Won't you be my village, my tribe, my elder and lay your wisdom on me?
My precious baby has a rash over her whole body and I don't know if I should be worried. I took her to the pediatrician last Friday because even though Sofia was being polite and zen, I couldn't help but think she had some rare disease and I would be the World's Worst Mother for not catching it and doing something sooner.
She said it was eczema and told me to slather her in Aquaphor but I'm not convinced. I mean, I did it but all it seemed to do was make her skin redder and more angry-looking. Plus, she cried when I put it on her which means no more Aquaphor.
Your advice regarding the feeding on demand and sleeping were so helpful so I turn to you again, my tribe, my community, my friends. Tell me everything is okay, not to be worried and my baby will be fine.
Taken last Friday
her poor little baby leg
The next day, oiled up looking like she's ready for a fight
Still so freakin cute though!
This is the first picture when I can kinda see myself in her.
Oh, those cheeks! nomnomnom
I used the Aquaphor for a couple of days but stopped when I noticed that she didn't seem to like it. I switched to California Baby Calendula Cream and while I can't tell if it's helping, at least it's not making her skin red and greasy.
Taken today
her poor little neck
You can really see the bumps when I turn off the flash.
It doesn't seem to bother her - she's still quite zen about it all.
As far as my diet goes, I'm back to being lactose intolerant so dairy isn't the issue. I've cut out nuts and fish too, hoping that might help. The next step is to cut out soy but there's soy in everything so that should be fun.
Now, please don't make me regret coming to you for advice by scaring the shit out of me by saying my daughter has some incurable Bumpy Face disease. I already had a breakdown a couple of nights ago because I was convinced this would never go away and she was going to get picked on in school for her bumps and it would be my fault because I couldn't fix it. I was snotting and crying all over her.
Don't do that to me again. Please.
Hey D! 1st. It's going to be okay. Sofia will not be bumpy face girl and you are still in the running for mom of the year!! lol 2nd. I'm going to be better on the encouragement end than the practical advice realm since I'm without child BUT I have seen MANY a baby with the exact same thing and I honestly think that she will be okay and that it will go away. Especially since you say she is not fussing about it or showing that it irritates her. 3rd. Sofia is good! she will be a-okay!!! ...now someone out there give some more substantive advice PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteNORMAL! FUD (my 20 month old) had a rash like this all over especially her neck and back of her knees. It will clear. Aquaphor made hers worse. She probably just has sensitive skin. No lotions and less clothing helped hers. I kept thinking she'd be cold but she was actually super sweaty and STILL is which was probably irritating her more. Warning- she got a little scaly as it cleared up which Aveeno for Sensitive skin helped with.
ReplyDeleteI think it could one of two things or both: (1) atopic dermatitis or (2) she's allergic to something. She looks just like my second born did when he was young. There wasn't much I could do but put Aveeno on him to alleviate the itching. When did they start to appear? My son's would appear and then disappear and occasionally they would heal and the skin would peel off only to do it again later. During the summer it was worse and that's when his face looked a little 'patchy'. Otherwise, he was fine.
ReplyDeleteI'd take her to the doctor again just to get another look at her and to possibly get something better to help with the redness and/or scratching if she starts to do that.
I think you're doing the right thing, though, by switching up your diet a bit to see if it's causing any of her reactions as well. You should keep a journal (i know, I know, more things to do) that will help you track what you ate and when she eats and whether or not the rash gets better or worse. Also, make sure to keep all of those areas super clean. I know you and I are both in Texas and it's about to start getting hot up in herrra and the heat (or sweat) could irritate her rash.
oh and by the way, my son's atopic dermatitis cleared up to a point where it's not as noticeable however, he still has very sensitive skin and occasional rashes (although not as severe as before).
ReplyDeleteOMG, I just realized my post might scare you with the "occasional rashes and not as severe" comments regarding my son..Sofia will be just fine, I'm sure. Just like my son's skin is - it's been managed and he has NO issue at all at school with bullies or the ladies not liking him (he's 14). LOL!
ReplyDeleteShe's not scratching as best as I can tell and she's not scaly - yet?? Her skin just feels rough and dry.
ReplyDeleteIt started around four weeks, which is when I read that baby acne/dermatitis starts. Her knee and elbow creases are okay, it's just her neck.
And I wonder if she is too hot - Drew's super warm and I wonder if she is too. Is that even a thing??
Hi there, I had a comment all written out, but when I hit submit it disappeared. Both my kids had eczema as newborns. If you'd like you can email me and I'll let you know what we did. :-) Mrs.Sergeant@live.com
ReplyDeleteYou're rocking this mom thing and I'm glad that you remember that we are here for you whenever you need us!
Here is the cliff notes version of the novel I wrote.
