What should I do if my baby’s skin is prone to allergies after giving birth?

After giving birth, mothers' bodies are very weak and their resistance is very poor, so this period is particularly prone to allergies. The causes of allergies are very complicated, such as pet hair allergies, pollen allergies, food allergies, etc. Allergies caused by different reasons will lead to different symptoms, the most common of which include skin itching, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, etc. So how to solve the problem of allergies in postpartum women?

What should I do if my baby’s skin is prone to allergies after giving birth?

Early autumn is still very hot, often with high temperatures and humidity. Adults often develop skin allergies such as eczema due to the stuffiness. For newborn babies, in such hot weather, they are prone to sweating and if they are not kept clean and fresh, their skin will easily feel uncomfortable and develop some skin allergy symptoms, such as eczema, atopic dermatitis, diaper rash, etc.

What bothers mothers the most is the common diaper rash in babies. Why are newborn babies prone to diaper rash? Since the skin thickness of a baby is only 1/10 of that of an adult, redness and swelling will easily occur if the friction increases slightly. In severe cases, the skin may even break. In addition, the baby's sweat glands are not fully developed. Although the amount of sweat excreted is the same as that of an adult, the pores are only half the size of those of an adult, or even smaller. In a hot and muggy environment, diaper rash is prone to form because heat and moisture cannot be properly discharged.

In addition, for babies with sensitive constitutions, if the mother does not carefully select qualified diaper materials, or uses cleaning solutions and wet wipes with more irritating ingredients, it will cause skin allergies in the baby.

Generally speaking, diaper rash will heal within 2 to 3 days after treatment. If there is no sign of improvement, the mother should pay attention to whether the baby's diaper rash is caused by other factors. It is best to seek a detailed examination from a pediatrician, get a correct diagnosis, prescribe the right treatment, and take preventive measures in advance to avoid diaper rash.

How to prevent and treat diaper rash?

1. Change diapers frequently

Frequent diaper changes are necessary to keep the baby dry. Newborn diapers should be changed at least 8-10 times a day. After one year old, the frequency of bowel movements will decrease and only about 6-8 times a day is needed.

2. Keep your skin dry

Sometimes it’s a good idea to let your baby wear open-crotch pants to “sunbathe” and keep ventilation.

3. Apply medicine

a. Zinc oxide ointment is currently recognized as the most effective drug and can be purchased at pharmacies. This ointment can absorb moisture and prevent stool from coming into contact with the baby's buttocks. Therefore, please apply a thick layer each time. As soon as you see absorption or reduction, apply it again to achieve a good isolation effect.

b. Some parents will use ointments containing steroids, but the function of steroids is to reduce inflammation. Just apply a thin layer. Applying too much may have the opposite effect.

c. Vaseline: It also has an isolating effect, but lacks the ability to absorb moisture. It may even clog pores and cause small pimples to appear.

d. Powder for baby: In the past, powder for baby would be applied after the baby took a bath. Although powder for baby has good moisture absorption effect and seems to keep the baby dry, firstly, there is a risk of inhalation into the baby's lungs; secondly, when the baby's urine, feces and other excrement combine with powder for baby, it will cause the powder to clump and deteriorate, stick to the skin, and actually irritate the baby's butt.

4. Wash your butt with mugwort water. Put two packets of Ai Zu Jin Fang fresh mugwort bath treasure in the bath to clear away heat, detoxify, remove prickly heat and relieve itching.

The key to avoiding diaper rash is to keep the baby's arm skin clean and dry. Children's diapers should be non-irritating, soft and highly absorbent. When cleaning your baby's buttocks, it is best to use warm water. You can also use natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory mugwort leaves, honeysuckle, or sophora flavescens. The Ai Zu Jin Fang fresh mugwort bath bag mentioned above is also OK. After washing, gently press and wipe dry with cotton cloth.