SPECIAL Drop-In Clinic: Your baby skincare questions answered! *sponsored*

Perfect timing, I've been asking friends but no one seems to know.

I just had my second baby, but I'm not sure when I can let them bath together? My eldest has skin more prone to dry areas but I don't know whether my baby should be in the bath with any products he uses?

At what age can I introduce bath products with a new baby?

And what age is recommended before they bath together please?

Also my eldest's skin becomes quite raw in some areas, particularly on winter. He says it's itchy and it's quite red.

Should we change the products we use in winter vs Summer?

Posted on behalf of Eleni-mary P

Hello everyone,

My little one has had eczema on and off since 4 months (now 8 months). At the moment it’s all over face, particularly under eyes and behind back of the neck. My questions are: 

-is this something that they will grow out off? 

-we have a quick bath as part of our sleep routine, is it too much every night for their delicate and eczema prone skin?

-how can I moisturise the eyes/ eyelids?

Please advice! Thank you ☺️

Posted on from Instagram on behalf of Lou P:

My baby has eczema on her tummy and we have an appointment with the doctor to test for allergies. A friend who had the same with her baby said the doctor told her she needed to start weaning him early to see if he was allergic to any foods. My baby is breastfed, could what I eat be affecting her eczema? And will they tell me I need to wean her? She's only 18 weeks

Posted on behalf of Jill L from Facebook:

Should I stop using any baby washes/bubbles if my child has eczema?

Posted from Sarah via Instagram:

My daughter has eczema and cries when I wash her – how can I stop this being painful for her?

How likely is it that my child will develop allergies if she has eczema?

My lad has a few dry patches around his armpits and on the back of his knees. Both the areas that tend to get a bit hot and sweaty. Any tips on how we can soothe this and may be prevent it as it does cause some discomfort.

My sons cheeks are always really red and dry I have tried using loads of different creams but nothing appears to be working..

some days are worse than others but recently I think due to the weather its getting worse.

I did think it was due to teething but he now has all his teeth and he still has it, worse if anything.

is there anything I can use or is it best for me to my gp?

thanks

I've heard that citrus fruit can affect a child's skin, especially if it is already prone to dryness. Sometimes when my daughter eats an orange cut in half she's gone a bit red and sore around her mouth, how can I help this without her having to give up this way of getting vitamin C into her?

Hi Grace. Thanks for your questions. Yes, you can bath both of the children together. Medicated bath emollients will not harm your baby who does not have eczema. I do the same thing with my children. As a rule of thumb, avoid fragranced and coloured products for babies and children with eczema though.

I would need more information on what bath products you are referring to for your new baby. My general advise for new-born skin is to use the absolute minimum on it for the first few months of life as the skin matures.

Eczema tends to flare in the winter months as we often turn up the central heating when the temperature drops which makes the environment drier. I often switch up products in the winter months with my patients. It would be best to seek dermatology advise on this if your baby's skin is red and inflamed.

Hi Eleni-Mary!

It is quite possible that you LO will grow out of their eczema. It is estimated that as many as 80% of children do. The difficulty is, we can’t predict which children will and which children won’t.

In my experience baths are often quite helpful for children with eczema. The key is to keep the bath water tepid rather than hot and to add a bath emollient. I advise that they then play/soak in the water for at least 10 minutes. After that, get them out and put an emollient on before bed time.

Most GP prescribed emollients are suitable as long as your baby is not allergic to any of the preservatives within it. You would know this depending on whether they improve or worsen following its application.

There is no particular emollient that is necessarily better than another. It’s personal choice really dependant on how dry your baby’s skin is. I hope this helps.

Hi Lou P,

Some parents are encouraged to do this as some data suggests that if your baby has moderately severe eczema, they have a higher chance of having associated food allergies. I was advised to wean my first born at four months on advice of my paediatrician for this reason. The difficult with weaning too early is that there is a greater risk of choking.

It’s therefore worth seeking advice on this from a paediatrician as every child is different. In principle, foods you ingest can pass through breast milk, but I wouldn’t assume that they are harmful to your baby without compelling evidence that she has consistent symptoms every time you have a particular food. I’d therefore also encourage you to also keep a food diary and take it to your paediatric appointment.

Hi Jill,

YES!! This is one of my biggest bug bears with regards to children with eczema. Most products with fragrance and soap can be very irritating to eczema prone skin and can further exacerbate the condition. Thank you for bringing this up.