Cuts along nappy line from nursary! Need advice?!

[Pregnantagainoops]

Hey! Sorry for long post but I wanted to fully explain...
So I have started my own business and put my 1 and a half year old girl into nursary 4 mornings a week. It's been about a month now and she keeps coming home with scratches, only along her nappy line (side of her thighs). They are sometimes more like cuts (with dried blood)!! Shes had about 8 now!!! This never happened before nursary and I know it only ever happens while she is there - definitely not from home. The worst one was when she had jeans on for the day and I know it could only happen while she is having her nappy changed with bare legs. She is a bright and happy kid and settled in well. Of course I mentioned this to the nursary about 2 weeks ago but it's happened twice since then and they just keep saying they don't know how it's happening. I'm seriously losing my cool.
I don't believe anyone is maliciously hurting her but I'm past caring because either way she is being cut and hurt! I know it isn't being caused by their nappies because I have 'experimented' and there's nothing on the nappies to cause a scratch.

Has anyone ever heard of this or been in this situation? I'm mostly happy with the nursary apart from that hence why she is still there or of course I'd have taken her out by now.

Any advice is really appreciated as I don't know what else to do now if they don't know why it's happening (or so they say) !

Any help ???

Also they say they wear gloves to change the kids nappies so doubtful it would be a ring or something. Thanks for reading! Even writing this I'm wondering why I have allowed it to happen this many times zzz!

[Tomboyinatutu]

When nappies are put on too tight they can dig into the skin around the legs, could this be the reason?

[Pregnantagainoops]

Thanks for commenting!
This crosses my mind too.. but I don't think so. Unless there was a "sharp" part because there hasn't been any sort of rash or rubbing marks. Just single scratches with no redness except along the line of the scratch...?

[sleeplessinmybedroom]

Could it be from their nails? I know you say they wear gloves but they might not always.

[longdiling]

Get them to inspect their changing mats/tables in case there is something sharp they haven't noticed. Not good enough for them to shrug and say they don't know, they need to try and figure it out!

[georgetteheyersbonnet]

This used to happen sometimes to my DD at home, we had no idea what it was for ages but eventually worked out it must be a combination of the nappy edge and the edge of the plastic highchair cushion. DD didn't seem to be bothered by them.

[Sandinmytoes]

I did this to my ds
I kept thinking I was scratching himwith my ring
I realised I was whipping the nappy off too quickly and the elastic bit was rubbing against his leg

[BelfastSmile]

Sometimes DS scratches himself when I take his nappy off. Could she be doing that?

[salsamad]

Are the nursery removing bottom half of clothes when they have meal times (to prevent messy clothes) or when they put her to sleep - could there be a splinter or nail or similar on her bed/cot/chair/highchair that catches her leg. When you pick her up check her over carefully in the car park before you leave and if there are any scratches then return and ask to speak directly to the nursery manager. Then show her the marks and ask her to show you where her nappy was changed that day (is there a designated changing area with padded mat etc) also ask to see the chairs she's sat on for playtime and meal/snack times and potties she may have sat on. Ask if it's usual for toddlers to be running around with just their nappies on ...otherwise how could it have happened as she would have been wearing her clothes!! This is not a one off occurrence and needs to be investigated by the nursery management - are they using old, faulty equipment?

[Pregnantagainoops]

Thanks everyone! As for nails I saw one girl with huge fake nails (the same day she had the biggest cut!!). I told them I saw her nails but she isn't there Everytime it's happened...

I pull her nappy off quickly aswell sometimes but I've never cause scratches, although they use different nappies..?

I wondered if she was scratchin herself too but I've never once seen her reach to her thighs and it's literally only ever happened during nursery hours. She was home for about 10 days until this week and not a mark until she went back there...

As for their changing mats/areas I think I'll ask if I can see for myself!

Thanks. Appreciate all your ideas!

[Floggingmolly]

Huge fake nails shouldn't be allowed when you're dealing with multiple young children.

[Pregnantagainoops]

Hi and thank you salsamad!
Gave me a lot to think about. I'm positive it's not happening when her trousers are on and I've never seen any kids (even at meals times) without their bottoms on, so nope it's definitely only happening when she is being changed. They have a separate room where they get their nappies changed so I guess I will have a look around there for myself! She doesn't nap while she is there or that would have been a good suggestion. Thanks for your encouragement!

