Skin Folds..

In this summer heat I am noticing a lot of babies with what we lovingly call "stinky neck" (but it could also apply to other areas as well!).I think the problem lies in the fact that many healthy fit couples who have their first babies are not familiar with skin folds due to their great height/weight proportions! With a rapidly growing baby, you are going to have excesssive folds of skin, and in heat with moisture, that equals stinky neck (and armpits, elbows, knees, etc). Of course we work hard to keep babies temp moderate and dress them appropriately for weather changes, but it is really hard to deal with skin you can't see. Washing babies frequently in the heat helps (remember to limit use of soap and primarily just use warm water). If you skip these areas milk, lint, pet hair, or other substances on the skin can become moldy, irritate the skin, and even cause the skin to disintegrate and bleed. (See earlier post on fungal infections like yeast as well.) This is where a few products might come in handy. Plain old basic cornstarch works wonders for limiting friction between skin folds. You can use baby powder too, but remember to remove it to a different container rather than the "puff" system of the J&J bottles (which fills the air with powder and makes it harder for baby to breathe). If you already have stinky neck, and frequent washing is not enough treatment, try a dab of diaper rash ointment in between the folds. Make sure that baby will not be able to get the cream into their mouth somehow, or use an edible cream like lanolin for injured skin that needs protection. We all want to enjoy this beautiful weather, and these are just a few ways to keep you chunky little monkey growing and smelling/feeling good!