter had a very bad diaper rash that started to bleed. I use Arbonne products that are completely natural on her whenever she has dry skin or any type of rash. It might seem like they are a little expensive but the products last a long time because they are concentrated and you only have to use a little bit. You can go to their website at Arbonne.com because you can't find it in stores.

My daughter has very sensative skin too and gets rashes for unknown reasons. We use Aquafor ointment on her. You can find it with the diaper rash creams in the baby isle at your store. No matter where she has a rash on her body we use it. I swear by it! Good luck.

I know this sounds really grose but my peds doctor recommended I lather my kids with vasaline! My daughter had really bad exama and that is what we did and it really helps it makes them a little slimmy but thats better then dry!

ok here's what I did...get Dove sensitive skin body wash. My son's allergic to Johnson and Johnson-go figure. Figure out what you're eating that may be causing an allergic reaction. My son's pediatrician put my son on prilosec 15mg for his reflux. Also, switch her wipes to the huggies sensitive or the cheap ones for sensitive skin, make sure they're completely unscented. This should help.

Ally

My son has eczema pretty bad right now (he is 13 months) and we are trying Mustela Dermo-pediatrics Stelatopia moisturizing cream and it seems to be working really well. You can find it at babies r us, bath & body works and online.

Arbonne ABC baby products are amazing and helped with my son's sensitive skin issues. I can give more info on where you can get the products if you'd like...

Also, my newborn son had "reflux" in huge quantities, but got over it after a few months. Don't go to meds right away. My son is fine now, it just took some time to adjust to my milk and to figure out what foods were not ideal for his little tummy.

I actually represent a company that has a baby line that is amazing for this problem. Arbonne is formulated in Switzerland and I would be happy to get you a sample to see if this would help your baby's rash. You can email me through my website at www.andreacolorado.myarbonne.com.

Hello K.,
My name is J. and I have a daughter that's 8 and a son that is 2 today actually. Both of my children had acid reflux as infants and excema. With my daughter we did not know until she was three that she had reflux but when i had my son within 2 months we knew that's what he had so we put him on Zantac syrup and he was a totally different baby. He would cry at feedings and then after a feeding within 30 minutes he would be screaming, arching his back, spitting up, and he had a lot of gas. I ended up taking him to see a GI doctor by the name of Dr. Shub at Phoenix Children's Hospital. He was absolutely wonderful. When my son turned 1 we took him off of the Zantac and he's been fine since. They usually grow out of it. As far as the excema, they sell a cream at Walgreens called Vanicream. I think you have to special order but it has no fragrances, perfumes, dyes of any sort and that's what usually irritates there skin. I know of another cream called Cetaphil that comes as a lotion and a body wash that is for sensitive skin that doesn't have any of the things listed above either. I started using the creams on my son when he started getting a rash on his face. I know it gets so frustrating trying to figure out what is bothering your baby. My pediatrician kept telling me to try different things and when I couldn't figure things out anymore I tried the specialist and he was my savior. If you have any more questions please email me back or I would not mind at all if you want to call me. My phone number is ###-###-####. I've been in your situation and I completely understand. Thank you

K.,

My oldest who is now 25 had a rash when he was a baby, I took him to a dermatologist and he suggested using Crisco. It is messy but it worked. Hope this helps. Good luck

C. M.

Hi K.. I have a 10 year old and 5 year old daughters. They both have Excema but I have to use different skin lotion for both of them, as their skin reacts differently. What I swear by is Eucercin, it's the best lotion over the counter. My 5 year old got this prescribed to her when she was 8 months old and then I found out they sold it over the counter so I started purchasing it at Wal-Mart for $10.82, I lather her in it after every bath and she hasn't had an excema break out since. Good Luck and remember to use the lotion daily.

I use Aquafor for both my children. I love that stuff! I swear by it! My son used to get bad rashes on his face from drooling and it always worked. My daughter gets chapped cheeks and it works for her. Because your baby is so young, I would try it in a small area first and see if it works before using it on a larger area like her back. It really is great stuff!

