Little bottoms diaper rash, care and pampering

There are people who, due to the geographical proximity, become more than “frequent customers”. And it is not that we have a preference for some in detriment of others (we like them all!), but there is something special in the relationships that are created with those people who come from far to visit us. There is always room for a kiss, a handshake, a meaningful embrace, a basket of orchard lemons and loquats, a homemade liquor to accompany the almonds at Easter, boxes of chocolates and homemade chickpea pasties at Christmas. We collect their books written and autographed by them, with the right to a special dedication on the first page. The door of our mini refrigerator is colored with magnets and we collect postcards pinned on the wardrobe that send us to the places that they visited. All this pampering lead us to believe that we are part of the lives of those who enter through the door and the affection is reciprocal.

Monica does not live around the corner or in our neighborhood, she first came to the pharmacy on the first Saturday when we started to open in the afternoon. She was on her way to visit her aunts for a family snack when she stopped the car at the door and walked in holding her baby and the older one by the hand. She started by asking for a cream for his baby’s bottom because it was turning red and the baby would start whimpering as she wiped it off while changing diapers. She was very worried because her eldest daughter had had the same symptoms that soon became worse when she was around seven months old. At the time, irritation gave way to blisters and fissures that led her to resort to the hospital emergencies.

During the conversation I realized that Monica had started to introduce solids into the baby’s diet three days before and that was probably the cause of the inflammation in the bottom. New foods alter the composition of feces making them more aggressive to the baby’s skin.

If your baby wears a wet or dirty diaper for a long time, it will favor prolonged contact with the urine and stool, this being one of the causes for the onset or worsening of inflammation and redness.

I explained to Monica some basic care, such as frequent changing of diapers and washing with warm water at each change. Also, avoiding all products with overactive constituents and wipes with alcohol and perfume, because they are aggressive to the baby’s sensitive skin. After washing, I stressed the importance of drying with a soft towel, paying special attention to the skin folds, as they are a place where moisture accumulates.

To treat irritation and strengthen the protection of the diaper area, use a suitable water paste.

The following week, she returned to the pharmacy to thank for the advice because the baby had recovered without complications. In addition to being more attentive to the signs, the care during diaper changes had become a routine. Day by day, step by step, and without we noticing, Monica now comes by the pharmacy just to say hello, or to have a quick chat. She is not part of the furniture yet, but she appears for dinner without warning and she is always an excellent guest.