Babies and Children

A new addition to the family can be the cause of both excitement and apprehension. If this is your first, you might find yourself asking a flood of questions. Hospital maternity wards teach new parents how to change a diaper, how to nurse, and how to hold your baby, but they skip one of the most crucial, basic lessons – how to bathe your baby.

One of the tasks new parents face is changing diapers. Many questions about diaper changing come up during these early months, such as what is the best way to wash the area? Which diaper cream or ointment is the most effective in preventing diaper rash? How can baby’s skin be protected when exposed during diaper changes? How often should you change your baby’s diaper?

The skin is the body’s largest organ. It plays many important roles such as regulating body temperature and storing nutrients like lipids, water and electrolytes. Most importantly, the skin acts as the immune system’s first line of defense against chemicals. At the same time, skin is vulnerable to damage and to a variety of conditions from birth to adulthood.

Diaper rash is one of the most common skin conditions in babies – about a third of babies suffer from diaper rash by their first birthday, and it can cause a great deal of discomfort. Diaper rash is an allergic reaction that appears in the areas of the skin normally covered by the diaper, usually in the folds of the groin and near the bottom area.