Both of my kids have sensitive skin. I find it hard to find much topically that helps. However, I stopped using Dreft and switched to Arm & Hammer for sensitive skin, free of perfume and dyes, and that seemed to help. Also, if her skin is just really dry, cut back baths to maybe once a week. That helped some with my second son and also a little jojoba oil on his skin helped too.
I hope you can use some of this info! :)

I know this may sound weird but I found out that I was alergic to my sons diapers. My hands would become really dry and It was weird because it would spread. It might be worth it to try cloth diapers for a week or two to see if your baby might be allergic to the diapers. When I wasnt sure why my hands would dry up so much, I tried every lotion out there. Just be carefull because some lotions like Euciren can sting really bad.

something you are eating is probably what she is alleric to, but soaps and creams won't stop it. I am alleric to anything sulfur, sulfa or any strand of this so I can't have eggs, or anything that has eggs in it like the flu shot, or any drugs that have it, I can't even get near matches or flares, but each of these different things have different effects on me. Ingestion of the sulfur makes me throw up (sometimes bloody), breathing it I get bloody noses and throat really hurts, spilling it on me I break out in a really bad rash and then peal, then it itches and is uncomfortable for about two weeks. And I know when I was little my mother said that I use to get bad diaper rashes and upset stomach and threw up alot as well, but back then they thought this was normal I guess, but she used Baking Soda in my diaper and for the rash on my body she used cortazome 10 cream and it would clear up a little. You have to try different things but change only one thing at a time and wait about 2 weeks before changing it to see what happens if anything at all, this way you can eliminate one thing at a time until you find what it is. I know this is time consuming and frustrating but it will be better in the long run. I had to live with my condition until I was 16 when I was rushed to the hospital for what they thought were ulsers, when all I did was take a sip of my mothers white wine by accident, my alergy almost cost me my life, and I didn't enjoy having to drink crushed charcoal, so keep up with it and let me know how it goes. Good Luck. C.

My son has a red scaly rash that he develops from time to time. His doctor told us it excema. He's on a prescription that's s high percentage hydrocortisone. Maybe try an over the counter excema lotion, I was told Eucerine is good, but it didn't help my son. If your daughters isn't excema it may work for her. You could also try some hydrocortisone on a small patch and see if it helps.

I would try to use all natural/all organic products with her. I would try not bathing everyday (don't know if you are or aren't) that dry's out the skin........have you tried a humidifier or putting her in the bathroom while you shower that moisture might help?

Make a warm poultice of Calendula. Herbally, Calendula is know as the "heal-all" because of it's wonderful healing properties. Get some dried flowers and leaves from a local herb or health food store - boil about 4 cups of distilled water - remove from heat and add a cup of dried flowers & leaves - allow to steep for 10-15 minutes - strain - when the "tea" has cooled to the point you can put your hands in it, get a clean, white towel, dip in the "tea", ring out and gently lay it on the rash until the towel cools. Repeat 2-3 times per day.

I had the same types of problems with my son and the only stuff that worked was BUTT PASTE brand products. Good luck.

My daughter has a 6 month old son who has the same thing. The docter sent her to a G I specialist and a alergy specialist. The GI specialist gave a prescription for something for the reflux that he will stay on untill he is 1 year old. As for the rash she had testing done and he was alergic to a few things she was eating and when she stoped it the rash went away. She introduced those foods back slowly and he is getting better.

I am so sorry to hear your baby has such a bad rash.
When my son was about 4 months old he had a rash that did not go away, it sounds similar what you are discribing. It ended up being the measles! He had no fever, so I did not suspect it was that. I would have it looked at just in case if over the counter stuff isn't helping.

What I have found to work well is Aveeno anti-itch cream. It is so great for those sensitive areas (I have used it on my eye lids when I had a reaction to some eye shadow) and the rash seem to settle down imediately and would be gone within a day or two.

Good Luck with your little one!

Hi K., it has been awhile since I had babies I am working on my grandchildren now. So as far as the best detergent I would not be of help BUT I am a Chinese Medical Practitioner with a Degree in Naturopathic medicine and for 30 years for rashes I have used a product called Comfrey. You can purchase this on line or at a health food store and I believe Sprouts probably carries a brand of Comrey.

