3 month old with dry skin but I can't stop washing her every night.

[dizietsma]

Well, I can, but unfortunately DH and I have created a rod for our own backs by conditioning her to sleep with shower (DH holds her under the shower- she prefers it to a bath), feed and bed.

Recently we tried two nights without a shower and she took ages to get to sleep and then slept badly. I've been massaging olive oil liberally all over her after each shower but it's not helping and she now has lots of little dry red patches all over!

I feel awful for her- can I use moisturiser? If so what's best? Or should I just suffer the hellish sleepless nights?

Really appreciate any suggestions, advice from health visitor was pretty vague and lacklustre.

I think a bath with a special emollient wash in it is supposed to be better?
Or you could try covering her with E45 wash before the shower. You can get this in Boots. It might make her a bit hard to hold on to!

No problem to shower before bed.

Here's what you do. Shower as normal with just water (or else she will be too slippy)

Take out and cover her in the oil without drying her. Pop her clothes on the top whilst she is still wet and oily.

If this doesn't work then go to the Gp and get some prescription cream. Use a spoon or better still get one with a pump dispenser so you don't put skin germs back in the cream. But still apply to wet skin.

The important thing is never to dry her, she needs the moisture locking in. Once she is older you can use something before you wash her like diprobase, but right now it would make her too slippy.

If you are breastfeeding add probiotics and flax seed or fish oil to your diet as that really helps to.