Regimen for Dealing with Baby Eczema

Personally, I'm a long-time sufferer of eczema. I had it as a child and was well into my twenties before I "grew out of it". Even now, every so often, I'll get patches, but I deal with them aggressively with prescription topical steroids as soon as they start to appear, which seems to have done the trick for me lately.

Lovebug ended up getting eczema on her face at around 4 months (I'm blaming it on extensive air travel). At a regular doctor's checkup, she was prescribed mild OTC hydrocortisone and some kind of anti-fungal cream, and we were able to keep it away by using Exederm cream anytime she started feeling a little dry. Even though her skin got better, the eczema never really went away, and she was still always a little patchy.

When Lovebug was about 15 months old, she had a pretty bad episode with large patches on her torso. We took her to a pediatric dermatologist and got a stronger topical steroid (mometasone furoate) and we changed up our daily routine. She has since had beautiful, baby-soft skin! Yay!

Here's what we do:

1. Bathe: we moved from daily baths to every other day. We also cooled down the temperature considerably. Her baths are now a few degrees cooler than body temperature at 33-35°C (91-95°F), versus a few degrees warmer. We use Exederm Baby Eczema Shampoo for her hair and Bioderma Atoderm Gentle Shower Gel for her body. Towel drying is more of a gentle wrap with minimal rubbing. It's really just a step to remove excess water before the most important one...
2. Moisturize: while her skin is still damp after her bath, I use a good 5-6 pumps of Bioderma Atoderm Creme and massage it all over her body. The she gets to run around naked for a good 5-10 minutes before we dress her for bed. She also gets a moisturized on non-bath nights after her warm washcloth sponge bath, as well as every morning. It's so important to maintain the lipid barrier on eczematous skin or it will dry out.
3. Medicate: we used the presciption cream only on the patches, while they were still red, before moisturizing. 

I honestly wish I'd found the Bioderma Atoderm range earlier in my own life. I've stolen her regimen and both Lovebug's and my skin have been amazing since using the shower gel and moisturizer. Other moisturizers that work a treat for eczema are good old Vaseline and Glaxal Base. When dealing with something like eczema, I like to stay away from "all natural" which could exacerbate things, and go for what's chemically proven to work.

If you've had to deal with eczema in your child or yourself, I'd love to hear about what you do to combat it. Please share with us in the comments :)

Long Haul Travel with a Newborn

Not long after Lovebug turned 2 months old, our little family went on a 6 week trip to Malaysia and Australia. Even for seasoned travelers, that's a pretty big trip with a newborn, considering we live in Canada.

I wasn't too concerned about making sure we packed everything we could possibly need at our destinations. We could buy whatever we needed when we arrived, and since I'd lived in both places, I was familiar with what was available. Plus, having friends and family around is a huge bonus.

I was most nervous about the flights. She was a tiny little baby, and would have to spend an incredible amount of time on planes, breathing recycled aircraft air and dealing with pressure changes. So many questions ran through my mind. If you're about to head on a long flight with your little one, hopefully this post will answer all the questions you have and more.

Here's a breakdown of all the flights my husband and I took with Lovebug (2-4 mths old):

1. Toronto to Hong Kong (15 hours) -- Cathay Pacific
2. Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur (3.5 hours) -- Cathay Pacific
3. Kuala Lumpur to Perth (5 hours) -- Air Asia
4. Perth to Kuala Lumpur (5 hours) -- Air Asia
5. Penang to Kuala Lumpur (45 mins) -- Malindo Air
6. Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong (3.5 hours) -- Cathay Pacific
7. Hong Kong to Toronto (15 hours) -- Cathay Pacific

