Newborn has sensitive bum! Tips please

[larryphilanddave]

Pretty much since birth DC2 has howled after nearly every poo but in the last day or two we've noticed that he is getting quite red. This morning it looks angrier than usual and the skin feels rougher and seems really sore

We are changing him as soon as we know he has pooed and currently using Sudocrem. However are there are any other good tips/products for helping to soothe and prevent? Plus anything to look out for in case he needs something prescribed?

Metatanium is better than sudocrem. Nappy off time is good.

Keep an eye out for symptoms of thrush.

I would try canestan, thrush cream or Vaseline. You need something completely neutral

Sudocrem is a barrier cream - it needs to go on before the skin gets red, it's doing as much harm as good after. I used to mind a little girl with the same reaction and had to change her instantly - even outdoors if we were away from home on a walk etc. The cream that helped was lanolin - the stuff breastfeeding mums use on cracked nappies! Works a treat on the worst nappy rash. Lots of nappy free time is good too. If really bad see a doctor about possible food intolerance (can be something breastfeeding mother is eating passed along/ an ingredient in the formula).

Thanks for all of the input! Going to have to do a little shop I think.

MrTumbles We've been using Sudocrem when he isn't sore as well, in the hope that it might help prevent soreness, but then if he still gets sore does that mean you don't apply it on sore skin?

DC1 seems to have an iron bum, never had to think about this before

larry the problem is only that sudocrem is a barrier - it stops facaes and urine irritating the skin, but also stepsthe skin "breathing" so II'd choose something else if he hasa bad / inflamed/ or especially a "seeping" rash already. Maybe ask pharmacy about other cream options? There is one called Meta something... sorry it was a few years ago!

Aha, I get it now, thank you!

Bepanthen worked wonders for us for nappy rash. You can buy it in any supermarket. Nappy off, and don't use any wipes - cotton wool and water.

Drapolene worked for our DS. its a pink cream and resembles icing a cake when you slather it on

most pharmacies have it

Metanium works every time on my DS

There is an egg white remedy. Give it a Google

Sometimes nappy thrush can just be raw redness with broken red bits in a baby, it doesn't have to have the white spots. Cannesten shifted DS's in a few days and it was really bad.

Definitely try metanium it's the best non prescribed cream out there. It sticks to high heaven but does job.

Metanium to clear up sore areas, then nothing at all the rest of the time. May sound odd but barrier creams can actually cause soreness by affecting the absorbency of the nappy, causing more wet to stay by the skin.

Also does he get sore regardless of nappy brand being used? DS reacted to pampers as a newborn but was fine in any other brand.

We never used barrier cream with DC1 as I always thought creams were for treatment rather than prevention so I didn't see the point, we used Sudocrem a couple of times for teething rash and Canesten once for thrush but he isn't particularly sensitive there so that was it. With DC2 the nappy brand doesn't seem to make a difference, it just seems to be the effect of pooing. It has improved a bit and I got some Metanium this morning so I'm trying that now Thanks for all of the advice!

Make sure that the skin is totally dry before applying cream, that way you're not trapping any irritating moisture.

DS had really sore nappy rash and the best thing was nappy free time and letting air get to it then applying metanium

Yellow Metanium all the way for us. It usually cleared up any redness within the day for DS

We also used metanium, or lansinol when DS2 was little.

If you can get hold of it somehow, there's one called Butt Paste in the US that was better than anything I've tried in the UK.

Reusable nappies, or at least ones with less chemicals (eco ones), if your bum was wrapped in a plastic bag all the time you'd be sore too ;) Try and change nappy after wees too, and nappy off time as much as possible.

when you wipe, dap instead and use warm water mixed w vegetable oil or olive oil instead of baby wipes. You could also heat up camomile tea and mix w olive oil or veg oil and use to wipe (obviously after it cools). Then let air dry before you put diaper. U can put diaper cream as well after it dries.

Definitely metamium. You get the white one for every nappy change but the yellow one for nappy rash. Apply it VERY thinly (you should be able to see the texture of his skin through it). Works amazingly well.

Whatever you use, keep it thin. If you put too much on, it stops the nappy absorbing wee which will sting his skin.

Another vote for the yellow metanium to sort out redness. I'd also look at what wipes you use (if any) DS is now 11 weeks and in the beginning I was using so called sensitive wipes which are still brimming with chemicals We switched to water wipes and no more redness. They are more pricey than normal wipes but Amazon usually have good deals on big boxes.

Cotton wool can fail to clean sticky poo very well. Clean, soft flannels or a muslin with warm water is better (generates laundry but I found it really helped).

In addition to Rosiegals point on wipes, Pampers newborn sensitive were worse for our dd's bum than NON sensitive nappies! We now use Asda and Tesco ones. Their regulars are less itchy than pampers and just as good.

Metabolism never worked for us. We ended up needing a prescription for timodine, then used Burt's Bees diaper cream (from boots), and Naty nappies. Turns out pampers burn DD's bum and then she gets thrush where it gets so sore with pampers