My Parent Fail: The Tragic Red Butt
After 3 nights in a row of waking up this past week with my baby, I finally had it. I decided to practice what I preach and let her cry it out. I am not good at this. As it turns out, I am a sucker for a crying kid. She’s just too cute. Anyway, at 2 a.m., she woke up crying. After 20 mins, she fell back asleep. At 6 a.m., she was up again. After 10 mins of crying, I decided she probably wasn’t going back to sleep and would be up for the day. When I walked in her room, the smell hit me. Of course the night I decide to let her cry it out she decided to poop in the middle of the night (a total first for her). For those inventor types out there, I think a monitor that can detect the smell of feces is a money idea.
Anyway, when I changed her, her butt was bright red, super sore, and she screamed like crazy. Naturally, my mother guilt was eating me up. How long had she sat in her poop to make her butt that bad? Ohhhhh…. In the name of education, I am risking revealing my tragic parenting moment.
So what to do:
If the butt is just red:
- Use hypoallergenic products (wipes, diapers, etc.).
- Apply a super thick barrier/diaper cream every diaper change.
If the butt has red spots:
- You may have yeast and will need to add a cream to address that (may need to come from your doctor).
If the butt has open sores:
- You may need treatment like a burn or wound (will need to see your doctor).
If the butt has deep red, hard tissue:
- You may have a cellulitis and need an oral antibiotic (will need to see your doctor).
[NOTE: I’m looking for the pics. I’m certain I took them, but can’t find them now. Ugh. Will add them when I find them.] The pics aren’t perfect; I tried to hold my squirming baby while my son took the pictures. The second pic shows you just how much cream to put on (I know, it’s a ton). You can never use too much butt cream! Go nuts!
-Photos courtesy of www.123rf.com
