Main Problem with Baby Ear Piercings

As you may know, we debated a long time on whether or not to pierce our daughter's ears. We did end up getting them pierced when she was seven months old. Full story here. I wanted to update everyone on how it has been going since getting her ear's pierced. It's now been about eight months and I'm happy to say that I do not regret getting her ear's pierced! =) At first, I was worried because she has eczema and I didn't know how her ears would react to the metal earrings. I started with fairly expensive ($60) nickel free earrings in order to ensure her ears wouldn't get irritated by them. I cleaned her ears thoroughly two-three times each day for about six weeks. After that I cleaned them only a couple times during the week and eventually let them alone.

The main problem we have had with our baby's ear piercings is that the earrings keep getting lost! When her eczema gets bad, it tends to show up behind her ears and around her neckline. Her eczema makes her itch, which means sometimes she accidentally pulls out her earrings. Thankfully, she has never bled or got an infection from her piercings. During the past summer, she lost her earrings several times, once while camping. It is recommended that you keep the ear piercings in constantly until after one year has passed. So, of course, I was freaked out and needed to buy another pair ASAP even if it meant interrupting our camping trip. I didn't want her ear piercing to close up! I started buying the cheap earrings in packs of ten and had no problem at all with her skin. She doesn't pull at them at all. Thank goodness! I HIGHLY SUGGEST BUYING EXTRA PAIRS OF EARRINGS FOR YOUR BABY RIGHT AWAY!! This will save you time and stress! We have only lost four single earrings during the past eight months but it was always at the wrong time!

So for those of you wondering whether or not to pierce your baby's ears, I still say GO FOR IT! Just make sure you are responsible and clean their ears, and possibly buy backup earrings and keep them in your purse. =)

I never thought losing the earrings would be our biggest problem! Crazy.

A good tip for those ladies looking to get "free" earrings... Buy a pack of tiny studs for your baby with the bottom row being larger "hook" earrings OR the packs with large and small studs (like the pictures below)! I did it twice. Mommy & baby loves to share!!! You just tell your husband it's for the baby... ;)

Milky Oatmeal Bath to Help Eczema

Our baby wakes up some nights itching like crazy because of her eczema! Last night she woke up a good dozen times fiercely itching her scalp and eyes. I feel so bad for her. I'd rather have eczema than have her suffer with it! We are sure to lotion her entire body with Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion, with is formulated with oatmeal and recommended by her pediatrician. It really makes her [and me!] feel soft and silky despite her rough patches of dry skin. When she is really itchy and red, we put Aquaphor Healing Ointment on her. I don't like this ointment as much because it is thicker and leaves her skin looking shiny/oily but since it helps, we use it.

I'm finding that keeping her free of dye/scented products AND applying lotion frequently does not help her completely. Though her eczema has significantly improved and her face is no long covered in red, rash-like patches, we cannot let her wail and toss around all night because of irritated skin. So, I finally broke down tonight and ran her a warm, oatmeal bath. Let me tell you what.. It made her skin softer and more moisturized than any product we have tried!

Simple, Mess Free Instructions for Milky Oatmeal Baths

1. Cut off the foot of a pantyhose. 
2. Fill it with plain oatmeal and tie it off.    
3. Draw warm bathwater while holding the oatmeal filled pantyhose underneath it. This will create a creamy, milky bath instead of having to bathe in actual oatmeal. [Great too, but messy!]
4. While baby is playing in the water, wash her with the oatmeal filled pantyhose. I ran it over her entire body, including hair. 
5. After washing, leave it in the bottom of the tub.

It leaves the skin very, very soft and soothed while reducing itching and inflammation.  

You can see her Eczema a little on her belly :( Not TOO bad though

Our Baby Has Extra Sensitive Skin: Eczema

We have a diagnosis! And it's not what I wanted to hear... Little Miss A has bad skin. :( She has eczema and her doctor says she doesn't know if it will go away or not since her daddy has a family history of it.

Eczema is a type of skin inflammation that causes dry, red, itchy, scaly skin. My baby has it on her face, forehead, scalp, neck, behind her ears, arms, hands, belly, back, and a little bit on her legs and bottom. It's so sad. It's basically everywhere on her body. I was really hoping it was only a simple rash that would go away with an ointment. But nope. Her forehead and eyes bother her the most. She rubs her eyes like crazy and lets out such a sad, bothered cry. It's a new cry I haven't heard before that came with her eczema. It makes me really sad and I try my best to hold her hands back so she doesn't scratch her skin and irritate it more.

In order to make her skin feel and look better, we now have to change all of her detergents, soaps, and lotions. They must be unscented and dye free from now on. This really is no fun for her. I'm a girl... I love perfume and good smelling shampoos and soaps! Her dad says he is able to wear cologne on his clothes but the instant it touches his skin, it gets irritated.

I learned a big lesson this week.

DON'T REGISTER FOR ALL LAVENDER SCENTED BABY PRODUCTS. You never know what kind of skin your baby will have... My family has never had a history of skin problems so I just naively assumed our daughter's skin would be fine. I have about 10 different kinds of lavender scented baby soaps, lotions, and baby oil! I can't use any of it now. She's been okay with them for five months but now that the weather finally reached freezing temperatures, her eczema broke out. Bill says that the cold weather dries out his skin (like normal skin) but really makes his eczema worse. So no more scents for her... for now!

Bill is confident that there is a solution and I hope he's right. We just have to use all the unscented, sensitive skin products and apply lotion on her frequently. He says if you take care of your skin it will be fine. He also says he doesn't take care of his skin so his is not fine. I have no reference point so I'm a little nervous. The doctor says that if it gets worse, she will prescribe a low dose of hydro-cortisone ointment. We have to make small life changes so her skin won't get so irritated, but in part we already changed things because of Bill's skin. Luckily, this is not a huge health problem and only an inconvenience. With good parenting and support, her skin will be just fine. We were worried she might be allergic to our cats, which would be a tragedy! [I need cats in my life, along with my man & baby!!]

Also, there is the possibility that she will outgrow her eczema. WHO KNOWS! I hope that will be the case for her.