- 1). Determine the irritant. Irritants can be natural or foreign. Natural irritants may be sweat or tears. Foreign irritants could be soaps, detergent or lotions. Before you can treat your newborn you need to determine what is causing her contact dermatitis. If it is a foreign irritant, remove it from your baby's lifestyle to avoid further exposure. If it is natural, talk to your doctor for medical options.
- 2). Bathe your newborn daily. Avoid hot waters, this may irritate him more. Instead, use warm water. If you cannot bathe him, moisten the site with water by dabbing it with a damp washcloth.
- 3). Dry the skin thoroughly with a clean, soft towel. After bath time, make sure you allow the site to dry completely before applying lotions, assuming the lotions are not the irritant, and before putting on a diaper or clothing. Pat her skin dry, do not rub it.
- 4). Moisturize the site. Use moisturizers or petroleum jelly. Apply a thin layer to help keep the site hydrated.
- 5). Dress your baby in loose-itting clothes that allow the skin to breath. Heavy clothes can cause your baby to sweat, making the site worse. If the clothes are tight, they will rub the site, not only worsening the condition, but causing pain to your baby too.
- 6). Treat the areas. Apply an over-the-counter zinc oxide cream to areas that are creased and irritated. Use a hydrocortisone cream twice a day for highly irritated sites that are not found in the folds of skin.
- 7). Avoid fabric softeners when doing laundry. They have lots of fragrances and other chemicals added that can irritate baby's sensitive skin. Also use fragrance-free laundry detergent. There are baby-approved detergents on the market, such as Dreft, that are safe for your newborn's sensitive skin.
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