Hi Everyone!
Well I just had my second baby on Thanksgiving day and we're madly in love with her. Her 4 yr old brother can't stop himself from smothering her with kisses, touching her cheeks, stroking her hair, etc. and while this makes me and his dad very happy, we're concerned because our daughter seems to have developed an inordinate amount of baby acne over the last week or so.
This time around I've decided to breastfeed and so i've read that it's normal for the baby to develop baby acne casued by the surge of hormones from my milk. The thing is, I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to help her symptoms. The acne is predominantly all over her forehead and then there are red, rash-like blotches along her cheeks and chin. It doesn't seem to bother her at all (I guess it's really just me :)... I wash/shampoo her hair and rinse her skin in lukewarm water daily and i try to keep her skin cool (except for when she has to leave the house of course).
If anyone knows of a product that can help her out, I'd be greatful. Part of me knows I just have to let the acne run it's course, but it breaks my heart to see her skin looking so raw. Thanks for any advice, in advance!
Moms - Thanks so much for all your input!! In the last 3 days I've 1) limited her baths/facial rinses 2) tried to chill out and not let the acne bother me 3) used breastmilk to rub on the irritated skin around her mouth 4) washed everything in dreft (i used to only wash her clothes and linens in it, but it makes sense to wash everything that comes in contact with her skin, including my bras/shirts) 5) stopped using regular soap/lotion on my own arms/chest area 6) had to limit her brother's smothering of her - and her skin seems to have improved! It looks less inflamed than a few days ago and the raised whiteheads/acne have seemed to recede. Hopefully with this diligence her baby smooth skin will return within weeks. I'll write back then!
Again - thanks moms :)
Jan 9 upadte: Hooray! Baby's acne and cradle cap has almost fully disappeared (and sooner than I thought!)... those of you that said to "do nothing" were completely right. I just had to ignore it, care for her without harsh products and it passed. Thanks again mamasource moms for being a sounding board and putting my fears to rest. Now all I see is my beautiful baby girl's bright smile and none of the rest... happy new year to all :)
Hi M.,
My three sons have had everything from acne to eczema to simply sensitive skin and nothing helped the way Arbonne's Baby Care line has helped. Everyone I have introduced to it just love the results and I think you will too. Please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions. I'd also be happy to send you a sample if you liked. ____@____.com
Hugs,
L.
CONGRATS M.! :)
I just had my son on Nov. 6th, and he is currently going through the same thing. The doc told me the same thing, that hormones in breast milk will cause the acne and that you have to let it run it's course... Unfortunately this could take quite a few weeks. My son got the little bumbs around week 3 and we're going on week 6 and they are just starting to calm down... his went down to his belly and a little on his upper back just recently- so you may notice that it gets worse before it gets better :(
Also when the baby is warm, cries or just after a bath it will seem more red. You really shouldn't put anything on it, though. The acne is an inflammatory process and you may just aggravate things if you put a topical ointment over top. Just keep it clean as you say you are- not using soap on the face. I also asked my doc about my diet because I thought maybe things I was eating would exaccerabate the acne, but she said it shouldn't matter.
Good luck and congratulations again on your new addition! :)
M. - congrats on your new arrival & for committing to breastfeeding your daughter. Breast is best for both baby and mommy!
As far as the acne goes, it is totally normal for both breast and formula fed babies. It should run it's course in the next week or two. I know it looks awful but if it is not bothering her then you need to get over it!! If it does not get better or if it starts to bother her, then call your pediatrician.
In terms of keeping her clean, babies do not need to be fully bathed every day and actually doing so can dry out & irritate their skin. I ways taught to "top & tail" my babies daily but only bathe them every few days. When you do wash her, make sure you use extremely gentle soap (I love the Burts Bees products) and rinse well.
Good luck and enjoy your beautiful girl!
hi M., and congrats! you know the baby acne is normal, it will run its course. i would leave it alone for the most part. maybe dont bathe her so much, it is very drying and not necessary, especially in the cold weather. every 2 or 3 days is really plenty. just wipe her face clean with plain warm water. as long as the skin isnt broken, i wouldnt worry too much. and when you do bathe her, maybe use a natural product. i use melaleuca myself, but there are lots of others too. also remember your own laundry detergent is on her. not only her clothes, towels, blankets, but also your shirts and bras are against her face all the time. your soap and maybe even shampoo too, think about where her face is all day. maybe even your 4 year old too, if he is anything like mine, his goopy hands are all over the baby :) if her face is really raw, you can put some breastmilk on it. you can put breastmilk on anything, cuts, abrasions, etc. it is healing and has antibacterial properties, it really works wonders. otherwise, try not to worry, it will go away. i had one baby with bad diaper rashes, one with bad cradle cap, and one with bad acne. it all goes away on its own, i feel the less chemicals and stuff we use, the better. ...now that im thinking about it, my first baby had the horrible diaper rash, and it was made worse when i drank a lot of citrus. that was the only reaction that any of my kids had to any of my food while bf-ing, by the way.... maybe check your citrus intake? best of luck to you, D.
