Nappy rash newborn

[rubyroot]

My baby has had a poorly bum from day 3. Feel like it initially was my fault when rubbing pooh off. However, over time he has also developed nappy rash. His skin peeled on his anus and his scrotum and lil bum cheeks also got red. Midwife's checked bum and midwife on 10 day visit suggested it could be thrush and to take to GP.

Did that- GP took midwife's word for it and prescribed timodine, left his bum glowing red- probably the steroids.

So I discontinued and took baby back to docs a couple of days later. Dr said not thrush- just nappy rash and prescribed bepanthanum.

Anyhow, was very happy as appeared to be having an effect and in the morning when he was poohing less at night- almost looked clear.

Then it worsened- went red again. Also he developed a bit of abrasion on skin where his legs have rubbed on nappy :(.

Gave him some nappy off time and it looked quite good. Then an hour and half later after a pooh- bright red again and been red since.

Took to doctors- say it is a contact rash (which I'd kind of guessed)

I said I had metanium and the nurse and doc agreed to try that and stop using water wipes and back on cotton wool. Suggested change of nappies, but to make one change at a time or else won't know what's causing it.

I'm changing him as regularly as possible- get through at least 12 nappies a day.

So I'm on the metanium- yellow packet. Question is - can I reapply every nappy change given that it is stronger than the likes of sudacrem and bepanthenam?

Also, any other tips welcome.

I know its silly as there could be so much more wrong with my baby, but i'm finding the rash quite stressful. He's only 2 1/2 weeks old and has a poorly bum.

Dr pretty much said - looks like your baby has a sensitive bum and is going to be one of those babies with permanent nappy rash. Surely this doesn't have to be the case?

I found metanium with a layer of sudocrem on the top worked well. I don't think timodene is a thrush treatment

Sorry have checked and it is for fungal infections

I would use metaunim with each nappy change until it fully clears. Pretty sure it won't do any harm at all, it's great stuff and should help loads. Sounds like you will need some sort of cream on all the time if your baby is so sensitive.

Thanks very much both of u. Fingers crossed this metanium is the one then. Yes, Looks like once this has gone (if it goes 😩) I'll need a milder barrier cream to ensure it doesn't get bad again.

We did bepanthen, sudocrem, whole lot and DD's poor bum was bleeding by day 5.

My Dad recommended Vaseline and we've never looked back. Just a gentle wash, dry and a good slather. We've always used Pampers too and never had issues with nappy rash other than teething and recently broccoli gave her a terrible bum.

Think the Vaseline has some slight antibacterial action?

Timodene treats thrush and is also a steroid. You can use Canesten 1% in an emergency and it does the same job.

Which nappies are you using?

My wee one was the same although she never got as bad as your wee man. Wee soul.

I can second the pp on the vaseline. We went back to basics with just water and cotton wool with each nappy change with a swipe of petroleum jelly to protect her bum. Passed pretty quickly if I recall correctly.

We found yellow metanium great at clearing up normal nappy rash (use at every nappy change), but our GP prescribed some kind of steroid cream for severe redness (could only apply twice a day).
Metanium also do a non yellow 'normal' barrier cream.

You could try camomile and honey tea left to go cold then used to wash with cotton wool. You can also leave cotton wool pads soaked in tea and wrung out over the sore bits inside the nappy. I know this is very weird and I don't normally do "woo" but it really helped my son!

My BIL and SIL are bothe paeds intensive care nurses. They use Metanium mixed with Sudocrem to help the Metanium spread

I'm using Aldis, my next plan was to try another nappy- but trying to do one change at a time. Mybabystole - that sounds horrendous, really hoping that doesn't happen. Thanks both on the Vaseline advice- worth a try if the metanium doesn't work. There seems to be a few who say that sudacrem and metanium is a good mix.

I guess it's sometimes different solutions for different babies. That timodine was just evil.

The no nappy time is a nightmare- baby has tantrums if he's not asleep- which is most parts of the day and after five mins cries cos he wants a feed. 😩

The pooh really seems to burn his bum so I'm thinking it's the pooh rather than the nappy, unless of course it's possible for the two to react together?

OP are you breastfeeding? I only ask as my son would get nappy rash if i drank orangejuice although not as bad as your little one, but it would be as soon as the poo touched his bum it would go red. We also couldn't use any type of baby wipes until he was about 5months as they would make his bum go red too.

Hi fizzy

Yes- been drinking orange juice and eating apples, satsumas and prunes as trying to rid myself of constipation!

I read that the food thing was an old wives tale and that unless your blood was acidic it wouldn't affect milk and therefore, pooh.

However, there seems to be too many people mentioning citrus for this not to be true. No more citrus for me.

What about blueberry juice, cranberry juice etc- they're a bit acidic too aren't they?

