5 Must-Dos For An Eczema Free Baby « George & Eunice Adventures

Every new mom anticipates her baby to have perfect fair and silky skin – an eczema free baby. That’s what I expected too, but I was disappointed to learn that managing Rosie’s skincare would be one of my biggest motherhood nuisances thus far. I’ve learned that eczema is actually a common skin concern for babies. Rosie started her first two months of life with the expected perfect baby skin. Things took a turn as the weather cooled. The eczema appeared first on her face and scalp. Her hands, elbow creases, and behind the knees were also vulnerable spots. The dry patches would flare an angry red every so often. The worst was when it “weeped” or oozed fluid.

In my struggle to manage her eczema, I’ve learned five steps that have helped ensure a eczema free baby:

1. Bathe Daily

I bathe Rosie in lukewarm water every night. Bathing often is important as it helps to cleanse her skin of environmental irritants. More importantly, I use lukewarm water as hot water will dry out the skin and worsen her eczema. Rosie bathes without any products (body wash/shampoo/soap). I’ve found that they all irritate and dry out her skin.

2. Use Prescription Creams

When Rosie’s eczema started oozing, I threw my hands in the air and brought the case to our pediatrician. He gave me a prescription for 1% hydrocortisone – a cream which helps to manage the swelling, redness and itching. Rosie also has a prescription of Betamethasone, a stronger steroid cream that I use on her limbs and chest. When used as prescribed, they are safe and work like a charm.

3. Apply Moisturizer

During Rosie’s worst flare-ups, I was applying moisturizer every hour. I personally found that Vaseline was most effective for her face and scalp. Vaseline on the scalp sure sounds messy but you’d be surprised how fast the grease is either absorbed or rubbed off. With trial and error, I found a few other moisturizers that were effective to apply to Rosie’s body.

I was gifted a set of lotions from Gloves In A Bottle – an all-in-one Shielding lotion that provides relief from:

dry/irritated skin,
eczema and psoriasis and
cracked feet

And Protects from:

frequent hand washing,
alcohol sanitizers/surgical scrubs and
toxins/chemicals/irritants.

I recently had the pleasure of trying it out and found great results. After trying so many moisturizers, I’ve come up with a sort of mental prerequisite checklist to find the effective ones. Gloves In A Bottle meets all my needs. I love that it is non-greasy, fragrance free, gentle, and hypoallergenic. Most importantly, it stays on! Gloves In A Bottle is easy to apply and absorbs quickly. It is waterproof and comes off naturally with exfoliated skin.

I apply Gloves In A Bottle on Rosie’s limbs and chest several times a day. When I use it with hydrocortisone cream, it is effective to combat her eczema. As an added bonus, this shielding lotion is beneficial for my hands too. With the frequent hand-washing of a stay-at-home mom (and the cold dry winter weather), my skin took a toll. Gloves in a bottle is a lifesaver for my skin! To purchase Gloves In A Bottle for yours or your baby’s skin care needs, click the link here.

4. Be Picky About Clothes

Rosie’s eczema-prone skin made her sensitive to everything so I started being really knit-picky about the material of her clothing. I make sure she only wears 100% cotton items that are breathable and loose. It’s too bad that the cutest clothes these days are made with polyester. I also use a gentle laundry detergent – the Honest Co. has detergent that is plant-based, gentle and hypoallergenic.

5. Be Mindful Of The Environment

One big trigger for Rosie’s eczema was the dryness of the air in our home. A humidifier was a life-saver during the winter months. Since I have two bunnies, I made sure to vacuum often as carpets and couches are notorious for storing dust, fur and lint. When Rosie’s eczema was at her worst, I made sure my clothing (and that of whoever else carried her) did not irritate her face. Basically, I used common sense to ensure her environment was safe and clean.

For more information on eczema management tips, check out this great article by Sick Kids. Overall, I’ve found that consistent hard work is key. During our recent trip to the Dominican Republic, Rosie’s skin drastically improved 90% which is proof for me that an eczema free baby life is possible for her (warm humid weather definitely helps!). Until then, this mama will do her best to keep up with good skin-care practices.

Did your baby have skin problems? What methods did you try and what worked? Let us know below!