How do you "wipe" your child?

acia

I can't believe I even have to ask this, but....

DD has come down with a vaginal rash - even though she's been out of diapers for more than a month! It's not a yeast-looking rash, just really red on the inside, and she says it hurts to wipe. I'm trying to figure out if we haven't been wiping her properly?? DD doesn't really get the whole wiping thing, so I usually let her try and then do it for her. But I've been thinking about how I wipe her - when she pees, I really just "dab" the area a few times if that makes sense, rather than getting right in there and wiping (sorry for the gory details lol) - I guess it just seemed like that would be too harsh on her sensitive skin.... But now I'm wondering if I haven't been getting her dry enough? Her undies are always dry, though. I feel so bad if this is my fault - I don't think any of the PT books covered how I'm supposed to wipe a toddler!

I always wipe from front to back, but other than that, is there a particular way I should be wiping? How do you wipe? Feel free to be graphic - I need to figure this out!

LoveEeyore

Both my girls got some redness after PT.  I think it's just not getting dry.  I have the girls "dab" while they're still sitting, and drop the tp in the toilet and then stand.  I then have them take a little more and actually wipe.  They aren't coordinated enough to reach behind to "pull" front to back, so they just push the paper from the front to as far bask as they can.  Then I take my turn, and show them the paper and ask if it's wet or dry.  If it's wet I wipe again.  If it's dry I drop it in.

Don't feel bad- I don't think it's as intuitive as you'd think it is. 

ETA:  I don't hover over #1 or even check on her anymore- probably stopped checking after she was PT a few months.

Brewtowngrl

DS have even gotten irritated around his anus and we always check him and do it again.  We used A&D, but I am not sure how that works with a girl. 

DarcyLongfellow

Can you go back to baby wipes for a while until you guys get the hang of it? 

I can't see how not being dry enough would be the issue -- even if she weren't totally dry, it would wipe off on her panties.  Is she maybe smearing poop forward into her vagina when she tries to wipe herself??

KathrynMD

DD wipes herself - I tell her to hold the paper and count to 5 "to absorb" and then I wipe her front to back.  She still has a litlte irritation there, but her underwear are never wet.  I took her to the doctor about it awhiel ago when she told me it hurt to pee.  Doc said it was a minor yeast infection and very common w/ little girls.  She suggested a bath w/ 1/4 c of baking soda and then run the hair dryer on her labia on low to make sure she got really dry (DD LOVES THAT!) and then a litlte lotrimin.  We've do a bath w/ baking soda about 2x a week for a month and do the ointment about the same, seems to have solved the problem.

Harper'smom

For pee, I have her to do front to back by pushing the TP between herself and the potty ring and then when she stands up I will wipe again. For # 2, I have her stand up, bend over, and hold my leg. I don't know exactly how DH does it but when ever he wipes her #2s I always find a chunk of TP and bits of poop left over. I guess eventually I will need to stop doing this w/ her but since she's a "myself myself!" type of girl I figure she'll tell me when it is time to stop on her own.

KristinKD

We had the same issues with redness and pain while peeing. Our pediatrician said it could be from improper wiping -- like your DD, DD1 would just dab herself -- but also suggested that bubble baths (which DD1 often requested back then) and/or sitting in soapy bath water could be to blame. After that, we were more diligent about wiping really well (I have her push it front to back and into the toilet) and washing herself well in the bath, and we also stopped using bubble baths and always wash both girls at the end of their baths. After some time the pain and redness went away, thankfully.

beth&anth

DD wipes herself first with TP, then I have her get off of the potty, bend over and touch the floor and then use wipes.  We were having the same problem with her getting irritated. 

NicoleWI

Same problem here, too. I am also wondering if I am "getting in there" enough but in general it seems like the soreness/rash isn't a major issue for DD. The redness usually is okay again by the next day even if it had been getting sore. I use diaper rash ointment if she is complaining. I also use the flushable wipes or an occasional regular wipe if I notice that she's getting red. I'll also do an actual rinse or quick bath if it seems to be getting bad.