When my kids were newborn their flair ups got really bad when I changed my diet, during hot weather, and when they had colds. During flair ups, I would not give them baths. I'd sponge them. If I had to give them a bath, I avoided using warm water as that dries out the skin even more. We also applied cold compresses, they seemed to like that. We kept them moisterized with either Eucerin or Aveeno. Aquaphor sucks, don't use that again. We also stopped using anything with fragrance in it. We used soap, lotions, laundry detergent that was free and clear and that seemed to help as well. The last thing is time. Eczema has a mind of its own and it can last a couple of days or a couple of weeks. Usually it's the latter, especially if you're doing the things I mentioned and whatever else you have found that works for your family. Again, if you have any questions feel free to email me whenever! I hope that beautiful Miss Sofia begins to feel better soon! <3
xoxo,
Mrs. Sergeant
PS. I hope this makes sense. It's 1:48 am in Bahrain right now. I'm up taking care of a sick pup. :-(
I am constantly asking everyone for help raising my baby, too! Why not? My friend's son has excema and she swears by Dreft detergent as the "fix". If you're not so impressed by the pediatrician's advice, maybe go to the dermatologist?
ReplyDeleteI hate that I spent almost 20 bucks on a giant tub of Aquaphor! Drew is going out of town this week and I'm going to do an elimination diet to see if that helps things. I'm serious about this!
ReplyDeleteIt could be baby acne. My godson had it and there is really nothing you can do about it- it goes away on its own. I would just be really cautious of people kissing her (other than you and Drew of course) and if they are wearing perfumes.
ReplyDeleteIf it's eczema like the doctor says (which I have had forever), it's not a bther to her at all. It may itch a little (it MAY) but it comes and goes also. My friends swears by Aveeno for her eczema and I'm prety sure they have it for babies now.
No tips for baby rashes. I've seen it before on little ones and the mom was told it was normal. I agree to go to a dermatologist if you're really concerned. Return the Aquaphor, esp if you bought it at Target or Costco where they can look up your purchase.
ReplyDeleteLooks pretty normal to me. Do you know about the Environmental Working Group? Look up their website and they can tell you which natural products are better for babies (there is SO MUCH that is "for babies" but totally harmful). Turner had some heat rash because mama was always worried he was cold - he also just had some pretty funky baby acne. It all went away and now he has some other rash under his arms. I'm learning to mellow out a bit, but those first few months are stressful.
ReplyDeleteM had acne from about week 3 to week 6 al over her head and neck that looked just like what Sophia's got on her face and neck. I didn't do anything except wash her face once a day with the California Baby sensitive skin soap. That didn't seem to make any difference but it did eventually clear up.
ReplyDeletePoor Sophia! at least it seems not to bother her.
D - I am 99% sure that Sofia has "prickly heat rash". It occurs mainly in newborns & infants as their sweat glands are underdeveloped but I have seen our adult patients with it also.
ReplyDeleteThe rash occurs when the baby/adult gets too warm, sweats & is unable to "cool" off. The perspiration is trapped against the skin which damages the cells on the surface of the skin. The damaged skin then forms a barrier that traps the sweat beneath the skin and produces a small bump-like looking rash.
Oil based products & lotions will only delay the healing process. Not sure about treatment for babies, but we usually tell our patients to wear loose clothing to avoid sweating, avoid hot & humid environments (stay in air conditioned places), take frequent showers/baths & use an antibacterial soap.
If the rash doesn't go away for them then a topical antibiotic is prescribed as bacteria can get trapped in the bumps & delay healing.
This article might help:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5574992/symptoms_of_baby_heat_rash_prickly.html
Poor Sofia & poor mama :( I know you feel bad for her! Hoping it starts going away & soon!
xoxo - HT
I didnt read the other comments, butttt....Emeline had something similar. It was a combo of baby acne and eczema. We used aveeno baby eczema lotion...worked okay. It just will work itself out. Promise. It took us about a month or so to get totally over it.
ReplyDeleteShe's still adorable though :) (but I was totally self conscious about it. vain much? lol)
When my son was little he got a rash like this from using the combo hair/bodywash soap. It was awful. The only cream that worked on him was an Oatmeal cream I found, that for the life of me I can't remember the name of. Probably Aveeno though since I'm a tad obsessed with it. My son also turned out to be allergic to nuts so the elimination diet can give you some information. You're a great mom. Your concern for her well being shows that.
ReplyDeleteIt could be allergy -- my son had persistent eczema before we found out he was allergic to the peanuts in my diet. I stopped gorging on peanut butter and it cleared up. Try to get your daughter to an allergy specialist, they'll do the skin test for multiple allergens and that should provide some clues. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI was going to say the same thing as HT, except for the neck. That lpoks like Ava's neck did as an infant, and they always called it eczema. ? So I think it's a little of both. I dislike aquaphor. It never worked for us either. You know what we had the best luck with? Arbonne baby lotion. Just my two cents but I highly doubt it's anything in your diet. It'll go away, and sometimes come back. Don't get too excited. She'll be fine. And damn, she's a cute kid!
