4 week old diagnosed with eczema - am I right to be wary of Balneum, soya oil based bath wash

[iwantitnow]

DS seems to be copying his sister in getting eczema from birth despite exclusive BFing. Got prescription for Aveeno cream and lotion, but not bath oil as not recommended for babies. I have some oilatum at home but also prescribed Balneum which is soya oil based - didn't realise that until I got home, wary of using something with soya as a potential allergen. Both me and DH high allergic families, DD has outgrown her eczema but has an egg allergy.

Should I try oilatum - olive oil is not working, diprobase never worked on DD but oilatum did. Should I try Balneum or will it increase the risk of a soya allergy?

YMMV, but I don't think a four week old needs bathing - just topping and tailing the whiffy bits. Regular immersion in water is very hard on their fragile skin.

Bathe only when necessary, as bluestocking says, and then only use water. You can use olive oil if they need it, but this small they shouldn't need anything. Don't use wipes, just cotton wool and water again. No products.
Is there something that specifically needs treating?

(Sorry, re-reading, that sounded rather bossy, wasn't meant to be!)

Sorry but his skin is flaking off all over his body and after only using water/cotton wool, no wipes and olive oil and only 2 baths so far his skin seems worse and I went to the GP today to get some creams. So doing nothing is not an option, we think he is beginning to itch so he is not sleeping well! I need to do something as doing nothing isn't working.

I would avoid the balneum it is horrid stuff.

We get aveeno powder sachets on prescription which are very good. You would only need 1/4 to 1/2 a sachet in a baby bath.

It is really just oat powder, but if you want to use something even more natural, you could put some oats in a sock/tights and run the water through that into the bath.

many babies with eczema benefit hugely from daily baths with an emollient in it. The skin then more readily absorbs the creams or ointments put on after the bath.

I have never used balneum but if you have concerns about it, iwant, then don't use it. Go back and get a prescription for oilatum and start off with that.

Best of luck