LilSugar

Baby Wellness: Baby's Skin Conditions

LilSugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:00:13 -0800

Babies' skin is supposed to be perfect, so how come your bundle of joy doesn't look flawless? Newborns go through a lot to enter the world and most end up with some skin conditions. These imperfections shouldn't alarm or bother you, they certainly aren't bugging your newest addition (nor should they affect her later in life). Here are a few things that may show up:

Premature babies and even some full term can be born with a soft, fine hair (lanugo) covering the skin. This fur should disappear after a few weeks.
Any splotchy, peeling or cracking in your newborn's skin is normal and should improve over time. If it appears on her head it's called cradle cap and should clear up on its own after several months.

There are others including baby breakouts so read more.

Baby acne is very common, and doesn't usually last more than a few months. Don't try to treat the blemishes yourself with creams or over-washing, it's best to just let it run its course - the acne will eventually go away.
Milia is another condition that is normal (and looks similar to baby acne) and harmless. The small white spots that occur on baby's cheeks and nose should fade within a few weeks.
Any small red spots on her forehead, eyelids, lips, and/or neck are caused by stretched blood vessels, and should disappear by the time she is 18 months old.

In the case of your wee one's skin conditions, patience is the best medicine. If you think your babe is experiencing something more serious (perhaps from an allergic reaction), contact her pediatrician.

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Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me: Itchy Itchy

babysugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 09:00:54 -0700

Everyone says that each pregnancy is different. My second time around hasn't been all that different from my first round but one major difference is my skin's sensitivity. Starting about halfway through the pregnancy, I started to experience an insatiable itching. I tried lotions and heavy creams but certain areas still feel like poison ivy has taken over my body.

Concerned that something might be wrong, I talked with my OB/GYN about my irritations. She said it could be a result of the increased estrogen levels I am experiencing or poor blood circulation in those areas. Luckily, she told me that it will probably go away after I have the baby.

In the meantime, she gave me some tricks to help ease my pain. To see what they are, read more.

Mix a bit of anti-itch cream like Cortaid with my pregnancy tummy rub and apply that to the itchy areas.
Keep the showers warm, but not too hot as hot water tends to dry out the skin making the irritation worse.
Apply unscented lotion immediately after bathing so your skin can soak in the moisture.
Avoid using using too much soap in the shower as it can dry the skin out.
Soak in an oatmeal bath.

So far, the best solution for me has been the first tip. What worked for you?
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Do You Know Your Baby Skin Conditions?

babysugar — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 07:00:27 -0700

Newborns do not usually have the flawless skin they show in the movies. Rather, they may have bruises from their birth experience, acne and a number of other imperfections when they enter the world.

As the child grows, a parent will begin to notice a number of other skin conditions on their lil one. Take my quiz and see if you know what you are looking at on your babe.

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Take the quiz

Five Tips For Remaining Playground Safe

LilSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:00:48 -0700

Keep monkeying around on the playground – but do so safely! Neighborhood playgrounds filled with jungle gyms, slides and fireman poles that keep lil ones occupied throughout the day also pose potential hazards that can thwart an otherwise fun afternoon. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 200,000 children visit the emergency room each year for playground injuries. Before packing up the snacks and sporting equipment, check out our top five tips for keeping lil hands, heads and legs free from injury.

Don't ride on slides with your tots. According to a new study, placing a child on your lap to ride down a slide can significantly increase the possibility of fracturing their legs. When a child's leg gets stuck against the side of a slide, the pressure from a parent behind them can cause it to bend in ways that force it to break.
Keep swinging on the swing set, not from mama's arms. Though swinging from mommy's arms may be fun, the pressure from doing so can cause lil elbow bones to be pulled partially out of joint, leading to a condition called Nursemaid Elbow that can be very painful for tots.

To see the rest of the helpful reminders,

Test Your Cradle Cap Knowledge

LilSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:00:50 -0700

Cradle cap can creep up on your lil one's picture perfect head without warning. Getting rid of this flaky, yellow, and scaly skin condition can be quite the battle - and it's certainly not cute while it runs its course. Take the quiz to see how well you know the facts on cradle cap.

Take the quiz

Take a Hike to Entertain and Engage Your Youngster

LilSugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 09:00:38 -0700

Fresh air, green leaves and singing birds can put anyone in the mood for a good hike. In addition to the aerobic exercise hiking provides, it's a great way to spend some quality time with family and friends. Given a tot's natural curiosity about their surroundings, kids make excellent hiking partners, if parents go into the activity realizing that they might not reach their end point, mileage or exercise goals during the outing.

Hiking with children involves frequent stops, sedate trails and some extra gear. Youngsters normally focus on the excitement of a new experience rather than the destination so finding a local trail or creek to walk along will suffice.

To capture their curiosity, be sure to bring along "tools" that will help your lil one gain the most from the experience. Butterfly nets, assorted plastic containers for storing pebbles and leaves, a canteen and a magnifying glass will add intrigue to the excursion. The outing should also provide many opportunities for capturing memories – either through the eye of a camera or a notebook where kids sketch their surroundings.

For more information on what parents should pack when hiking with their offspring, read more.

