Do you use cream for babies bum?

[angeldelight]

I have never had to use cream for babies that I mind - but one mom is talking about getting some

Someone got me thinking about this though the other day

I have seen the one mom change her son - she uses the cream - then dad does - her parents do - in fact everyone who is going to change baby.
Mom did not wash her hands before or after - she wiped them on the clean nappy to get the cream off
How many germs here ?

Just got me thinking really

Obviously I would have to wear gloves if I had to use cream - but how many germs are already flying around in that cream?

This might be a really stupid topic or it might make you think too?

We have to have so many rules and regulations though just wondered if this was one ......... please no more paper work

Obviously you would only use the cream for the baby in question
but ....

Do you have to make sure the cream is prescribed by the doctor before using it?
Or can you use any cream that they bring in for you to use?

Angel xx

[custardcream]

I use bum cream but only if the parent supplies it for there child and i have this put on my permissions form.
A couple of the children i mind constantly have really sore bottoms and have to have special cream, but mum constantly forgets it.
I was always told that we could not use our own cream, only allowed to use what was supplied by parents.
But about the germs, yes you are probably right.

[angeldelight]

Yes I would not use my own cream either - its never applied anyway to me but how annoying if parent forgets cream - what do you do then?
Unless you ask them to leave some spare with you?

Does the cream have to be prescribed thats what I really want to know

Does everyone wear gloves - I know heaps of people that do not

Angel xx

[bubbly]

The baby I'm minding uses bum cream. I've had the same thoughts about germs floating around in the tub. I still have to use bum cream on my own 6 year old, for medical reasons to stop him getting sore, but his comes in a squeezy tube which is far more hygenic.

[berkschick]

With my own children I used cream at every change on my first as that was what I was told to do by the health visitor! Now Im on my fourth, I have NEVER used cream on Ellas bum and she has NEVER had nappy rash. If it looks a bit red I let her have some nappy free sessions during the day and that soon solves it.

With M (minded one!) Mum has said she only uses cream when needed and so far M has not come with any.

I think the tubs of cream are so unhygienic! You change dirty nappy, then put germy hand into tub! Lovely. Think the tubes are much better.

Love

Debbie

[custardcream]

The special cream that they have is prescribed, but the parents do supply sudacrem cream for normal use as the special cream can only be used for a short time. I do try and use gloves but i cant really get on with them while changing a nappy and I cant put them on just to put the cream on cos the child will not lay still, so most of the time i dont use gloves, but i suppose we should do.
It is awful when the parent forgets the cream cos sometimes their bottoms are so sore and i have no cream to use and they scream when i am cleaning them up, but i have always been told not to use my own cream, so i never have, but it makes me feel awful cos by putting a barrier of cream on would prevent some of the soreness, so for these particular children I now have a pot of sudacrem for each with their names on which is kept at my house. Dont really know wether I should do this or not but by not putting the cream on I feel that it could be classed as a sort of neglect.

[fionamal]

To be honest its not something ive ever thought about until now.

I use gloves and disposable apron when changing bums as we have to up here and cream if its supplied by parent but when applying it I use a cotton bud so there is no cross contamination .

Care Commission have never really said anything about bum cream, but I used a cotton bud when applying cream on my own 2 kids so it was just natural thing to do.

[Blaze]

I use cream if supplied by parent & have written permission. I use a cotton bud to get the cream out of the tub & then use it to spread the cream to affected area...I wear gloves when changing a nappy anyway...cotton bud then goes in nappy sack & chucked...so germs are well & truely taken care of! However, all creams have been over the counter ones to date, so will probably have to change my practice when it comes to EYFS!
Tasha

[Lou]

I dont want to be contreversial (spelling??)

but........

Im a mum and my gut instinct is to care for the child, so if one of mine has a sore bottom and they havent supplied any cream, i will use my own.

I only have one child in nappies at the moment (minded) and my children are older, but i always have sudocrem in as my daughter who is 4 sometimes gets sore as little girls do.

