Help ! Newborn nappy rash

[DogsandDungarees]

Hi all ,

My baby is only a week old having breast and formula top ups, she was two weeks early by emergency C section so has top ups as was a bit sleepy.

The last few days she has been pooping non stop with one episode of loose stools ( Dr not worried ) my problem is how she has awful nappy rash. I literally feel awful like worst parent in the world for her to have nappy rash so soon. We are using sudosalve and metanium barrier cream. I’m also giving her a lot of nappy free time just wrapped in a muslin.

any advice? How long for this to clear ? What can I do?

With all the things you’re already doing for her, it will clear up in no time.
Whoever invented Metanium deserves a parade, quite frankly.

You’re a lovely, caring and attentive Mum.

And congratulations, by the way! 🤱

Agree, this will clear up quickly. Probably obvious but just in case... make sure you clean her bum as soon as you can after she poos, so it is not left on her skin for any length of time. If really sore I used to do a quick bath ( or even just bathe her bum). Did want to say that this baby poo, particularly if breastfeeding fed, is pretty runny. So when you described it as loose that may just be normal. A baby with a real upset tummy the poo is really watery and may have strings or lumpy bits in. Sorry that's gross! But yellowish colour and fairly wet is just normal baby poo. Hope it helps. No guilt is needed, you are doing a great job!

Also pooing non stop... at this stage it is fairly common for them to poo with every feed. And also to not poo for days and stress you out! Can be extremely variable and still within the range of normal.

If you haven’t already, stop using wipes, use cotton wool and water. If it doesn’t clear with the barrier cream then take her to the gp as they can prescribe creams to help. My DS although older is very susceptible to nappy rash even though we do all the right things!

Thank you this gave me a few tears in my eyes. I think that’s the hormones . Xx

Congrats OP. On a side note, are you working with an IBCLC or an infant feeding team? Loads of poops is usually a good sign so fingers crossed you can get off the top ups soon (if thats what you are working towards)! Agree with @usethedata , you'll know if baby is ill. DD2 got a d&v bug at 10days old curtesy of DD1 and it was totally different to normal baby poop. So watery, mucousy and the smell was horrific.

Medihoney is amazing, was recommended to me by a wound care specialist. You can get it on amazon.

Also you could try a different nappy brand. Wet nappies can irritate nappy rash too and I have found some definitely absorb better than others. Unfortunately for my DS if we don’t use pampers and especially at night the cheap nappies leave him wetter and cause the rash, even though they’re more expensive.

Second everything everyone says above. Mine had nappy rash for the first couple of weeks, I highly recommend getting a cheeky wipes kit. It looks like a faff but it's really easy once you get into the swing of it and made a huge difference. www.cheekywipes.com/all-reusable-baby-wipes-kits.html?source=google&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=DM_G_SEA_BR_Core~Cheeky-Wipes&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17534209369&gbraid=0AAAAAD1KjzULQwmdaTX5Qk9WKsv4C3AOp&gclid=Cj0KCQiAi9rJBhCYARIsALyPDttkLX9CsuKkYak9aZVgezmSGzrUMBKiAuKNN4hJkCswNWQpD82JrCgaAgpnEALw_wcB

Born at 35 weeks, so actually two weeks early, or at 38 weeks? 38 weeks is not early, it is perfectly on time. Don't let yourself fret about her being 'early' - she is just perfect as she is.

Nappy rash is a pain in the bum......!! You're doing everything right. Some babies are just very susceptible. I'd recommend trying a different nappy brand if it continues, my little girl gets rashes from Pampers but not from Aldi?! Go figure. Good luck, we're all just winging it but you're doing all the right things x

Breast milk on the rash is supposed to help
We used weleda nappy cream (yellow tube) and found it great

I had this with my baby when she was born early. It broke my heart as I felt like every time I cleaned her and put the cream on she would go again. You’re doing amazingly, it will clear up I promise. Nappy free time is great and another thing worth trying is Lanolin!

Use the yellow metanioum it’s the best one.

After every poo gently wash her and pat dry and it’s crucial you’re giving her lots of airing. That’s what will clear it up, it’s the moisture in the nappy that will keep it sore and red.

It will dry out and clear up quicker the longer you’re able to keep her out of nappies. I appreciate it’s hard but whilst she’s still a newborn and not mobile much that’s what I would do. Keep a loose open nappy under to catch wee and then poo.

It will clear up soon.

@OneGreySeal yellow metanium doesnt exist anymore 😥

It could well be thrush. Thrush causes a lot of nappy rash and is often overlooked as a cause. Ask your HV to have a look. HVs are nurse prescribers, so would be able to prescribe something.

My baby developrd nappy rash really early in, I think it was combination thrush nappy rash (I had symptoms too). It took four trips to the GP to clear it up. Baby was pooing 13 times per day (combination fed but mostly breastfed).

Different things seem to work for every baby with nappy rash, I temporarily switched mine to Boots bamboo nappies, and used cotton wool with water, gentle patting dry and then Vaseline at every change. It was a nightmare in the middle of the night.

I also bought puppy pads from Amazon and lay baby naked from the waist down on the pad to air their bum. Obviously they screamed at first because tiny ones hate not being held, but you gotta do what you gotta do. We had a recurrence at 14 months due to HFM virus and had to do no nappy time with a baby who could run around... That's another challenge.

We came back from hospital with a nappy rash! And tbh lots and lots of air time is the only thing that helped. Have a few sheets you decide to sacrifice that will get stained and washed a lot.

He kept getting nappy rashes for ages.

We ended up potty training early. He's almost completely potty trained at 16 months.

Not a single nappy rash since I started putting him on the potty at 9 months.

Nappy free time is your best friend! Put a towel on the changing mat and a clean nappy under her incase of accidents (but don't put it on), make sure she's warm and let her bum sit in the fresh air for 5 mins after ever nappy change (daytime only). She might cry but you can distract her and even a few minutes of fresh air will really help.

Clean her with water and cotton wool (no wipes).

I found the Metanium (the yellow one) very good for nappy rash for my first baby but for my second only Bepanthen worked. Each bum is different so keep trying until you find the right thing for your baby.

Yellow Metanium doesn’t exist anymore.

Few years ago now, but I found switching nappies until I found one that suited the baby (ds1 could only use boots own ds2 was Tesco )

try using just water and cotton wool

I use to express a little breast milk and spread that on their bottoms , leave to air dry before replacing nappie. My Nan told me this, her children were born in the 40’s ! But still works today because my DIL resorted to it !

Wwwhhhhhhaaatttttt!!!!!! Dear God, those poor baby bums!!!!

I know. My youngest is 6 but I still have half used tube which I’m not letting go of just in case.

My newborn has also had nappy rash. I googled and the internet suggested blow drying his bum with a cool hairdryer after every change to make sure it’s totally dry. This plus blepharin cream cleared it up in about 24 hours, plus he loves having a bum blow dry! 😅

My midwife in DS’s first day told me to put olive oil on his skin, bottom included. Whether it was good advice or luck he never had nappy rash. Good luck, it’s upsetting when they’re in pain. It’ll be ok, promise!