Preventing paranychia (infected fingernails)

[BarrelOfMonkeys]

I've got a 14 day old DD and she's got 4 infected fingernails - we noticed them on Day 11 and got some cream from the GP. He said they are caused by bacteria on the skin, which are normally fine but sometimes cause these problems. He basically shrugged when I asked how we prevent recurrence.

Looking it up on the internet, there's no advice on prevention in babies - it suggests keeping your fingers out of your mouth for adults but that's going to be impossible (she was even born with her fingers in her mouth! Ow!!)

Anyone have any experience of this and how to stop it coming back again? If the cream doesn't work we're on antibiotics - so far cream seems to be helping but I really want to avoid ABs if possible now and in future (unless really unavoidable obv.) Thanks.

Bumping for you.

Thanks Puzzlerocks.

Scratch mitts?

She sucks her mitts though, and they get all soggy, which I'm guessing is going to be almost the same as sucking her actual fingers... that's when she keeps the mitts on... she has them to stop her sucking the cream off at the moment, but is not a big fan.

Bumping again, just in case any weekenders have any ideas. Then I'll give up!

(On the bumping, not the baby obv!!)

Controversial, I know, but how would you feel about a dummy, maybe just for part of the time? Mind you, my DS never got on with a dummy, just wanted his thumb, so it may not work.

I'll bear that in mind, thanks. DH not a dummy fan but it'd be easier to get her off dummies in future than stop her sucking fingers... Prob would wait til she's a little older, maybe 4 weeks or so.