sounds like things are going great; i would urge you not to do ANYTHING about the acne, it's totally normal and will pass. both of mine, both breastfeeders, both had it for a few months, and then it was gone, just like that. try to ignore it, it will go away.
Congrats on your new little Girl!
My baby girl went through this too. You might want to cut down the shampoo and soap to 2 times a week...they can dry out the skin and make the acne worse. Dabbing her skin with breast milk will lessen the redness of the irritated spots. Other then that just keep in mind that its not hurting her and its just a temporary cosmetic thing.
Good Luck!
Hi- Congratulations on your new baby! I'm wondering if your little girl truly does have acne. Could it be an allergy? My son is lactose intolerant, (he's 5 now) and broke out with a very similar rash - blotchy, red, all around the mouth, chin and cheeks. When I cut out milk products from my diet, it cleared up significantly. Maybe check w/your pediatrician? Good luck!
It just needs to run it's course. It will take a few weeks, but it will go away on it's own. My son had a really bad case. His head and shoulders where covered. But it will go away on it's own. Just be patience.
Aquaphor worked well for me. My son has eczema and had dermatitis on his ears and this worked great. I also use Cetaphil the moisturizer, I still use it daily, it works great. The Cetaphil cleanser also works will to hydrate the skin and you don't need to rinse it. If your still concerned and it doesn't go away I would call the pediatrician.
You may be washing too much. A baby really only needs bathed once or twice a week. By washing her so often you are removing her natural oils that protect and condition her skin. I would also not use any soap on her. a little baby shampoo on the hair and gentle washing with a washcloth is suffidient to get a baby perfectly clean.
Try Cetaphil. My daughter had a bit of baby acne as I am breastfeeding as well and the Cetaphil really seems to have cleared it up. I just put a bit on a soft dry baby washcloth and go over her face with it. Don't rinse it off though. It leaves just a little film (that sounds gross but it's not) on her face which seems to help. Good luck.
The only thing I can offer from experience is to not wash her face too much. Dry skin doesn't help matters. Just let it go and ask your doc at the next visit if it seems to be hurting her. Otherwise I think you have to just accept her no matter what she looks like.
Arbonne makes an incredible line of baby products that have eliminated eczema and baby acne in days! All of the products are botanically-based and free of dyes and perfumes. The best part, there is a 90-day money-back guarantee! That's how sure they are of the products. If it doesn't work (and, everyone I know that has tried it, it does work for!) you can return an empty bottle! Check out my website http://simplyhealthy.myarbonne.com
California Baby or Mustela are much better than J&J products, washing the baby every day may also be causing the irritation. I would go for the California Baby Super-Sensitive cream and shampoo. I have been breastfeeding for over a year now and it's worked out fine, sometimes there is acne but I suspect your baby's is being caused by the shampoos and creams you are using. Good Luck!
Hi,
I just had the same experience with my 3 month old. Give her a bath every other night with some type of Aveeno wash and then apply Aquaphor 2-3 times a day. My doctor said it would clear up by 9 weeks and it did.
Good Luck.
Hi M.,
I am not sure where you live, but I am a consultant for Arbonne International. It is a health and wellness company.
We carry a baby line that works wonders!!! I am speaking from experience with my own children!! If you live close to me I could let you sample it and see if it works on your little girl and then if you like it and would like to purchase it, I could help you out... It has helped with baby acne, eczema and cradle cap. It is a wonderful product and all natural and safe for children.
If you are interested, please let me know!!
You can contact me at ____@____.com
Thanks,
D.
Hi. I'm R.. My baby is 3 months old today. She is breastfed, too, and when she was brand new, we had the same problem. She had bad baby acne and rashy spots on her cheeks and neck. The pediatrician and dermatologist both said the same thing: wash the affected area with baby shampoo, pat dry, and apply baby lotion. Just don't "pop" or scratch them. The acne will go away soon. My angel's face is smooth and beautiful. I hope your angel clears up soon!