[Pregnantagainoops]

Floggingmolly - my thoughts exactly!!!

[SingingMyOwnSpecialSong]

Could it be carelessness with the 'velcro' bit. I once got one caught on DD's leg on the top, outside of her thigh as I whipped her nappy off in a rush and it left a red mark for a while. I felt awful , she was fine after a cross cry and a cuddle. No excuse if it is happening frequently and they are not doing their best to work out cause.

[bimandbam]

How often are they changing her? I find the cheaper nappies nursery use swell up a lot.more than pampers. And if the tapes are low is it possible for them to be rubbing where the scratches are appearing?

Maybe invent some nappy rash and ask for her to be changed more frequently using your own nappies?

[Artistic]

It's the fake nails! The first time I had mine done I found myself 'desensitised' to my finger tips, couldn't feel them hitting/ scratching things. I ended up scratching my DD accidentally and not even realising it until I spotted scratch marks. Coz the nails are fake you don't 'sense ' them touching a baby's soft skin.

Can you ask the manager to ask the lady with fake nails to NOT change your baby for a few days and take note of whether the scratches stop?

[SingingMyOwnSpecialSong]

We weren't even allowed nail polish when I worked in a nursery.

[FilthyRascal]

I think it's possibly her clothes - you said the worst was when she was wearing jeans? Which makes sense as they are tight fitting / more rigid than leggings.

I only say this as my ds occasionally gets exactly this - a long straight scratch mark right where the nappy cuff is. I'm reasonably sure it's the elastic digging in / being pushed into the skin by what he's worn. Sometimes if the nappy is a bit fuller than usual before I change him it's worse.

So could be - their nappies
The length of time between changes means they're bulkier and so digging in

Ask how often she's being changed and if they would mind using the brand you use at home to see if that makes a difference.

[hopgarden1]

My de has this- he finds the edges of nappies itchy so scratches through his clothes. He has done this for over a year now, through sleeping bags, during the summer was worst as I couldn't put him to bed in just a nappy.
Has she got dry skin/excema anywhere as my ds does have different skin to my other kids and it's dry.
Sometimes it bleeds...

[Pregnantagainoops]

Thanks. Well I tried to scratch myself with the nappy tab. Folded it so the corner was sharp and tried hard to scratch my wrist (since your skin is thin there) but it's not possible. Not like the cuts she has that has clearly bled :/... im not even one of those mums who molly coddle their kids, she cut her lip on the chute on her second day which I'm cool with because kids hurt themselves. But this isn't like that...

They change her twice a day (only there mornings). I know that because they give me a little daily report card with her food etc on it. Yeah I think I will take in some of her own nappies for a week and see if anything changes.

Im trying to give them a chance because I don't get a bad vibe in general and dd seems happy there

[Honkyponk]

I've noticed this on both of mine on more than a few occasions. I think it's from the stretchy bit that goes around the leg. The scratches look quite long and red, does that sound familiar?

[Sandinmytoes]

It's not the tab
It's the whole line where the elastic is.
It's definitely this, I remember feeling so bad when I figured it out.
It's the way you pull the nappy off

[Turquoisetamborine]

I sometimes find scratches on my son's nappy line. I've no idea how it happens and I'm the only one who changes him. He doesn't go to nursery or anything and he's only 11 months so can't really do it himself.

[DropYourSword]

My opinion; I actually DON'T think it's the fake nails. Whenever I've had them they are much less sharp than normal nails and would not produce a scratch. Yes, they are harder than natural nails, but they are smoother, thicker and far less sharp.

[wineandsunshine]

Do you know which nappies they use? Maybe it's a certain brand with a sharper edge that is catching her skin, alongside the issue of being wet and heavier that may cause it?

Regardless, I would take a picture and go and speak to the manager. Raise your concerns as they have a duty of care.

[Cuttheraisins]

Maybe it's a mixture of what she wears (clothes too tight or stiff), cheap scratchy nappies, and your dd being more active outdoors and indoors now that she is a bit older. Try putting her in leggings or loose jogging bottoms for a couple of weeks and see if it helps. Or just do the obvious - talk to nursery manager about it and maybe you could provide your own nappies?