Washing little girls' bottoms!

[Rhiannon]

There's no polite way of saying this but after a night in pull-ups my daughter never smells very fragrant in the morning. We don't always have time for a bath and hanging her over the sink is somewhat precarious.

So I have to tell you about the wonderful thing that arrived from Betterware yesterday a portable, plastic bidet that you fill with water (not too much as it all ends up on the floor as I found out this morning) and it sits inside the loo seat. It was £9.99 and already money well spent, my 6 year old son wanted a 'go' this morning too! R.

A belated thanks Rhiannon. I can see my two falling for this as well - I have similar problems with my youngest son. One morning when he was a mere 18 months and not the mature 2 and a bit he is now, he sat on my lap for a nappyless early morning cuddle while he did a c**p on my knee. Had to change my work clothes PDQ, I can tell you. I will make a mental note to look through the Betterware catalogue when one is next left on the doorstep.

Thanks Rhiannon, baths aren't always possible everyday as they never want to come out so this is a very handy tip.

Just had to add something to this old thread as I have never heard of such a gadget - it sounds great as I too have the same 'problem' with ds who, once in the bath, is reluctant to get out which can be a drag in the morning when in a hurry.

Has anyone seen them available anywhere else? Do they work for adults too? (!)

I find that a good wipe down with a wipe in the morning before getting dressed does the trick with DS ... I tell him that he needs a 'little freshen up' and I do it and then he has a go ... 'so that my bottom isn't smelly mummy!'

This is a little late in the day as DD is now almost 4, but how well should you wash a little girl's bits? The reason I ask is because I was always told that everything inside the outer labia was self cleaning, so I have mostly left well alone. However, last week DD developed a sore in the crease between her inner and outer labia which was causing her some distress. It finally cleared up with lots of extra baths and a few smears of sudacrem. I have always used cotton wool and baby lotion on the outer areas but left the inner areas alone but now I feel guilty and neglectful. DH now does most of the dressing and caring for her as he is a SAHD and he is understandably reluctant to her more delicate parts. At least with boys all the creases are on the outside and it is easier to see what needs cleaning.

I don't think you should feel guilty, I am sure the sore was not caused by you missing out these areas. As far as I am aware, midwives and hvs still advise you to leave the insides alone. I would not have used baby lotion to clean the nappy area with though, just water and cotton wool. And of course you need to remember to wipe from front to back. If you find another sore maybe you should speak to your hv about it.

If I don't wash the inner labia of either of my dds' at least once a day, they get very smelly and sore, I use an emoilent prescribed by the GP as one of them cannot tolerate soap in between her legs.

The other will actually wake in the night needing to be bathed or have her bottom dunked in the sink she is in so much discomfort. This portable bidet sounds good.

Why do my girls have this horribly delicate affliction?