I used water wipes thinking they'd be okay - but they have a tiny bit of something in them as well as water. I'm back on the cotton wool now.

Whenever practicable (so during the day) you could do a quick dip in a bath or indeed at that age just a large bowl of tepid water rather than actively ‘wiping’ with cotton wool and then leave to air dry. Get some disposable bed pads and he could have nappy free time whilst he sleeps?
When my little girl was in NICU they said that they recommend waterwipes above cotton wool and water - but I think that was supposed to be preventative rather than when there is already a problem.

It was awful. I felt like such a failure when I had to take her to the GP.

Just popped back on to say Aldi sensitive wipes are great- really gentle. I use them on my face now too.

Think you're right about different things for different bums. I hope you find what works for you soon.

Poor thing.. when my DD was in hospital and had bad nappy rash they gave me medihoney to put
on it. It cleared up very quickly.

Thanks nightfall. I know I need to try the no nappy time more. Its catching him at the right time. Today he has only slept for 2 X 30 mins in his Moses basket- will look at those disposable bed pads

Thanks mybabystole.

And cinder too... Will look that medihoney up- not heard of that one.

Really -thanks for all the advice and moral support everyone.

This is going to be long, I’ve been there. Exactly there. Here’s a long list of things that helped., in no particular order..
Cleaning with cotton wool and water
Bathing in salt water
Drying skin before applying cream
Nappy off time. Lots. Like no nappy in the house, just wrapped in a towel
Fleece liners: cut a cheap fleece blanket into 4x12 inch rectangles and use inside nappy.
1% hydrocortisone cream 2x a day: until no longer red
Canesten 4x a day for 7 days after redness goes
Vaseline at all other clean ups.
Change nappy brand: we find boots own is good, but might be something different for you. Full cloth nappies leaked and caused different rashes!
Barrier spray: cavilon, sorbaderm.

Most of the above was on the advice of a paediatric tissue viability nurse. She saw us when we ended up at a&e with him at about 10 weeks when he got a temperature/ infection from the nappy rash. He was formula fed if that’s relevant. Weaning made no obvious difference.

Baby is my 3rd and the others never suffered as bad as this (his bum bled into his nappies, he got an infection and a fever). His first episode was before he was a week old. He had probably 4-5 similar episodes by 6 months, though not as bad as we treated it properly earlier.

Prevention strategy. NEVER use baby wipes. EVER. Even water wipes. I would rather not clean him properly than use wipes. DH uses them, his skin is always worse the next day. I use cotton wool and water. I take a water bottle with me. If no water I use spit instead. For nasty poo I use baby lotion and cotton wool. He gets moisturiser (epaderm) at every change. The idea is to keep his skin as healthy as possible. He only is bathed every 2nd day, if that, and we use dermoll 500 instead of baby wash, and apply with my hand rather than risk rubbing the skin with a flannel.

If his skin is red at a change I apply metanium. If it’s still red at the next change he gets the 1% hydrocortisone. Any persistent redness and he has it 2x a day till it clears. If the skin goes red, tight, shiny, spotty, bleeds, blisters or weeps he gets the canestan too. We have stronger steroid creams too.

He’s 2.3 now and still gets rather red sometimes, and had an episode with some bleeding about 3 months ago. I think he’s finally ready for toilet training!

Good luck, it’s horrible to see them like this.

How old is your lo?
My LG had bad nappy rash from 2 weeks to 11 weeks, We tried all the over the counter creams and 3 different prescribed creams, I am breast feeding and my health visitor suggested cutting out dairy so I did and 2 weeks later she is clear of nappy rash and is dairy Intolerant !! Might be worth having a chat to your health visitor. I'm hope the rash clears soon xx

proudmummy he's 2 1/2 weeks.

Perhaps I need to try the dairy thing too, pooh seems incredibly burny.

I'm struggling with logistics of nappy off time. Baby kicks off towels when he's awake. Often doesn't sleep for long... Then what happenstance when pees and poohs- do u just let them sleep in it. If I clear it up that'll be the end of it as baby will wake up. 😩😩

Hello, you’ve had some excellent advice here op, I don’t have much to add - except that I agree with others, any sort of wipe seems to irritate my baby’s skin. I recommend you look into cheeky wipes, which are just reusable flannel wipes. They’re so much better at cleaning everything up with just water, and, if you get the kit with the storage box and washing bag, are so simple to use. I was sceptical, but got them on a friends recommendation, and I’m so glad I did.
www.cheekywipes.com

@rubyroot yes water wipes i thought they would work too but they would bring my son out in a nappy rash too, its a pain.
Im not sure about cranberry juice etc..i just stuck to water in the end and it worked. I have heard its an old wives tale but everytime i tried to introduce orangejuice in the first few months his poo would seem to burn his bum.