Let’s Talk about Nappy Rash #BepanthenProtects

My son has always had quite sensitive skin from birth. Of course, all babies have sensitive skin compared to an adult, as a baby’s skin is 40% thinner, but William definitely has some extra skin related problems. He is very prone to being irritated even by baby products, gets unexplained rashes and as he’s grown, was diagnosed with eczema as well, so caring for his skin is super important to me.

Nappy rash is something that most parents will experience at some point, because using nappies (which is pretty essential!) means that wee and poop does unfortunately sit next to the skin. It contains irritants and that sensitive skin reacts to it – some far more quickly or more severely than others. Nappy rash can also be caused by the nappy rubbing against the skin even if it is clean, or even by a reaction to soaps or other irritants / allergens. As a first time mum no one really mentioned nappy rash to me until my son already had it, so I think it’s something important that all parents of babies should be aware of and talk about.

It’s pretty easy to spot nappy rash – you’ll notice redness, soreness, blisters or spots around the genitals, lower stomach or thighs. If you are worried about nappy rash or any sort of rash or skin complaint on your baby you should talk to your health visitor or medical professional and the NHS website has extensive information on nappy rash as well. I’ll admit when I first spotted nappy rash I felt terrible – the mum guilt is real, but the health visitor reassured me that it wasn’t serious, that it was very common, and helped me work out a nappy changing routine that works for all of us.

Bepanthen nappy care ointment is free from fragrances, colours and preservatives etc. and is clinically proven to form a transparent, breathable layer between your baby’s skin and anything that might come into contact with it which would be an irritant – which makes ideal for use in the nappy area to help keep that delicate skin protected. It can also be used straight from birth, including on premature babies, which shows just how gentle it is! It makes total sense to me to use an ointment like Bepanthen as a protective barrier, rather than waiting for nappy rash to appear and then treating it after the fact. By that point baby is uncomfortable and unhappy, which means mum and dad aren’t happy either.

Here’s our really simple and effective nappy routine:

• Remove wet or dirty nappy.
• Use a wet wipe to clean off the area. Use wet wipes suitable for sensitive skin – fragrance and chemical free.
• Use Bepanthen nappy care ointment to protect the area. Just a very small amount applied thinly to the nappy area will do the job.
• Pop on a new nappy and make sure it fits snugly, but not too tight.

You’ll figure out what works best for your little one but I’ve found that Bepanthen is especially important before William’s night nappy as he tends to wear that for 8-10 hours overnight, and rolls around in his cot like crazy which can cause friction.

These tips will also help avoid nappy rash:

• Change nappies as soon as possible after they become wet or dirty to avoid irritants lying in contact with the skin.
• Make sure the nappy is a good fit, secure, but not too tight and absorbs as much as possible. Since William is quite a big baby and has such sensitive skin, we usually have to use the plus Pampers sizes. These are the same size nappy but with extra absorbency which helps.
• Always use fragrance-free and alcohol-free wet wipes. Sensitive wet wipes will be water based. Remember to always clean front to back!
• Be careful about what bath products you use, make sure they are suitable for sensitive skin.
• Use a barrier ointment such as Bepanthen to protect the area.
• Pat skin dry rather than rubbing with a towel and allow air drying where possible as it’s really good for the skin to be naked and open to the air for a bit!

With William’s ultra-sensitive skin it’s really important to me that I use a gentle and effective barrier ointment like Bepanthen on a regular basis. Bepanthen comes in different sizes which is handy – the small 30g tube is ideal for the nappy bag, whilst the larger size offers great economy for the home changing table. I’ve found it’s really easy to use, isn’t sticky, doesn’t need to be washed off and becomes part of the routine very quickly.

This post is an entry for the #BepanthenProtects Challenge, sponsored by Bepanthen. Learn more about how to protect baby’s sensitive skin on https://www.bepanthen.co.uk