Saturday 23 April 2011

Nappy Rash Top tips from Boots Parenting Club Pharmacist Angela Chalmers

Nappy rash is horrible because you can tell your little one is in great pain but there's very little you can do to offer instant relief. Here's some great advice from the Boots Parenting Club Pharmacist.

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Top tips from Boots Parenting Club Pharmacist Angela Chalmers:

Nappy rash is a common skin condition which almost every baby will experience at least once during the first three years of their life. It can be caused by a number of different factors including1:

• Friction that develops when sensitive baby skin is rubbed by wet nappies

• Irritation from the acid in urine and bowel movements

• Candida infection, which is also known as a fungal or yeast infection, usually has a bright red appearance and is very common after the use of antibiotics1.


Prevention should be your number one focus:

- As soon as the front part of the nappy starts to swell up and become squishy then you know you have a wet nappy to change.

- Regular nappy changes are essential to reduce the contact time between the skin, irritant faeces and urine.

- A pooey nappy may be obvious if it smells, but this is not always the case (especially in breast-fed babies), so a little peek inside the leg part of the nappy is advisable.

- Air your little one’s bottom as much as possible during a change. Babies also feel much freer without a nappy, so this is a great time to let them have a play around. As a mum to a 13 week-old boy, I've found this can be dangerous territory as the cold air seems to trigger them to wee, so I always have a handful of kitchen roll at the ready to catch any little accidents!

- Apply a medium layer of barrier cream to the bottom and folds. Ensure that it is the right consistency as if it is too thin it will be rubbed off from contact with the nappy, and if it is too thick, it can cause sweating which could lead to sweat rash.

Treatment of Nappy Rash:

- Try to change your baby’s nappy after every feed, and soon after they have done a poo to minimise contact time with irritants.

- Concentrated urine is highly irritant to a baby's skin, so breast-feeding mums need to make sure that they are drinking enough water to make sure that their milk has the appropriate water content. This in turn hydrates the baby, resulting in diluted urine.

- Avoid using highly fragranced wipes as the skin will be more sensitive when suffering from nappy rash. Use warm water and cotton pads or sensitive fragrance-free wipes with a high water content.

- Avoid nappies that are too tight and experiment with the next nappy size up to avoid nappy rash in folds due to chafing.

- Beware of fungal nappy rash (fiery red rash with spots that may or may not be raised). It will not go away on its own so speak to your Boots Pharmacist.

- Bacterial infection (crusting/oozing appearance) can set into skin that is cracked or macerated (sodden damp skin) and always needs to be seen by the GP.

HELP KEEP NAPPY RASH AT BAY WITH NEW BOOTS PHARMACEUTICALS NAPPY RASH SPRAY
If your little one has nappy rash, you may want to consider new Boots Pharmaceuticals Nappy Rash Spray (£5.60, 100ml) which soothes and softens skin, whilst protecting and preventing nappy rash. It is extremely easy to use as it can be applied with one hand and there is no need to rub. The handy bottle size is also ideal for travelling as it fits into hand baggage.

To help beat and prevent nappy rash, you could consider Boots Antiseptic Nappy Rash Cream (£4.18, 300g), which is a soothing antiseptic cream containing Cetrimide and Dimeticone. (Always read the label. Or consider Boots Baby Zinc and Castor Oil Cream (£2.03, 250ml), which creates a gentle yet effective barrier against moisture, helping to protect against nappy rash. It is hypoallergenic and paediatrician approved. (Contains peanut oil)


When changing your baby’s nappy, consider Boots Baby Sensitive Wipes (0.98), which contain baby lotion to help protect delicate skin

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4 comments:

  1. I already use Boots Nappy Rash Cream and I am very happy with this purchase, cream lasts for loooong time and it really works.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I bought Boots Baby Zinc and Castor Oil Cream and I think it is quite cheap, just wonder if it works, I will let you know...

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have a 4 days old baby and these tips are very useful for me. Thank you.

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  4. That's so funny what you said about the cold air triggering a wee...we change our son's nappies like engineers at Silverstone changing tyres at a pitstop! Off & on as quickly as possible to avoid the wee!

    ReplyDelete

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