Booking Travel

• Book your flights as early as possible. I booked our return flight from Toronto to Kuala Lumpur when Lovebug was a few weeks old. We hadn't even gotten her a passport then. By booking early, you get your choice of seats, and are more likely to get a bassinet.
• Though babies can be as young as 7 days old to travel (48 hours with medical clearance), I wanted to wait until Lovebug at least had her first round of shots. I also wanted to wait for 7-10 days after getting her first shots before we set foot on a plane.
• If you have connecting flights, schedule it so you give yourself enough time to: 
• deplane
• walk across the entire airport -- your gates may be on opposite ends of the airport
• go through security -- possibly multiple times
• sit down to feed your baby comfortably
• change your baby's diaper, and allow for some bare bum time
• board the next flight

Our Luggage

We wanted to have as little carry-on luggage with us as possible, particularly for trips with layovers. We also didn't want to have to wrangle too much luggage when we arrived, as well as tote along a baby. Unless you're super organized and can always keep a cool head in a sleep-deprived state, having too much *stuff* is a recipe for losing/forgetting things.

Here's what we took:

1. Travel System (car seat and stroller) - gate checked
2. Baby Bag - carry-on
3. Adult Bag (includes sleeve of diapers) - carry-on
4. 25" Suitcase* - checked in

1. TRAVEL  SYSTEM 

Car seat laws in Malaysia are non-existent. Kids and babies ride freely in the front seat, or on motorcycles without helmets. There are no places to rent car seats (of trusted quality), and name brands we knew to have higher standards are even more expensive than they are here in Canada. Lovebug would, however, be riding in lots of cars, and I didn't want her in a sub-par seat nor did I want to fork out a load of cash for 6 weeks of use. We would also need a stroller while we were there. Enter the travel system we were using in Canada since birth! I was a little concerned about the car seat being banged around too much in the cargo area, but had take a deep breath and just go with it. If it looked worse for wear when we arrived, we would just stop using it and buy something. 

Flying with all the airlines above, we checked our travel system in as a "two-piece stroller". It was free to do so in all cases**, and since it was gate checked, we could use it in the airports. We either put Lovebug in it, or carried her and put our carry-on bags in it -- both were great options to have. 

Keeping things clean: Cathay provided excellent heavy duty bags to store our gear in when gate checked so they would be protected against weather/mud puddles and grease/grime from the cargo hold, etc. The other two budget airlines did not. Before getting on those flights, I went out to buy the heaviest duty largest garbage bags. They fold up flat, and since we stored them in the basket of the stroller, they didn't add any weight or bulk to our carry on. Find out if the airline you're flying with provides these bags, and if not, take your own. 

Going to Australia? Australia has similar stringent laws regarding car seats to Canada . The car seat has to be approved for use in Australia, or else it is illegal to use it. We went through a rental company in Perth. 

2. & 3. TWO CARRY-ON BAGS

We used two Osprey Transporter 40 bags as our carry on. My husband and I are big fans of travelling light and used these bags on holidays before Lovebug came around, carrying one each no matter how long/far the trip. It's small enough for carry-on, but secure enough to be put through cargo if need be (e.g. you buy some local booze in >100ml bottles). It can be worn as a backpack, or carried like a duffel. There's one big compartment that opens like a suitcase would, and a couple of side/top pockets for easy access. If you decide you need a bigger bag on the return trip, it easily folds within itself to just a bit bigger than a trade paperback. I LOVE THESE BAGS!***

  

Back to the topic at hand... That's right -- just 2 bags for the three of us. No pretty diaper bag with gaping pockets, no separate Coach purse for mama. Keep things simple! If you need a smaller separate bag for really important things (passports, wallet, phone), make sure it can fit in one of those two bags.

One bag held a sleeve of disposable diapers, adult changes of clothing, adult travel toiletries and iPad/Kindle/reading material. The other bag held all the baby stuff. 

Diapers - pack one diaper for every three hours of travel. Start the count from the last diaper change at home, which would include the drive to the airport, the 2-3 hour wait at the airport after you've checked in, transit between flights, and the trip from the airport to the place you're staying at your destination. Be sure to add a few more in case of any delays. The longest delay I've ever had lasted 2 days -- thankfully I was travelling solo, but it could happen to anyone, and I would rather err on the side of overpacking than underpacking when it comes to diapers.