ReplyDeleteI have no advice. I'm a new mommy myself and have no suggestions. I am just digging all the mom support in blogland.
ReplyDeleteDesiree, you're a great mom btw. Great moms seek help when they need it :-)
my babies had this. i was told its baby acne...the only thing is it was only on their neck and face for both kids. i took them to dr blackburn at st paul and he wrote a script for an ointment that cleared it right on UP! LIKE GONE BYE BYE. He is a dermotologist.
ReplyDeleteHi Desiree,
ReplyDeleteI never commented before but I've been reading your blog for quite a while now. My name is Helen, and I've been living in the Boston area for 6 years (I'm French and used to live in Paris before that). I'm 31 and have a 4 year-old son. He had eczema in some spots as a baby and we simply put some Aveeno extra-moisturizing lotion on it twice a day, as the doctor recommended (she had also suggested an ointment with cortizone but we never had to use it), and it went away on its own, after a while. It is very frequent. Do not worry, especially if she does not seem to be bothered by it!
I love your blog and honesty and the way you tell stories. Sofia is just adorable! Good luck! You're doing great! (just in case, my email is hlogo at hotmail dot com)
I don't have a baby so I don't know what that rash is... but I've seen it on other babies before, and they all turned out normal. I'm sure it's fine.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah. Sofia is stinking adorable. Seriously. Those eyes. Those cheeks. I die. :)
Breathe baby girl. These are normal. Remember that her body is adjusting to a million different things that you cleared up for her and yor womb kept her safe from any chemicals etc. If the bumps are still there when she goes to her next check up, ask the doc about them. The only other thing I can suggest is wash everything - yes the cute new blanket and clothes in the Dreft and give it a double rinse before letting her put it on, lay on it etc. Other than that, she is fine. You are an excellent mommy :D Take care of her and YOU.
ReplyDeleteDid you read MODG's blog post from yesterday? She had the same problem. She went to a naturopathic doc and he determined her baby was allergic to gluten and the rash/excezma was gone within three days.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck!
poor little thing! What I know about babies comes from baby-sitting, so my expertise comes from what you mamas tell me to do, so I'm sorry I can't help. But what I can do is tell you your daughter is GORGEOUS (with or without a rash) and she TOTALLY looks like you!!!!
ReplyDeleteSo. My nephew had terrible exzema and nothing seemed to help. Until my sis switched peds and he told her to use ivory soap (i think that's right. i'll check) and Sauve Naturals Oatmeal lotion. Cleared it right up... seriously... just a few days and he was fine...
ReplyDeleteMy daughter didn't have excezma but she did have very sensitive skin as a newborn/baby. (I was also breastfeeding). We noticed that not only did baby's stuff need to be washed in dreft but anyone holding her needed thier stuff in dreft. If they didn't have dreft clothes then we would lay a blanket of hers on them first and that helped.
ReplyDeletemy little A had the same thing when she was 3 months old, except it was all over her cheeks and got scaly and gross looking. i was freaking because i thought she would be permanently scarred or something.
ReplyDeletei ended up taking her to a pediatric dermatologist who told us to keep her face slathered with vaseline as well as in her elbow creases and back of knees, where the eczema tends to show up.
they also gave us some steroid cream for any flare ups.
we only bathe her with cetaphil soap and check all hair shampoo and products with the dermatologist first. i also use laundry detergent with no dyes or fragrances.
now that it's summer, i started using cetaphil lotion on her instead of the vaseline, because i know i would hate to be sticky and greasy when it's 90+ degrees outside.
p.s. she's a cutie!
p.p.s. i apologize for laughing at "bumpy faced disease"
My sis uses Penaten* hope I am spelling it right. Its for diaper rash originally, but apparently it can also be used on rashes on other parts of the body, clears them up fast! She swears by it.
ReplyDeleteIt'll probably get worse before it gets better. Don't worry. She's more than likely fine. And don't feel bad about being a worrying mom. That's what we do! That's love. I was told to use Eucerin and Aquaphor on my babies. Neither of those worked. Once they got a little older, I used Hydrocortisone cream. I'm not sure how old they have to be to use it. But it was the best thing for my babies. Worry as much as you like, but not too much, lol. And OMG....She is getting cuter and cuter everyday.
ReplyDeleteD, first you are rocking this mom thing. Your care and concern for Sofia is right where it's suppose to be and trust yourself you cannot and will not go wrong.
ReplyDeleteI am by no means and expert, however, I do have six sisters, two nephews and three nieces not to mention I was the go to babysitter. Babies have sensitive skin so they are prone to irritations of many sorts of oils, dyes, fragrances and so on. If her items are cleaned with detergent that's free, what about you and Drew? If she's in contact with either of your clothing, sheets, and skin that's been cleaned with harsher products it may be the culprit. It looks like baby acne and as her skin becomes accustomed to her new world including her mommy and daddy's stuff she will be less sensitive and the baby ance will go away.
