Select A Natural Soother
Lanolin is a natural skin-soother made from sheeps wool and has long been used to treat skin discomfort, dryness, and itching. Lanolin is often applied to the skin of the nipple area to treat discomfort caused by breastfeeding, making it a great option for babys chapped lips. For mothers who breastfeed, applying some breastmilk to babys lips, or simply not wiping off during or after a feeding will also provide natural soothing. A tiny drop of coconut oil or olive oil applied with a cotton swab will also help to provide baby with much-needed relief.
How To Prevent Chapped Lips In Babies
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Maintaining a regular feeding schedule allows your babys lips to stay hydrated by breast milk. Another way to prevent chapped lips is by keeping adequate ambient humidity. Cool-mist humidifiers help you achieve it. Install a cool-mist humidifier in your babys room, especially during the dry seasons, when there is a rapid drop in water vapor content. Pediatricians recommend using a cool-mist humidifier and ask to stay away from hot-mist/steam humidifiers that increase the chances of burn . Sufficient humidity means well-hydrated and smooth lips.
How To Determine If Your Infant Is Dehydrated
Signs of dehydration in infants include the following:
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Less frequent urination: If the baby’s diaper remains dry for six hours or more
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Fewer bowel movements or constipation
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Cold hands and feet
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Crying with little or no tears
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Playing lesser than usual
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A sunken soft spot on the top of the head
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Fast and deep breathing
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Tired, sleepy, and cranky
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How Can I Prevent Cracked Lips In My Baby
Prevention is often the best treatment strategy. To ensure that the temperature inside your house isnt causing your newborns lips to dry up, use a humidifier in the winter to keep the air in your home humid.
Prevent lip-chapping due to the weather outside by covering your newborns lips when you go outside, especially when its sunny or windy. You may turn your baby around when moving to keep the wind from hitting their face, or you can cover their face with a light, breathable fabric or scarf.
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Home Remedies For A Babys Chapped Lips
If your baby is otherwise healthy, then the following are the best and safest methods to treat chapped lips in babies:
Image: Shutterstock
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Dab Breast Milk On Chapped Lips
Your breast milk is loaded with everything your baby needs to stay nourished. In addition to all of the nutrients that it contains, it also has antibacterial properties. This means that your breast milk can help heal your babys chapped lips.
All you have to do is dab a bit of milk onto your little ones lips to provide natural protection and moisture. And its easy since youve always got breast milk on hand!
We also recommend dabbing a bit of healing breast milk onto your own breasts in the case of cracked nipples. Or opt for our Nursing Comfort Balm to help protect your nipples and ease discomfort.
Common Cosmetic Tips For Caring For Your Babys Skin
1. Arenson, J. and Drake, P. Quick Look Nursing: Maternal and Newborn Health. United States: Jones & Bartlett Learning chp. 31, pg. 203
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Apply Safe Sunscreen Around Chapped Lips
For babies over six months old, try applying a baby-safe sunscreen on the skin around their lips. Doing so can help maintain the moisture in those areas so the skin doesnt get dry and pull the natural oils and hydration away from the lips.
We recommend our SPF 50 Mineral Sunscreen Lotion for this purpose and for all over your little ones body!
Our sunscreen is strong enough to protect your babys delicate skin, and its formulated without chemical UV filters such as oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, and octinoxate so you know its safe to use around their mouth.
Using a baby-safe sunscreen in combination with other products specifically designed to go on your little ones lips provides the best protection, treatment, and prevention of baby chapped lips.
Additionally, its always a good idea to keep your young child in the shade whenever possible until their skin has a chance to build up its own natural protection.
Whenever youre out and about with your little one, try these suggestions for minimizing sun exposure:
- Dress them in a wide-brimmed hat
- Turn their car seat, carrier, or stroller away from the sun
- Install a sunshade on the car window closest to them
- Carry an umbrella or parasol to keep the sun off
What To Do With Newborn Chapped Lips
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Wrap Up Before Going Outside
When you head outside during the cold winter months, be sure to wrap your little one up! Protect them from the cold air by covering their delicate skin with a coat, scarf, hat, and the like.
Just make sure their little nose is free to breathe easily! You can also cover their stroller with a light blanket to provide even more protection from the elements.
A great way to specifically protect their lips before venturing outside is to apply the Nourishing Stick that we just mentioned. This rich moisturizer glides on gently and forms a protective barrier against environmental factors, like cold air and wind.
What Causes Chapped Lips
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Weather: When the weather is very cold or hot, and the air is dry, a baby’s lips lose moisture and become dry.
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Breathing through the mouth: Infants breathe through their mouth when their nose is blocked due to cold. This allows air to be constantly on the lips, making them dry and cracked.
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Dehydration: Dehydration can occur in babies because of hot weather conditions or insufficient feeds. It can cause dryness.
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Allergic reactions: Allergies may be caused by lip balms, skin care products, stuffed toys, clothes or blankets, and they can make the baby’s lips dry.
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Medications: Medications given to babies may trigger chapped lips as a side effect.
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Lip sucking and drooling: When babies suck on their lips constantly, the saliva evaporates from the mouth. This leads to dry lips and ultimately cracks start to appear.
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Baby chapped lips teething: Babies bite their lips when they start teething. This can cause chapping.
