What care do babies need for dry skin on their body?
The epidermis, which was covered with the vernix in the womb, usually flakes off in the first 14 days after birth. This flaking is most commonly seen on the chest and tummy. To care for this, we recommend skin care with high quality plant oil. If your baby shows signs of itchiness, a Calendula Bath can alleviate the discomfort. Then oil the skin, as it can now absorb the oil particularly well.
What extra care does the nappy area need?
As the skin in the nappy area comes into repeated contact with urine and faeces, and is warm and damp, it can quickly become irritated or inflamed. We recommend cleaning with warm water and some oil, then carefully drying the skin by gently patting. It’s also good to allow the area to come into contact with the air, for example letting the baby wriggle around naked for a while.
Throughout the time your baby wears nappies, little spots and pustules, and slight or severe redness can appear on their bottom, and can often cause pain. When this is the case, children often dislike having their nappy changed, but cleaning the area is very important. While the irritation continues, change your baby’s nappy at least every two hours and several times in the night. After cleaning your baby’s bottom, you can also apply a cream with natural oils and zinc oxide once or twice per day, for example Calendula Nappy Change Cream. This helps the skin regenerate quickly.
You could also try a natural herbal product like Rash Relief Cream, to help soothe, protect and heal delicate skin. If the soreness lasts more than two days or you are unsure, ask your midwife or healthcare professional for advice. It can be more common in the first weeks and months, but don’t hesitate to ask for advice and help.
Normal baby care products or care for highly sensitive skin?
Where there is no family history of neurodermatitis or other atopic diseases, we recommend parents use a high quality care product for healthy babies’ skin. Because of the increased permeability of the skin that is not yet fully developed, we recommend products with no chemical additives or mineral oils.
However, if your little one has hypersensitive skin or is prone to eczema, we recommend the fragrance free, 100% certified natural and organic White Mallow range.
Weleda is the pioneer and world’s leading manufacturer of certified natural organic cosmetics and one of the best known providers of anthroposophic pharmaceuticals. Founded by the Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner in 1921, we follow his principles still today. Our portfolio comprises over one hundred, NATRUE certified natural organic skincare and body care products, all developed with the highest quality ingredients and based on our unique understanding of people and nature.