Country Comfort is a combination of Comfrey and Aloe Vera. Both very wonderful for all skin conditions. The other brand that I love is Dr. Christopher's - his product is just comfrey in beeswax and I believe they are now calling the product Smooth Skin. you can go to Dr. Christopher's website and have them send it to you. I live in the East Valley and only know of one place that carries that brand.

i also would love to share an opportunity with you that might allow you to stay home with your baby. If your interested please give me a call - ###-###-####.

Enjoy your little one!
R. Pierce

I have a 6 month old and we use Aquafor on him and it's great. It is very concentrated and is the consistency of vaseline. You can find it in the section near the lotion.

Have you tried bag balm?? it is in the pet section at walmart, dont worry it is very safe for tiny ones!! when my children get a bad diaper rash i will mix in my hand a bit of the bag balm with a bit of the thick desetin. Just enough to cover their little bum. Sprinkle powder over top of the ointment, to keep it from rubbing off on the diaper. the rash will heal completley in about a day or too. this was recommended to me by a pedeatritin and i have found t to be very effectie.

Hi
for the dry skin problem you can also use baby oil.
wen you take her out of the bath put some baby oil en her body and then rinse her with the taollell maybe that my work too

P.

Aquafor is a great product! I have been using it on my now 3 months old since he was just 6 weeks. He had a horrible rash on is face that would only get worse with lotion yet his skin was incredably dry. It is a little greasy but it works great!

Both of my sons had skin like you are describing and both of their doctors said this it totally normal for a newborn. One nursed, one didn't, so it wasn't related to food alergies. I tried a lot of things & the best thing I found was shea butter. Body Shop's Shea Body Butter is an excellent one that is affordable. Some of the drug stores have products claiming to be shea butter, but it really contains a lot of other cheaper ingredients that might irritate baby's already sensitive skin. Laundry detergent does cause irritation too, so maybe switch to something else. We use the Melaluca products and have no problem.

The very best - L'Occitane makes a 100% PURE shea butter. Expensive, but it will heal anything.

Cetaphil cream is excellent for sensitive cream. My child's doctor told me not to use Eucerin because it is not child friendly. the Cetaphil has been great for my son who has exzema and very sensitive skin. the generic brand also works just as well and is half the price.

Another suggestion to stop using Dreft. We used ALL Baby for his clothes and Allens Naturally for his cloth diapers. Nary a rash not even diaper rash when he was in cloth. At 9 months we just used Tide Free with no problems.

For reflux we used baby Zantac for 2 weeks and a sleep positioner to raise his head and he slept at an angle.

For his dry skin and peeling issues when he was 1-3 months old we used Mustela. After 12 months we went with some of the more common products like Aveeno Baby but still use Mustela for diaper change cleansing.

All Ultra for Baby/All for Baby (not available in 3X concentrate)
http://all-laundry.com/products.asp

All for Baby vs. Dreft
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/251992/dreft_vs_...

Allens' Naturally
http://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?cPath=62&amp...

Mustela
http://www.mustelausa.com/about_dermo.html

I'm sorry your baby is having such a rough time. My only suggestion is to use a "free of dyes and perfumes" detergent like All or Arm and Hammer instead of Dreft, since she could be having a reaction to the scent added to the detergent. I do know someone whose daughter was allergic to dairy, the woman breastfed for 6 months and during that time cut out all dairy. The baby's symptom was blood in her stool though, I don't know about reflux or anything. Good luck!

Hello,

Try California Baby Calendula cream for the rash.

Hi K.,

I use Aveno for my one month old only. Even the body lotion. The slightest fragrance in a product can trigger a rash or peeling - its amazing how sensitive these little one's are. Food is such a factor when breast feeding. The general rule of thumb is avoid: spicy, hot, chocolate, tomartoes, rich cheese, gassy veggies and garlic! Rather boring but definatly helps! Good luck and hope this helps:)