In the past thebaby i care for has had nappy rash and mum has acidently left cream at home, i have used my own and told her and she has thanked me so much, as she would rather that than him be in discomfort or pain.

When i apply it i use a wipe or something similar for hygiene reasons.

Frankly i dont care what Ofsted think about that, i wouldnt tell them anyway!! and id rather the mum and ultimatly the baby was happy than flipping OFsted!!!!

[honey]

i do the same as tasha, i only use the cream supplied by the parents and when i am running low i just inform them, i too wear gloves when changing nappies. I keep a box for each child with all of their nappies, wipes and creams in purely for nappy changing and inform parents when i run out, i find this easier than keeping their changing bags everywhere.

[angeldelight]

Lou you know what I agree with you

That is why I was wondering what every one did in these sort of situations

I have never had to put cream on a baby but I am sure if one was crying and he had got hours before being collected then I would put some cream on him
You cannot leave a baby in pain just because of some poxy rules and regulations

I know there are germs flying around - I heard this conversation with someone the other day hence me bringing it up

There are germs in everything we do though - wonder where we draw the line sometimes

Angel xx

[Lou]

Yes thats right Angel, and i do everything i can do minmise germs but for goodness sakes it makes you wonder how we have survived lol.

I think you can go to far sometimes.

[charleyfarley]

I've not had to put cream on mindees bottom yet although there is a pot in his bag if needed.

I wouldn't think twice about using my cream on a mindee though if they were sore.

My son suffers with a sore bottom when he is teething and needs cream then, apart from then I don't use it as I did get told off by health visitor when I used it on Charley.

How things change over the years

Carol xx

[Raggydolls]

a conversation like this tho brings into play about calpol and teething gel. everyone is different and we all do things differently to each other. first and foremost i wud put the childs comfort above all else.

leanne
xx

[sarah707]

I agree raggydolls it's all about the baby's comfort... but with EYFS we will need very clear guidance as it clearly says only prescription stuff will be allowed as things stand at the moment ... and I don't think doctors will want a queue of parents needing bum cream

As for the hygiene - I ask them to supply tubes, then I will put it on... I know what you mean about pots Angel, I wouldn't want to put my hands in them, not even with gloves - which I have got and I try to remember to wear!

[Schnakes]

Hello all,

I try to use cream as little as possible - only when they have rash. One of my mums put talc on her babies bum at every change and it drives me MAD!! Its just not needed, and I cant even imagine why they think it will prevent nappy rash. They have asked me to put it on her too, but I dont, and tell all new clients when doing contracts that I dont put anything on bums if it isnt needed!! My sister runs a nursery in Italy, and she tells me that over there, they dont even use baby wipes unless the baby has done a poo!!! She says she has never seen a case of nappy rash while shes worked there, and shes been over there for two years now!!

As for the cream itself - I use a squeezy tube not a tub. I buy one for each of the babies. This is so that if any rash appears when they are with me I can put the cream on and nip it in the bud, rather than waiting for the parent to get it sorted. If a parent would rather use a different brand to mine, they are welcome to bring their own. I dont use gloves because I havent found any that dont cause my skin to blister up. Its very painful. Id rather just wash my hands with anti-bac soap before and after. Its not worth the pain of my sensitive skin to keep Ofsted happy, tbh.

Sx

[Schnakes]

PS - Dont tell Ofsted!!

[angeldelight]

I do not always think that Ofsted think about the fact we all do things different - they expect us to all do it the same

What do they know about the needs of a child ? Now give them a form to read instead and I am sure they would be ok with that !

Angel xx

[allinatiz]

I have had to use cream on my mindee but it was a prescription cream and so came under medicines.

The germ thing wouldn't bother me too much as I know I am doing what I can to minimize the spread of germs (haha, says I who caught conjunctivitis off my mindee!). I don't use gloves to change nappies, and I won't until we are required to. I wash my hands and anti bac them and the changing mat before and after changes. I probably won't explain this very well but plastic gloves just seem a bit clinical to me, I'm providing home from home care and I'm guessing her mum doesn't use gloves to change her

[angeldelight]

I never wear gloves either

Angel xx