It could also be a heat rash, try keeping her cool and see if that reduces the irritation. If it does she's just warm blooded and loose clothes and thinner blankets should also help.
You're doing great mommy D!
It looks to me like just normal baby rash / baby acne (especially if it isn't bugging her), but if your doc says eczema then you're going to want to do short but frequent (1-2 times per day) lukewarm water baths and then IMMEDIATELY (< 3 minutes after bath) slather her with Aquaphor or similar. Actually, my nursing prof swore by Crisco as being cheap and effective. Then keep her in a moist cotton wrap for 15-20 minutes (like an old t-shirt).
ReplyDeleteShe's a beautiful baby and you're doing a great job with her. Don't compare her skin to airbrushed babies in ads :-)
Ummm....could your baby girl be any prettier?!!? Just gorgeous...Mommy worrying rash and all:)
ReplyDeletepoor little thing! What I know about babies comes from baby-sitting, so my expertise comes from what you mamas tell me to do, so I'm sorry I can't help. But what I can do is tell you your daughter is GORGEOUS (with or without a rash) and she TOTALLY looks like you!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt could be allergy -- my son had persistent eczema before we found out he was allergic to the peanuts in my diet. I stopped gorging on peanut butter and it cleared up. Try to get your daughter to an allergy specialist, they'll do the skin test for multiple allergens and that should provide some clues. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteD - I am 99% sure that Sofia has "prickly heat rash". It occurs mainly in newborns & infants as their sweat glands are underdeveloped but I have seen our adult patients with it also.
ReplyDeleteThe rash occurs when the baby/adult gets too warm, sweats & is unable to "cool" off. The perspiration is trapped against the skin which damages the cells on the surface of the skin. The damaged skin then forms a barrier that traps the sweat beneath the skin and produces a small bump-like looking rash.
Oil based products & lotions will only delay the healing process. Not sure about treatment for babies, but we usually tell our patients to wear loose clothing to avoid sweating, avoid hot & humid environments (stay in air conditioned places), take frequent showers/baths & use an antibacterial soap.
If the rash doesn't go away for them then a topical antibiotic is prescribed as bacteria can get trapped in the bumps & delay healing.
This article might help:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5574992/symptoms_of_baby_heat_rash_prickly.html
Poor Sofia & poor mama :( I know you feel bad for her! Hoping it starts going away & soon!
xoxo - HT
Hi there, I had a comment all written out, but when I hit submit it disappeared. Both my kids had eczema as newborns. If you'd like you can email me and I'll let you know what we did. :-) Mrs.Sergeant@live.com
ReplyDeleteYou're rocking this mom thing and I'm glad that you remember that we are here for you whenever you need us!
Here is the cliff notes version of the novel I wrote.
When my kids were newborn their flair ups got really bad when I changed my diet, during hot weather, and when they had colds. During flair ups, I would not give them baths. I'd sponge them. If I had to give them a bath, I avoided using warm water as that dries out the skin even more. We also applied cold compresses, they seemed to like that. We kept them moisterized with either Eucerin or Aveeno. Aquaphor sucks, don't use that again. We also stopped using anything with fragrance in it. We used soap, lotions, laundry detergent that was free and clear and that seemed to help as well. The last thing is time. Eczema has a mind of its own and it can last a couple of days or a couple of weeks. Usually it's the latter, especially if you're doing the things I mentioned and whatever else you have found that works for your family. Again, if you have any questions feel free to email me whenever! I hope that beautiful Miss Sofia begins to feel better soon! <3
xoxo,
Mrs. Sergeant
PS. I hope this makes sense. It's 1:48 am in Bahrain right now. I'm up taking care of a sick pup. :-(
I think it could one of two things or both: (1) atopic dermatitis or (2) she's allergic to something. She looks just like my second born did when he was young. There wasn't much I could do but put Aveeno on him to alleviate the itching. When did they start to appear? My son's would appear and then disappear and occasionally they would heal and the skin would peel off only to do it again later. During the summer it was worse and that's when his face looked a little 'patchy'. Otherwise, he was fine.
ReplyDeleteI'd take her to the doctor again just to get another look at her and to possibly get something better to help with the redness and/or scratching if she starts to do that.
I think you're doing the right thing, though, by switching up your diet a bit to see if it's causing any of her reactions as well. You should keep a journal (i know, I know, more things to do) that will help you track what you ate and when she eats and whether or not the rash gets better or worse. Also, make sure to keep all of those areas super clean. I know you and I are both in Texas and it's about to start getting hot up in herrra and the heat (or sweat) could irritate her rash.