No matter how prepared you think you are, things are bound to go awry with a newborn baby in tow. Here, we've teamed up with La Roche-Posay to explain how its baby skincare range can help with the unexpected.
For nine months, I planned and prepped for my baby boy. I took newborn baby classes, stocked up on the latest products, and read the most highly regarded books. I thought I was ready, or as ready as any first-time mum could be, but those first few weeks after my son, Gabriel, was born shook the very foundation I had carefully crafted. It started fairly innocuously. "Huh, he doesn't really like to be swaddled, does he?" I remember saying to my husband around the three-day mark. "What is this rash on his cheek?" My husband pointed out when Gabe was 2 weeks old. "Why is he losing all his hair?" I asked my own mum, alarmed.
Suddenly, all of these things were happening that I had never read or heard about. As new parents, we were left confused, concerned, and anxious. Lucky for us, we had a supportive community of friends and family that came to our rescue with tons of product recommendations and insights, all of which were far more valuable than any elusive "tip" I read in a book. Ahead are some of the unexpected baby skincare issues that we faced as newborn parents and the products that saved us from tears and frustration.
1 Cradle Cap
Gabriel was born with a full head of hair. I can't say I was surprised — both my husband and I have fairly thick hair — but what did surprise me was when, at one week, the hair on the top of his head started falling out. I had anticipated the soft fuzz on his arms and back to slough off shortly after birth, but I truly didn't realise that would also happen to the hair on his head.
My poor baby started looking more like an elderly man than a newborn. Even worse were the patches of cradle cap that were now forming on the top of his head. It turned out that excess oil was getting trapped under his dry skin and hair follicles, causing oily and flaky patches. I read that dermatologists recommend using a cleansing oil such as La Roche-Posay LIPIKAR Oil AP+ (£10) to gently massage the scalp during bath time to release the dead skin then brush out with the Kyte baby brush (£19.17). This acted as a gentle exfoliator, helping remove the dry skin flakes in a couple day.
2 Baby Eczema
As a beauty edit3or, I prepared for Gabriel by stocking up on a ton of fancy baby washes and moisturisers, determined to have the best smelling baby around. What I didn't prepare for was the baby acne and the patches of eczema that erupted all over Gabe's cheeks, chest, and back when he was a few days old. I immediately asked my paediatrician and he explained to me that I should do away with all the luxury soaps and detergents and wash and re-rinse Gabe's clothes, swaddles, and sheets. But the dry patches of eczema persisted, and I was afraid it was causing him irritation that was disrupting his sleep.
Another mummy friend recommended I try the La Roche-Posay LIPIKAR BAUME AP+ (£12.50) after bath time. I immediately saw a difference, and after a few days his skin was soft and smooth. The balm was easy to apply and absorbed right into his skin, keeping it supersoft. But I was still noticing red spots around his cheeks that we couldn't seem to treat. What I realised is that while nursing, he would fall asleep on my chest, and my fragrances and body lotion were still causing him irritation. I started using La Roche-Posay LIPIKAR BAUME AP+ on myself as an after-shower moisturiser and immediately we noticed his cheek blemishes went away. Ever since then, this product has become the exclusive moisturiser for the Murray family.
3 Nappy Changes
We went through a lot of nappies in those early weeks, and Gabe's little bum was showing signs of irritation. I read online about using muslin cloths instead of fragranced wipes. I kept a stack of muslin clothes in different locations around the house in addition to a bottle of La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water Spray (£7). I would spray the muslin cloths (£12.82) with the water spray and use the damp cloth for nappy changes. The unique mineral composition of the thermal spring water immediately helped to soothe the skin with its anti-oxidant and anti-irritation properties. Yes, it created an extra load of laundry, but I felt good about the decision given the fact that this combo was gentle on Gabe's easily irritated skin.
4 Nighttime Itching
Gabe was constantly busting out of the fancy muslin cloths at night and waking himself up by itching his face due to his eczema. The first day we woke up to see a self-inflicted scratches all over Gabe's cheeks we knew we needed to find a fix. Enter the Halo Swaddle Sleep Sack (£26.81).
This miracle suit answered all my new-mum prayers. It Velcros shut, so I never had to worry about Gabe pulling a Houdini in the middle of the night. In addition to the swaddle, we started using the La Roche-Posay Lipikar Syndet Baby Body and Hair Wash (£10) during bath time to help soothe irritated skin. This combination, with the addition of the Lipikar Balm AP+, settled Gabe's nighttime scratching and helped us all rest easy.
5 Rashes
I quickly realised that Gabe would wake up in the middle of the night if he was overheated or if his nappy was giving him a rash. I stocked up on the La Roche-Posay Cicaplast B5 Multipurpose Repairing Balm (£6.50). A generous coat of this nappy balm on his bum before bed helps prevent the causes of nappy rash, while soothing the skin, keeping him dry all night long so he wakes up less and can sleep more comfortably. I also dress him in these supersoft onsies from Mini Boden (£22) that keep Gabe cosy without causing him to break out with a heat rash since the organic cotton was non-irritating on his delicate skin.
