Nappy Rash

Nappy Rash: What is it?

Nappy rash is an inflammation of the skin on a baby’s bottom. It may occur if your baby has been left in a dirty nappy for too long, because as urine and faeces are broken down ammonia is released, which burns and irritates her skin. It can also be due to an allergy to soap powder used when washing fabric nappies. A similar-looking rash may be caused by thrush, which can affect the mouth, as well as the nappy area. Thrush usually starts in the creases at the top of the legs.

Nappy Rash: Symptoms

1. Red, spotty, sore looking skin in the nappy area
2. Smell of ammonia

Picking up a newborn baby

If you are a first-time parent you might find picking up and holding a newborn baby a little daunting at first because your baby seems too delicate to handle. But as long as you provide proper support, you will find that he/she is perfectly safe and loves being held.

Always put your baby on her back to sleep to sleep. She will be at lower risk of cot death and chocking than if she sleeps on her tummy or her side. However, when she is awake, she should spend some time each day lying on her front.

Picking up your newborn baby: Step by Step

• To pick up your baby, slide one hand under her lower back and bottom and the other under her head and neck.
• Lift her gently and slowly so that her body is supported and her head can’t loll back.
• Carefully transfer her head to the crook of your elbow or your shoulder so that it remains supported.

Infectious illnesses in children- Measles

Measles

Incubation period: 7-12 days. 

Infectious period: from around four days before the rash appears until four days after it's gone.

Measles Symptoms:

• Measles begins like a bad cold and cough with sore, watery eyes.
• Your child will become gradually more unwell, with a temperature.
• A rash appears after the third or fourth day. The spots are red and slightly raised. They may be blotchy, but not itchy. The rash begins behind the ears and spreads to the face and neck, then the rest of the body.
• The illness usually lasts about a week.
• Measles is much more serious than chickenpox, German measles or mumps. It's best prevented (by the MMR vaccination). Serious complications include pneumonia and death.

What to do:

Child safety in your home

Home is a special place when you are growing up. It’s a place to explore, to have adventures and to play. The home is also the most common place for young children to be injured. Most accidents are predictable and preventable. Try to make the home environment as safe as possible before your baby arrives and again before your child starts crawling. You must always ensure the inside of your home is safe. You must also consider hazards found in outdoor areas, particularly the driveway, front and rear gardens, pool and barbeque areas, garden sheds, play areas and cubby houses.

One of the best ways to reduce the risk of injury is to make some physical changes to the house. Look at your home and think about what the obvious risks and hazards are. Remove the risk or hazard, if possible, or add a safety product to minimize the chance of injury. For example, if you have a low table with sharp corners, you can attach corner covers or you can simply remove and temporarily store the table elsewhere.

Before considering what safety products you need, remember you can always change the layout of a room to help create a safer environment. If you are building or renovating your house, you can incorporate specific safety features in your design. The time to start making some changes or additions is well before your baby begins to crawl. 

Door and stove barriers

Use a door barrier or a safety gate to keep a young child out of the kitchen, particularly at busy times such as when dinner is being prepared. A safety gate/barrier will allow children to play safely in an adjacent room, but still enables you to see what’s happening on the other side.