As a parent, there's a terrible sinking feeling when you realise that something's wrong with your baby. Baby eczema doesn't just "ruin" social media perfect family photos: It's also terribly uncomfortable for the poor babies suffering from it. You are likely to receive conflicting advice from other parents and health care professionals on the best ways to treat eczema. Many eczema treatments rely on using heavily chemically-laden products which at times are unavoidable. But you'll be happy to know that there are also natural ways you can treat your baby's eczema in order to minimise the use of stronger and harsher chemicals.

Change Their Food
Eczema is often a sign that your little one is having a hard reaction to something else in their life. Sometimes, changing what they're eating is all you need to do to halt eczema in its tracks. If your baby is formula-fed, this may be as simple as switching to a soy-free or dairy-free formula. If they're breastfed, you may have to experiment with changing your diet to see what works with your baby. Common food allergens including products containing dairy, soy, nuts and also gluten containing foods.

Switch to Natural Products
So many things can flare up a baby's skin, from the detergent you use to the soap you wash their bodies with. Take a hard look at the products you're using around your baby. Many popular brands marketed towards babies are full of harsh chemicals that are hard on their bodies. Switching to more natural cleaners and detergents can really help reduce eczema flare-ups of your baby's skin. If you think your baby may suffer from allergies, cleaning your house more often to reduce excess dust and avoiding scented products like candles may also help.

Keep Them Moist
Babies dry out really easily, and dry skin is another major contributor to baby eczema. To keep your babies moist, choose a soap-free wash product that won't dry them out. You can also consider adding a humidifier to their room and massaging a natural lotion into their skin every morning and night and especially directly after bathing.

Changing your baby's environment to be more allergen-friendly and, cutting down on using chemicals around bub can really help manage eczema flare-ups.

Photo by Khoa Pham on Unsplash