Baby rashes | Imamother

sporty

Thu, Mar 19 2009, 11:04 pm

My dd is almost 5 weeks old and has had baby acne on her face for about 2 weeks now but tonight when I gave her a bath I saw she has a rash - it looks like red pimples but its on her chest and arms and then when I studied her I saw her face has it down to her chin and all through her scalp.
I dont know if its making her uncomfortable but shes been very fussy all night and she isnt staying asleep.
I express my milk and I didnt eat anything new that I can think of but we did try new bottles today....
Or my cleaning lady may have made a mistake and washed her clothes with Tide?

I didnt call my dr. bc it was late and I wasnt sure this constitutes emergency - does it? Should I be worried or is there anything I should do?

sporty

Thu, Mar 19 2009, 11:24 pm

I've been doing some reading and it might be a heat rash - I've been dressing her very warm to go out (sweater, bundle me, blanket)....maybe it was too much for her.
But I think its bothering her bc she is so tired and wont stay asleep which is not her usual way...

ss321

Fri, Mar 20 2009, 7:04 am

sporty did the rash resolve itself this morning?
it could be a million and one things.
if it was a heat rash, it should be better by now Smile

does she have a fever? other than fussiness anything else that is out of the ordinary?
did ur doctor call you back?

Seraph

Fri, Mar 20 2009, 7:11 am

How frequently does your daughter have baths? I know at approximately that age my son had a similar rash and the doc said it was from not bathing him frequently enough. embarrassed

sporty

Fri, Mar 20 2009, 8:55 am

I didnt call the dr. in the end....she had a pretty bad night, she was SO fussy and wouldnt fall asleep in her bassinet so after an hour of constantly getting out of bed to go to her (usually just when I managed to doze off) I just picked her up and took her to my bed. She fell asleep pretty quickly and slept 5 hours next to me. She might have gone longer but I got up and out of bed plus it was 6 hours since her last feed and I didn't think it was so good for her to go THAt long.

Now that I fed her I am waiting till I can lay her down to inspect the rash again.

I actually bathe her every day - I was not in the mood to last night but I forced myself to and that was how I found the rash.

Now my cleaning lady is abt to come and I have to mention to her to be careful to use dreft and not tide for her clothes. She will get defensive and upset even if I say it nicely! I'm not looking forward to that!

ss321

Fri, Mar 20 2009, 9:21 am

sporty wrote:

I actually bathe her every day - I was not in the mood to last night but I forced myself to and that was how I found the rash.

This could be the problem too! For some kids, bathing them too often is also too much for them to take. Its a delicate balance....

sporty wrote:

Now my cleaning lady is abt to come and I have to mention to her to be careful to use dreft and not tide for her clothes. She will get defensive and upset even if I say it nicely! I'm not looking forward to that!

Dont ask her or accuse her!! just say by the way - remember to use dreft for [baby]s clothes! I forgot 2 days ago and now she has a rash!
Then how could someone get defensive. you dont need a confrontation w her!

lech lecha08

Fri, Mar 20 2009, 9:43 am

If it is in fact heat rash, don't give too many baths. One of mine had heat rash at 6 weeks and the dr told me to just do spongebath less frequently until it resolved.

GoodEnough

Fri, Mar 20 2009, 9:57 am

hi sporty

my baby is almost 5 weeks but the last couple of weeks I noticed exactly the same things you described and I decided its from two things - overheating and the bath products I was using must have been too strong. now I bath him in plain water - no bubble bath and I also bought special products for sensitive baby skin using only natural products and it seems much much better - he just has a few spots on his face now.

ss321

Fri, Mar 20 2009, 10:21 am

muminlondon wrote:

I also bought special products for sensitive baby skin using only natural products and it seems much much better - he just has a few spots on his face now.

sporty I definitely agree.
as most posters on this site have probably inferred about me - I am not the "natural" or "granola" type mom at all - far from it in fact.
But as much as I love the smell of J&J products (they just smell so typical "baby" to me), I have shied away from alot of them with my newborns over the past few yrs, opting instead for whatever organic, scent free baby soap I can find at whole foods. When they are 3-4 months old, I do use Johnson and Johnsons (the classic yellow, baby shampoo, I use that as soap and shampoo). But a 5 wk old has sensitive skin and I dont care what they say about it being good for them and everything, Id rather go scent free! babies dont need perfume....

sporty

Fri, Mar 20 2009, 11:54 am

Yup, you two were indeed correct, according to the pediatrician who saw the baby this morning, it is dry skin that caused the rash. He said the only "moist" area on her body was her diaper area which I smother in balmex all the time. I always give her a baby massage after the baths either with baby oil or aveno but she's still dry. He told me to stop using the J&J and start using either dove body wash or cetaphil (both products I use on myself!!) and moisturize her with cetaphil and it should clear up....

ss321

Fri, Mar 20 2009, 11:58 am

sporty wrote:

Thanks for all the replies by the way.

as a parent (not as a doctor-which I am not), I would not recommend cetaphil for your baby. I dont mean to second guess ur pediatrician, but IMHO (and I have sensitive skin), even cetaphil can make me itch all night sometimes! and I'm an adult....I would really only do unscented dove (if I was in a jam), but rather - vaseline which is good for their thighs and arms 4 a little baby massage
and I would buy something "all natural" or organic with no additives at all...like I said at a place like whole foods...