Wipes (bottom) - you can bet that at least a couple diaper changes will be explosive. Pack accordingly.

Wipes (face and hand) - in lieu of sponge baths, you can clean your little one's hands and face with these wipes while you're travelling. I found they came in really handy. Strangers I came across thought it was okay to touch my baby's hands if they stopped to say hello or if they were waiting in line next to me. Also, the border guards in Hong Kong simply swooned over Lovebug. I tried to limit the touching as much as I could, but at times I was too late, or in the case of the border guards, I wasn't going to make a scene in case it resulted in anything even more invasive. I just breathed deeply through it, did whatever I could to prevent Lovebug from putting her hands in her mouth, moved along and gave her hands a good wipe.

Wipes (sanitizing) - was the person who last sat on your seat sick? Did she always wash her hands properly after using the bathroom? Who knows? Being the control freak germophobe that I was back then, I wiped down the armrests, entertainment console/remote, seat belt buckles, tray table and whatever else Lovebug could touch or suck on with antibacterial wipes. You can't control the airborne germs on an aircraft, but I did what I could to control the surface germs. At risk of sounding neurotic, I'm going to admit that I followed up the anti-bac wiping with the face/hand wipes.

Washcloths - Lovebug was a big drooler while we were travelling. Small washcloths worked a treat for intermittent to constant cleanups. They also came in handy when I was breastfeeding, because I tend to leak when she pulls off. We packed 3-5 in our bag, and my husband and I each had one in our pockets.

Swaddle blankets - these blankets helped us in a few ways. I wasn't sure if the bassinet linens were properly laundered, and even if they were, it was likely with harsh detergents (which I'd expect to adequately sanitize). Either way, it gave me more peace of mind to just line the bassinet with my own swaddle blanket. Depending on what the lighting is like where you're sitting, you could also use another swaddle to create a tent to block out any harsh glares. Pack tape to secure! Also good for keeping baby warm/swaddled :)

Carrier - if you've been on any longer flight and observed parents with young children, you would have noticed that there is typically lots of walking up and down the aisles, babe in arms, bouncing, swaying, etc. Take a baby carrier. Your back will thank you. We took our Babyhawk Mei Tai, but a ring sling or other compact carrier would also work well.

Hand sanitizer - sometimes those tiny bathrooms run out of soap. Sometimes there's an extra long line for the bathroom and your baby needs a change asap, so you use the bassinet. Pack a travel size bottle of hand sanitizer for those occasions.  

Food - since Lovebug was under 6 months for this trip, she was just on milk. Though I predominantly breastfeed, she occasionally takes a bottle. We did not want to be in a position where she was fussing, and needing to swallow (due to changes in air pressure), so we packed a couple of 59ml ready-to-feed nursettes. We also packed a couple of Dr Brown's bottles, since we wanted to keep her on slow flow nipples (versus the ones the formula companies provide). Dealing with powder and finding (or *gasp* bringing) clean water was not something I wanted to do. If you formula feed, you will probably need another bag.

Pacifier - on the topic of changes in air pressure... it's uncomfortable for all of us, but babies don't know how to equalize. Help them out by offering the boob or bottle first, but if they're simply not hungry, pull out the pacifier. In a pinch, you can also offer a finger for your little one to suck on.

Diaper clutch - we put about 4 diapers, wipes, hand sanitizer and a change of clothes in our diaper clutch. This made diaper changes in the air and in transit a lot easier. We just took the clutch to the bathroom, which served as a change pad and had just what we needed, and no more.

Changes of clothes (baby) - I brought 3 changes of clothes and put each set into a sandwich zip lock baggie so they'd be easy to locate in a moment of crisis. Each set comprised a onsie and long pants. We packed extra socks in another baggie.

