Introducing solids to your baby

It is always an exciting time when your LO starts eating solids.  If you do research on the internet, you will see that the conventional thought pattern is to only introduce solids at the age of 6 months.  The thought behind this is that there is a reduced chance of developing allergies.  However, the view is once again changing and that the introduction of solids at around 4 months is more realistic and ideal.  This all depends on you though.  Consult your paediatrician if you are unsure about anything.  My paediatrician recommended that I start at 4 months.  My LO also started showing an interest in our food at 4 months so I took his lead and haven't looked back since!

Remember to allow 1 week to check for allergies (not the usual 3 days)!

Stage 1 Foods (4-6 months):

These are the first, single ingredient, pureed foods to offer your baby.  This allows you to monitor your baby for allergies.  I have chosen to make my LOs food from scratch but do feed him Purity fruits or the stage 1 foods from Woolworths on occassion.  I find the processed veggies very bland of natural flavour whereas homemade food is much tastier.

I started LO on 1t of rice cereal in the afternoons, working up to 4t, after which I introduced rice cereal in the mornings.  Once he was finishing his breakfast I introduced veggies in the afternoon.  The school he goes to provides homemade food to the babies so this was perfect and I didn't have to worry about what he was eating.

Once I established if there were any allergies I started making combinations:

1. Sweet potato, butternut and apple
2. Sweet potato and carrot
3. Butternut and carrot
4. Rice cereal and mashed banana / apple puree / pear puree

How to make baby food from scratch:

• Wash all fruits and veggies before use.
• Steam your veggies and fruit.
• Blend the food until smooth adding water or baby milk if needed for a smoother consistency.
• Do not add salt, sugar or fats to the food.
• Add to ice cube trays.  Measure 1T to start off with and then graduate to 2 and 3T as your baby starts eating more.  Eventually your baby may eat half a jar or a full jar (80ml, 2.5oz) of food per sitting
• I use a Salton baby food steamer and blender.  I got this as a gift but I am sure you can find this in most baby shops or retail stores.

Stage 2 Foods (6-8 months):

These foods are very similar to stage 1 foods, but they have more texture and are strained rather than pureed.  Here you can start introducing finely ground up chicken or mince.  My LO loves rice that I have squashed for him.  He even chews his food even though he only has his bottom teeth, very cute!

Stage 3 Foods (8-10 months)

This is when you start introducing textured food that is mashed and a little chunky.

I followed a very basic schedule and eating plan from JustMmammas (http://www.justmommies.com/babies/babys-first-foods-chart):

Read more: http://www.justmommies.com/babies/babys-first-foods-chart

Sunscreen for your sensitive LO

So we all know why sunscreen is important.  However, when your LO's skin is sensitive you need to be careful about what you put on them while still offering the necessary protection!

We recently took a trip down to the sea and I obviously had to buy my LO a sunscreen that offered 1) good protection, 2) was also recommended by the Cansa Association and 3) would be gentle on his skin.  

As Van Dyk Pharmaceutical Products produced the Epiwash I used on my LO daily to wash his hair and occasionally his body, I decided to give the sunscreen a try.  Baby and Kids Xeroderm SPF40 Sunscreen is a broad-spectrum suscreen that keeps your LO’s skin soft while protecting against harmful UVA and UVB rays.  Follow the instructions on the tube carefully.  Remember to also test the product on a small section of your LO's skin before use.  

I found the sunscreen (and the various other products in the range) at Dischem.

Here is a link for more info on the various products produced by Van Dyk Pharmaceutical Products: 

http://www.xeroderm.co.za/en/

Oilatum Soap and Products

If you recall, I mentioned I used glycerine soap to wash my LO.  But then I discovered the soap my mom used on me as a child!  Boy was I excited to try it out on my LO as this soap is specifically made for dry skin and eczema!  It has a mild fragrance so your little one smells divine afterwards.  I still use the glycerine soap to wash his hair as I find it makes it softer.

There is also a cream available, but I have yet to use it as I still love my E45!

Just note, it is a bit on the pricey side but it really goes a long way and your baby's skin is left feeling soft and supple afterwards.  They even recommend minimal rinsing afterwards.

I found the soap at Dischem as well as Eastdene Pharmacy.

Aqueous cream is a NO NO!

This is just a note about the use of aqueous cream on eczema. In the past aqueous cream was the most commonly prescribed cream for dry skin conditions, including eczema.  However, recent studies have shown that the use of aqueous cream can cause more harm than good.  This is because aqueous cream contains sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS). 

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate

SLS is a detergent and surfactant found in personal cleaning products, such as soaps and shampoos known for their emulsifying properties.  SLS may also be listed as sodium dodecyl sulphate, sulfuric acid, monododecyl ester, sodium salt, sodium salt sulfuric acid, aquarex me or aquarex methyl.

So what is a surfactant and an emulsifier you may ask?

Surfactant

A substance, such as a detergent, that when added to a liquid will reduce the surface tension thus increasing its wetting and spreading properties.  Surfactants interact with oil (fats) and water to form droplets.  This principle is used in soap to remove dirt and grease.

Emulsifier

Chemical additives that aid in the suspension of one liquid in another, e.g. water and oil.

What do we know about eczema?

We know that individuals with eczema suffer from dry skin because of the lack of ceramides in the top layers of their skin.  Ceramides are the fatty cells that help form the protective barrier on the skin.

