How To Keep Your Baby’s Bottom Rash-Free Over The Summer
When you have a baby, a parent’s main jobs are to give them milk, change their nappy, and help them sleep. Although you may have mastered all three, the summer months can throw a curveball your way, with the heat affecting their appetite, hydration, ability to sleep, and hygiene.
Due to the extra sweat, their nappy area can become very sore, particularly if their urine is concentrated due to being slightly dehydrated, which is why babies often get bad nappy rashes when it is hot outside.
Here are some tips on how parents can avoid their little ones getting sore bottoms so they can feel more comfortable in the summer months.
Change their nappies more regularly
As nappies these days can hold a lot of liquid, this means there could be a significant amount of moisture against your child’s bottom before they start to complain about it. This excess moisture, coupled with sweating, means the material can rub against the baby’s skin and irritate it, resulting in a painful rash.
Therefore, the easiest thing to do to avoid this discomfort is to change their nappies more often than you normally would.
If they are also drinking more water or milk to stay hydrated, you might find they are filling their nappies more frequently. Therefore, it is sensible to put a new one on as soon as you think they may have done a wee.
Of course, when you do change their nappy, make sure their bottom is completely dry by patting it with a cloth or towel before putting a new one on.
Let them go nude
Another option is to let them have some nappy-free time where possible. This lets the skin air dry without constantly rubbing against material.
Understandably, it can be difficult to leave a baby without their nappy on for a long period of time or if you’re out and about, as they are likely to have an accident. In this case, you can make their nappy looser or take it off as soon as you’re home.
Lying young babies on a towel can be a good idea, as you can easily wash it if they pass urine.
Use natural baby balms
There are lots of products available for babies, but as young children have very sensitive skin, it is important not to use any that contain harsh parabens, synthetics or chemicals, as these can make their rash worse.
Instead, buy vegan baby products that contain natural ingredients like organic shea butter, cocoa butter, chamomile, lavender, and mandarin.
This creates a barrier for their skin that protects them from the excess moisture, as well as heals sore and irritated skin.
These natural ingredients can soothe painful rashes, so they do not worsen even if it remains hot outside.
Clean regularly
Although babies with sore skin are likely to find it upsetting being put in a bath, it is important to keep the area clean.
The water can cleanse the skin and remove any dirt or bacteria that can make the rash worse. It is important, however, not to use any soaps or detergents in the bath, as these can irritate the area even more.
Make sure to clean within the folds of skin as well, as these bits often get overlooked, and fully dry your little ones before getting them dressed.
Avoid putting too many clothes on
Coming out of winter, it can be difficult to gauge how hot or cold a child is. Parents are told to wrap them up during the colder months so they don’t get a chill, but this often means babies remain overdressed when the sun does make an appearance.
As young children, particularly newborns, struggle to regulate their temperature, it is essential not to put too many layers on, as this can be very dangerous for them.
According to What To Expect, a single layer is sufficient for temperatures above 24C outside. Using lighter fabrics, breathable slings or carriers, and a lightweight hat are also sensible to protect them from the sun and stop them getting too hot and sweaty.
It is important to keep the nursery between 20C and 22C, not letting it go higher than this if it can be avoided. Not only is a high temperature more likely to give them a nappy rash but it increases their risk of SIDS.
Signs they are starting to overheat include being cranky, irritable, looking flushed, sweating, and breathing quickly.
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