Baby Basics: Newborn Skin Conditions

This is the third week in our Baby Basics series. Today we are talking about newborn skin conditions. Last week we talked about cord care.

I used to think that all babies had perfect skin and never had to deal with skin issues. However, once I had children of my own I realized this wasn’t the case.

Here are some common newborn skin your baby may have to deal with.

• Milia – These are tiny white bumps on the face that are just under the surface.  They are caused by oil and old skin cells.  They usually clear up within a few weeks.  Janna had these all over her nose at birth and now, at 3 weeks old, they are gone.

• Baby Acne – This is a condition where a baby appears to have pimples on their face and/or body.  Often this occurs on the cheeks, forehead, chin and back.  Usually it looks like small whiteheads surrounded by redness. My son James seemed to have this more than any of my other children and it peaked between 1 and 2 months.  It went away on its own.  

• Red/Blotchy Skin or “Stork Bites” – All of my babies have had red, blotchy skin as newborns. This usually occurs when they have been crying, but can happen anytime.   They usually come and go and are harmless.

• Diaper Rash – This is a rash that occurs in a baby’s diaper area.  This can occur anytime during a baby’s diaper wearing years.  When a baby has a diaper rash the area can be red, bumpy, and sore.  It is important to keep the diaper area clean and dry.  Often that is enough to prevent or treat a diaper rash, but sometimes a diaper cream can be helpful.  If your baby has a long-lasting rash that won’t go away, you may need to see a health care professional. I have dealt with diaper rashes with all of my children at some point in their diaper wearing years. 

• Birthmarks – There are many types of birthmarks, too many for me to list here.  My daughter Julia has a “strawberry birthmark” on her belly near her belly button.  At first I thought it was from the cord clamp, but it never went away.  My son Joshua has a small tan colored birthmark on his bottom. When I changed his diaper for the very first time I kept trying to wipe it away and then realized it was a birthmark.  🙂  Some of my children also have moles which are another type of birthmark.

• Jaundice – All of my children have had jaundice and Janna still has it.  I will be devoting an entire post to this sometime soon.    Jaundice is a yellowing of a baby’s skin and eyes and has to do with the body’s ability to process bilirubin.  

• Cradle Cap – This is scaly, crusty skin on a baby’s scalp.  It is caused by the normal build-up of oil and dead skin.  I have found that the best way to prevent or deal with cradle cap is to brush my baby’s hair every day, even if they don’t have much hair.  Also, keeping their hair/head clean helps.

• Heat Rash or “Prickly Heat” – This is a rash that usually occurs when a baby gets overheated.  It generally occurs where baby has been covered with clothing.  Cool, loose fitting clothing and cool baths may help this rash go away as well as removing baby from the heat.