Photo source: http://phytoceramidescanada.ca/ceramides-everything-need-know/

 

Bringing it all together

So if surfactants and emulsifiers break down fats and oils and eczema suffers already suffer from dry skin the aqueous cream is doing the opposite of it's intended moisturising effect...

 

Instead, opt for creams and ointments that provide and lock in moisture.

 

My favourites are:

• E45 Cream - suitable for adults, children and babies.  E45 helps replace moisture and helps form a protective barrier http://www.e45.co.uk/our-products/junior/e45-cream/ 

 

• Vaseline - suitable for dry, sensitive skin by creating a barrier that locks in moisture and protects the skin http://www.vaseline.us/

 

 

Sources:

http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/PUArticles/AqueousCreamMarch2012.htm
http://www.livestrong.com/article/174367-dangers-of-sodium-lauryl-sulfate/
http://www.britannica.com

What's that rash on my baby?

So...  What's that rash?

So how do you know if your Little One has eczema or another childhood related rash?  Many of these are common and nothing to worry about, but please consult your Pediatrician if you are concerned about anything.

Here is a link to the most common rashes in children http://www.webmd.com/children/ss/slideshow-common-childhood-skin-problems.

So you can imagine my dismay when my LO got these tiny red dots that eventually became a red patch on his chubby little cheeks.  At first I thought it was heat rash but it got worse instead of going away.  As a researcher, my very nature is to find solutions to problems, so I started reading about baby rashes and how to solve them.  As my LO suffers from eczema I will go into more detail about it.

Eczema: The Problem...

A new baby's skin is very sensitive to fragrances, dyes, chemicals and other products and may produce rashes on their beautiful milky soft skin.  The two most common rashes in babies are eczema and nappy rash.  Baby eczema is very common and appears in up to 20% of children.  A large percentage of eczema develops within the first year, often starting at 6 weeks.  Fortunately, children may outgrow eczema before school going age.  

Eczema tends to run in families and, therefore, if you or your husband have yourselves had either eczema, asthma or hay fever, the chances are your LO will also develop it too.  It is not an allergic reaction but certain food allergies do tend to make it worse.  Other substances, such as those mentioned above as well as wool and man-made fabrics (e.g. polyester), can cause a flare up.  Individuals with eczema also have dry skin as their skin is unable to maintain moisture due to the lack of ceramides in the top layer of their skin.  Ceramides are fatty cells that help form a  protective barrier on the skin.

The appearance of eczema starts as patches of skin with small red bumps on the face, neck, upper back and torso, extending onto the arms and legs.  The joint of the elbow and  knee as well as the back of the legs are prone to itching and more severe reactions as these areas sweat more and thus irritate the eczema.

 Eczema: The Solution...

The first step to treating eczema, before it gets out of control, is to start taking really good care of your baby's skin.  You can't prevent your child from developing eczema, but you can try and minimize the number of flare ups and make your LO comfortable when it does occur.

Next, you need to determine what is irritating your LO skin.  These could be fragrances, perfumes, fabrics, detergents etc.  The best is to eliminate anything that has a fragrance - these include soaps, fabric softeners, baby lotions and washes.  I switched to a glycerine soap, which I use to wash my LO hair and body.  After his bath, I slather on a soft paraffin-based cream (lotions dry out the skin even more).  I have also switched from using normal laundry detergents and fabric softeners to a special baby version.  Vaseline can also be used, especially in areas where there are lots of folds, example under the neck which tends to sweat and gather milk run off.

Below I list a few of my best finds and where to find them:

• Epiwash is a fragrance-free glycerine soap to wash both body and hair (Dischem Pharmacy)
• E45 cream for face and body after his bath (Dischem Pharmacy).  I spread a thin layer on my LO face twice a day to help prevent his skin from drying out.
• Dermalex for babies (Clicks).  I use this when a new flare up occurs.  I spread a thin layer over the affected area up to twice a day if necessary.
• Annique Baby products are based on rooibos and  are lightly fragranced.  I have yet to try their shampoo and lotions on my LO but so far their detergent and fabric softener have not caused a reaction.  You can contact an agent in your area if you want to try their products out www.annique.co.za/

Of course when all else fails, a cortisone cream or ointment that is prescribed to you by a doctor can be used to reduce the redness and inflamation caused by the eczema.  However, if used for extended periods they can thin the skin in that area.

 Sources:

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby-eczema-questions-answers 

http://www.babycenter.com/0_eczema-in-babies_10872.bc

Disclaimer:  This is not medical advice.  Please consult a doctor first.

Where it all started...

Then...

When I was 10 months old, I developed allergies towards fragrances, artificial colourants and preservatives.  Thirty years ago there was no Google to quickly find solutions to, what is in effect, a "simple" enough problem to solve.  Through trial and error my mom managed to control my skin allergies.  Taking care of my brother was a totally different ball game as he was essentially allergic to everything my mother ate and so she went on a starch and meat only diet.  Luckily, my brother seemed to tolerate eating foods when he started solids rather than consume them through breast milk.

Now...

Today, most websites also only cater for the areas outside South Africa and so finding products that we can use on our babies becomes a little more difficult.  That is why I have decided to start this blog as I research and find those products that work for me and my little one.  Allergies tend to run in families and I have already found that my LO has developed a sensitivity to certain baby products.  Please keep in mind, every baby is different and what works for one may not work for the other and vice versa and I am by NO MEANS offering any medical advice.  Please always consult your paediatrician first if in doubt.