Symptoms

- Redness, lesions, swelling or spots on your baby’s bottom, thighs and genitals.

- The rash may also be hot to the touch.

- Your baby’s behaviour might seem more troubled – they may cry when touched or washed, and wake frequently in the night because of discomfort.

Protection

- Use Bepanthen Nappy Care Ointment at every nappy change, especially at bedtime when the nappy is usually on for the longest period to help protect against the causes of nappy rash. Lightly massage the ointment into the bottom to help reinforce the skin’s natural barrier and help stop the chemicals in urine and faeces from irritating the skin.

- Change your child's nappy five to seven times a day.

- Make sure you’re using the right nappy size. If it’s too tight, it can cause irritation.

- Let air get to your baby’s bottom as often as possible. For example, let him go nappy-free during winding.

- When you go out, remember to take a clean nappy with you, so your child doesn’t sit in a soiled one for too long.

- Always clean your baby's bottom from front to back.

Treatment

Treatment and prevention are very similar when it comes to nappy rash – both involve following some simple hygiene recommendations, such as changing your baby’s nappy whenever it’s soiled, giving your baby nappy free time and using gentle products that are specially developed for your baby’s delicate skin. NHS suggests the best way to deal with nappy rash is to prevent the baby getting it in the first place.

Using a barrier cream like Bepanthen Nappy Care Ointment helps protect the baby's skin from the causes of nappy rash.

Stick To Your Routine

As any parent will tell you, the first six weeks of life with your newborn will leave you with a whole new sense of what it means to be sleep deprived!

While your baby will most definitely sleep a lot – up to 18 hours a day*** – most likely these periods of sleep will be in short spells of three hour intervals, meaning you need to learn to function at your best on a rather disrupted night’s sleep.

Every baby is different but establishing some calming bedtime rituals early on can make the journey to a blissful night’s sleep so much easier.

Winding Down

There’s nothing quite like the power of a warm bath to soothe the mind and body before bedtime. And for your little one, it’s a magical time when they can enjoy your lovely touch and undivided attention.

Too much stimulation or excitement might wake your baby up again, so you might wish to follow bath time with some comforting music, a story, or perhaps a massage or a lovely cuddle before you put them down for the night.

Top tip:

Try to avoid feeding too close to bedtime to help prevent your baby directly associating eating with sleep as this may lead them to expect a feed every time he/she wakes up.

Dry Bottoms

Bedtime is usually the longest period between nappy changes when your baby’s delicate skin is exposed to wee and poo which when left can trigger nappy rash. Nappy rash is the most common skin complaint developed during infancy** and this unpleasant condition can make your baby more agitated, interrupting their sleep, and in turn causing distress for both you and baby.

So as well as ensuring your baby has a clean dry nappy, give their skin an extra layer of protection against the causes of nappy rash at bedtime with a quick application of Bepanthen’s Nappy Care Ointment. The ointment forms a moisturising, breathable layer, protecting even the most sensitive skin from the causes of nappy rash.