Peeling skin

oandmplus1

DS is 11 days old and has peeling flaky skin all over. Do I use lotion or leave it alone?

JSS1002

Opinions on this seem to differ so I would ask your pediatrician, but MY pediatrician said we could use a little lotion after he was 2 weeks old.

guilletskichuk

I used lotion at first because I thought it would help but it really didn't seem to do anything other than make LO smell like a little old woman. That JJ lotion is crazy perfumy! We just left his skin alone and let his body shed the skin on its own. We chose not to bathe him too regularly either so that his skin wouldn't dry out. Finally, we oil up his whole body really well with baby oil.

LO's dry skin vanished much more quickly once we stopped using lotion.

JSS1002

guilletskichuk:

I used lotion at first because I thought it would help but it really didn't seem to do anything other than make LO smell like a little old woman. That JJ lotion is crazy perfumy! We just left his skin alone and let his body shed the skin on its own. We chose not to bathe him too regularly either so that his skin wouldn't dry out. Finally, we oil up his whole body really well with baby oil. LO's dry skin vanished much more quickly once we stopped using lotion.

oooh, you gotta get the Burts Bees baby lotion!

oandmplus1

Thanks!

pinottoparenthood

A nurse said it was fine to use lotion as long as we avoided his face and hands (since they're always in his mouth). Our baby's skin only really peeled on his hands and feet so we decided not to use lotion and wait it out. It probably came off after a week or so and his skin is much better now. We'll start using lotion as needed when he's a big bigger. (We also have Burt's Bees lotion but haven't used it yet.)

heddy79

JSS1002:

guilletskichuk:

I used lotion at first because I thought it would help but it really didn't seem to do anything other than make LO smell like a little old woman. That JJ lotion is crazy perfumy! We just left his skin alone and let his body shed the skin on its own. We chose not to bathe him too regularly either so that his skin wouldn't dry out. Finally, we oil up his whole body really well with baby oil. LO's dry skin vanished much more quickly once we stopped using lotion.

oooh, you gotta get the Burts Bees baby lotion!

Yes!  I just lotioned up DD with Baby Bees Calming cream.  She smells great! 

Crequito

I let it be except for some patches on DDs ankles that were cracked and red.  Pedi said I could use a little lotion or Vaseline on those areas until they didn't look irritated anymore.  When I did sponge baths I would use a washcloth to lightly exfoliate the other dry areas.  The peeling skin went away by the 3 week mark I think.

Runaway22

I left it alone and my LO's skin is just fine

Well, I sorta left it alone... I actually picked at it a bit... lol 

RIgnaffo

We used a little lotion, but for the most part left it alone. Their skin is adapting from being in water for so long, so naturally it dries out and peels some. DD's skin cleared up in about 2 weeks and had been fine since. We do use lotion on her now to keep her skin soft and moisturized.

InkedMegs

Runaway22:

I actually picked at it a bit... lolnbsp;

So did I! LoL. Especially her peely fingers. Drove me nuts!

I lotioned up DD's ankles with Aveeno lotion. It helped briefly but by next diaper change she was usually peely again. I avoided hands since they were always in her mouth.

guilletskichuk

Thanks, PPs. Will have to check out Burt's Bees!

jaime52005

Hospital and pedi told me to use Vaseline ad etc

Lex703

My pedi said no lotion for the first month. My lo was really flaky she said it would go away when I sponge bathed him and it did!