Packing for a hike with kids is no easy feat. Depending on the ages of the tots, diapers, snacks and changes of clothing should be packed – even for the shortest of outings. Safe Kids USA also recommends the following precautions.

Keep first aid supplies and emergency phone numbers handy, and know where the nearest phone is located. Cell phones might not work in remote areas. Let friends and relatives know where you’re going and when you’re coming home.
Dress children in layers of clothing to help prevent heat-related illness and hypothermia. A child’s body temperature changes faster than an adult’s.
Never let children hike alone.
Don’t push kids to go on a longer or more strenuous hike than they can handle. Exhausted children are more likely to fall, wander off or otherwise get injured. Bring plenty of drinking water or sports drinks and high-energy snacks.
Kids should wear hiking boots and clothing that offers protection from scrapes, bites and poisonous plants. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, apply insect repellent to a child’s clothing and exposed skin.
Apply sunscreen rated SPF 15 or higher to your child’s exposed skin 15 to 30 minutes before going out, and reapply frequently. (It is possible to get a sunburn in cloudy conditions.)

Most of all, it's important to remember that the hike is a journey. Getting out in the great outdoors with your wee ones is an ideal way to spend the day.
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Wee Are the World: Hope For Kai Foaming Hair and Body Wash

LilSugar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:06:20 -0700

Yesterday, we tested your knowledge of pediatric cancers and today I am bringing you an easy way to help fight the deadly disease by simply washing your lil one with a great two-in-one soap.

Anthony Logistics, the men's hair and skin care line, has introduced Hope For Kai Foaming Hair and Body Wash ($12) an extra-gentle, self-foaming cleanser that softens and conditions babies' skin without irritating their eyes.

Though the product was created to commemorate the birth of the company's founder's twin boys, Anthony Logistics is donating 100 percent of the product's profits to the Hope for Kai fund. The suds support a five-year-old named Kai Anderson, who was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia and is in need of a bone marrow transplant. Simultaneously, his father was diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma. Through the sale of the body wash, the company hopes to raise funds for both father and son to have the treatments they need to survive.

Lilly Pulitzer's Celeb Studded Jubilee Collection

LilSugar — Fri, 08 May 2009 04:00:16 -0700

Preppy chic never goes out of style and after 50 years of "Palm Beach" socialite design, Lilly Pulitzer is celebrating its golden jubilee with some of our favorite mamas. The company worked with nine celebrity moms to create "Mommy and Me" looks for bathing suits, tunics, dresses and tops featuring the design house's famed patterned prints. Perfect for Mother's Day, or Summer picnics, the garments reflect Lilly Pulitzer's classic silhouettes.

Among the famous mommies involved in the collection are Gwyneth Paltrow (whose bathing suits are featured here), Brooke Shields, Angie Harmon, Bridget Moynahan, Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon, Marcia Cross and Debra Messing. A portion of the Mommy and Me collection sales will benefit EBMRF, a non-profit organization devoted to finding the cure for Epidermolysis Bullosa, a rare skin condition.

Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me: Jaundice

babysugar — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 10:00:53 -0700

Jaundice is a strange thing. It is a health condition parents should take seriously, but cosmetically speaking - it can make your newborn look he has been basking on the beach. Visitors commented on my son saying, "He has your skin! He's so TAN!" I knew he probably wasn't as "tan" as my friends suspected, but I had no idea how pale he was underneath that bilirubin tinged epidermis.

To see what happened, read more.

Initially, doctors recommend periods of sunlight to rid baby of the yellowish colored skin. When that didn't work, my pediatrician insisted one or two bottles of formula a day would push the jaundice out in no time. Unexcited about giving him formula at such an early age, I did as she prescribed. In three days, he went from a Latino looking baby to a fair skinned guero. At his next check up, the doctor said, "He just had breastmilk jaundice. That formula worked like a charm!"

Mommy Wellness: Diastasis Recti

LilSugar — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 09:00:39 -0700

If you ever stopped to think about what a mama-to-be's midsection goes through during pregnancy, you'd be amazed. Stretching to house something the size of a watermelon and then returning to its original state is no easy feat. While some of us bare stretch marks, others are forced to deal with more serious matters, like diastasis recti, or what is commonly referred to as a "mummy tummy." Women with this condition often refer to themselves as looking three to six months pregnant at any given time.

According to A.D.A.M.:

Diastasis recti is a separation between the left and right side of the rectus abdominis muscle, which covers the front surface of the belly area. In pregnant women, increased tension on the abdominal wall may lead to diastasis recti. Multiple births or repeated pregnancies increase the risk. A diastasis recti looks like a ridge, which runs down the middle of the belly area. It stretches from the bottom of the breastbone to the belly button, and increases with muscle straining. Diastasis recti is commonly seen in women who have multiple pregnancies, because the muscles have been stretched many times. Extra skin and soft tissue in the front of the abdominal wall may be the only signs of this condition in early pregnancy. In the later part of pregnancy, the top of the pregnant uterus is often seen bulging out of the abdominal wall. An outline of parts of the unborn baby may be seen in some severe cases.

While there are a number of postpartum abdominal exercises recommended for women suffering from the condition, often the only permanent solution is surgical repair following a woman's final pregnancy.

Did you experience diastasis recti and what (if anything) did you do to resolve the issue?

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