Change of clothes (mum and dad) - Yup. If you have a baby, you know there will be damage to your clothes. It is not nice to have to stay in a shirt covered in milk vomit for 20+ hours.

First aid - in a small pouch, I packed some baby Tylenol and a thermometer. Just in case. In retrospect, I'd also pack a small tube of the mildest OTC hydro-cortisone cream.

Moisturizer - rub your baby in coconut oil every few hours, particularly skin that is not covered by clothes. Airplane air is DRY! We packed a contact lens case with some coconut oil. Unfortunately we didn't do this on our outbound flight and poor Lovebug was so dry, it turned into eczema all over her face in our first few days in Malaysia. On our return flight, we were sure to keep her moisturized and she wasn't as bad when we got home. Pro-tip: plain-o Vaseline is amazing on already-dry patches/eczema. 

Toy - pack a favorite or new toy. Distractions are good.

4. SUITCASE

Inflatable bathtub - these take up very little space, and I find it easier to bathe a baby than to shower with one.

Diapers - pack at least enough for the first few days. After a long flight, the last thing on your mind is diaper shopping. Save that for day two or three. If you're going to a very foreign place and you don't know when you'll be able to stumble across a store that sells diapers, pack what you feel comfortable with.

Formula - unless you're sure your destination has what you want/need, pack what you'll need. I packed another 8 x 59ml nursettes of ready-to-feed formula in case we needed it. If you don't breastfeed, this is where lots of your luggage space will used. Don't forget the bottles!

Play mat - we're glad we brought this. It was a familiar space for her to lie back and play with her dangly toys. However, not necessary if it means needing another bag.

Sleep arrangements - at that age, Lovebug slept with me. It made breastfeeding a lot easier, and in hindsight, simplified travelling! Suffice to say, we didn't pack anything for her here, but there are lots of heavy options (think playpen) and a handful of light travel options.****

Diaper bag - we packed ours because it's great when we're out and about for the day. It's just not great for long haul travel. We needed to use something at our destination!

Destination dependent stuff 
- mosquito net to go over her stroller
- sun hat
- swimwear

Final Words

Remember, if you don't want your trip to involve a shopping trip or if you won't have things waiting for you on arrival, you should also pack things like a baby towel, baby soap/shampoo and enough diapers/wipes to last the entire trip.

* We were headed to a warm climate, with not much on the agenda. Bathing suits, shorts, t-shirts and flip flops don't take up much room. Also, I'm pretty low maintenance when it comes to makeup and toiletries. It was tight, but we made it work. If you're going to a cold(er) destination, have fancy events planned, need a whole suitcase full of cosmetics, you'll need to adjust accordingly :)
** Check with your airline, as they're not all the same.
*** Not paid to say any of this. Osprey doesn't even know I exist. However, if an Osprey rep stumbles across this page and decides to shower me with free stuff, I would gladly oblige ;p 
**** When she 9 months old, we went to Italy. Since she was no longer sleeping with me, we used Phil & Ted's Traveller. It's awesome.

Toronto to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific (2 mths old)

We had a last miunte flight delay (of almost 24 hours!) and we had the option of getting on the delayed flight from the day before, which was leaving around the same time as our flight, and losing our bassinet; or keeping our bassinet and missing our connecting flight. We chose the former, but that meant we held Lovebug in our laps the entire 15 hours. What an intro to flying with an infant!

Kuala Lumpur to Perth on Air Asia (3 mths old)
Nice bassinet for our 5 hour flight. Lovebug didn't really sleep in it, preferring to sleep on us while we wore her, but it was nice to be able to put her down somewhere while we ate our meals, etc. She was just learning to stick out her tongue :p
        


Hong Kong to Toronto on Cathay Pacific (4 mths old)
Little world traveller returning home!
             

Are you going on a long trip with your baby? What questions do you have? Or, if your baby is a seasoned traveller, what key essentials have I missed?