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You've heard the expression "soft as a baby's skin," right? Well, I hate that expression.
Before I had children, I expected that my babies would have flawless skin. And, like most mothers, I was surprised when none of my children were born with naturally soft skin.
My three month-old is currently suffering though a terrible phase of scaly, patchy, dry skin coupled with a severe case of cradle cap. I won't deny that in the grand scheme of all the things that can affect a child, dry skin should rank very low on the totem pole, but I know firsthand how miserable dry winter skin can make you feel. Of course I want to make my child feel better.
Babies have very sensitive skin, so I try to follow the Hippocratic mantra "first, do no harm." This means that it is best not to do too much when treating dry skin because it could make things worse. A great example is bathing -- bathing babies is soothing and fun, but too many baths (especially soapy ones) can dry out baby's skin even more.
When my baby's skin is particularly dry, I keep bathing to a minimum (once or twice a week) and I use Cetaphil for the bath. It's the same stuff I use to wash my face, which is convenient, but I also know that it's gentle and moisturizing.
Right after his bath, I use a moisturizer. I've tried them all, from Mustela to Johnson's, and I've found that nothing beats Aquaphor. It's easy to spread on a squirmy baby, but it's also thick enough to stay in place (and out of little eyes!). The skin doesn't exactly drink in the Aquaphor -- instead the lotion creates a protective layer that allows the skin to heal from within. I also use it on the miriad scratches that my baby gives himself with his little nails. (Am I the only one that manages to get babies' nail sharper when trimming them? Anyone? Anyone?)
I know that neither of the products I've recommended are of the cute/scented/adorably-packaged variety, but they're the ones that have helped my children the most. I'm always looking for advice though, and research has taught me that most people are helped by going the natural, simple route.
Heather at A Mama's Blog has a son who suffers from Keratosis Pilaris, a condition that is worsened by dry skin. She recommends a product called Shikai Borage Dry Skin Lotion.
I have noticed that the more natural lotions, seem to lock in the moisture after Ryan’s bath better. Right now, Shikai Borage Dry Skin Therapy Lotion is doing a very nice job. It keeps Ryan’s skin moisturized for a full 24 hours, and I haven’t found anything that has worked as well up to this point.
Maybe you want to try making your own lotion? Tipnut links to Wabi Sabi Baby's instructions for making a moisturizing lotion with only three ingredients. The instructions are so simple I won't even quote them, just take a look at her photos -- I'm very tempted to try it for myself.
Does your baby have dry skin? How do you deal with it?