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How To Treat And Prevent Chappedlips
Yourbaby’s skin is very sensitive and you should be careful with the products youput on the skin, especially on the lips, as these products are easy to swallow.Health care providers advise your child not to eat milk or formula for thefirst few months of life. Accidentally feeding your baby anything else, evensmall amounts, can introduce bacteria into his sensitive gut.
Breast milk. Breast milk is the best treatmentfor chapped lips. You can either squeeze milk from your breast directly ontoyour baby’s lips or use a few drops of previously expressed milk. If you’re notbreastfeeding, ask a friend if she has a few extra ounces of breast milk thatyou could use for a newborn.
Vaseline. Because petroleum jelly is mildand contains no additives, it’s a great choice for your child’s chapped lips.Use the smallest amount and apply it on your lips, being careful not to getinto his mouth.
Unscented lip balm. It is very important to read theingredient labels on all products before using them on your child. Just becausesomething feels soft to you doesn’t mean it will be soft enough for your baby.Ingredients to avoid:
Alsobe mindful of adding fragrances or fragrances to your lip balm. Common smellsand tastes, such as cinnamon, citrus, and mint, can be especially irritating toyour child’s skin and smell strongly in their sensitive nose.
How To Treat And Prevent Chapped Lips
Your babyâs skin is very sensitive, and you should be cautious of any products you use on their skin, especially on their lips, because these products may be easily ingested. Medical professionals recommend against your baby ingesting anything milk or formula for the first several months of life. Accidentally feeding your baby something else, no matter how small in quantity, can introduce bacteria to their sensitive gut.
Breast milk. Breast milk is the best option for treating chapped lips. You can either squeeze out milk from your breast directly onto your babyâs lips, or you can use a few drops of previously extracted milk. If you arenât breastfeeding, ask a friend if they have a few ounces of extra breast milk you can use for your newborn.
Petroleum jelly. Since petroleum jelly is mild and has no additives, it is a great choice for your babyâs chapped lips. Use the tiniest amount and spread it across their lips, being careful not to get any inside their mouth.
Unscented chapstick. It is very important to read ingredient labels on any products before using them on your infant. Just because something seems mild to you doesnât mean it will be mild enough for your baby. Ingredients to stay away from are as follows:
Be aware of added flavors or smells in chapstick, too. Common scents and flavors, like cinnamon, citrus, and peppermint, can especially irritate your babyâs skin and smell very strong to their sensitive nose.
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When To See A Doctor For Chapped Lips
If you notice that your babys lips are chapped, its important to seek medical attention. Chapped lips can be a sign of dehydration, which can be very dangerous for newborns. If you notice that your babys lips are dry, cracked, or bleeding, take them to the doctor right away.
There are some things you can do at home to help prevent and treat chapped lips in your baby. First, make sure that your baby is getting enough fluids. Breast milk or formula should be their main source of hydration. You can also give them small sips of water if theyre older than 6 months.
Make sure to keep your babys skin moisturized by using a hypoallergenic lotion or cream. Apply the lotion or cream to their lips several times a day, especially after they eat or drink. Avoid using lip balms or other products that contain fragrances, dyes, or other chemicals, as these can irritate your babys skin.
If your babys chapped lips are severe, your doctor may prescribe a medicated ointment or cream. Follow the directions on the packaging carefully and apply the product as directed.
Newborn Chapped Lips: Why It Happens And What To Do
Newborn chapped lips are usually nothing to worry about. Lets reassure you as we take a look at the causes and treatments for this common condition.
Youre staring at your lovely brand spanking new baby and notice their lips are chapped.
Is it normal? Is it painful? What should you do?
Dont worry mama, weve got you.
Lets look at the causes of and what to use on newborn chapped lips.
In this article:
- Is it normal for a newborn to have chapped lips?
- What causes newborn chapped lips?
- How can I treat my newborns chapped lips?
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Treat With Natural Oils
Mom may want to talk to her doctor before putting anything on her babys mouth, but natural oils, like olive and coconut oil, are typically safe to use on a newborns lips. These oils can help to soften the skin and reduce dryness. It may be wise to add this to your nighttime routine before baby goes to bed to help protect their lip as they drool at night.
Protect Baby From The Elements
Much like any other cold-weather protection, its important to protect your babys lips when going outdoors, but dont reach for your usual lip balm. Adult balm formulas contain chemicals that may not be safe for a babys sensitive skin. Instead, ask your pediatrician for a recommended baby-safe, natural product. You can also easily protect a baby from the elements by purchasing a cover for the car seat or carrier, and ensure the baby is faced away from any strong, cold winds when outside.
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How To Prevent Chapped Lips On A Newborn
Prevention is often the best treatment strategy.
To ensure that the temperature inside your home isnt causing your newborns lips to dry out, use a humidifier in the winter to keep the air in your home humid.
And to prevent chapping due to the weather outside, try covering your newborns lips when you go outside, especially when its sunny or windy. You may turn your baby around when moving to keep the wind from hitting their face, or you can cover their face with a light, breathable fabric or scarf.
Last medically reviewed on December 8, 2017
Create A Protective Barrier
Babies lips are typically quite wet as they often are licking their lips and drooling. This constant exposure to moisture can break down the protective top layer of skin, making them more prone to chapping. You can help by applying a thin layer of petroleum jelly with a cotton swab before bedtime or prior to going outside in the winter.
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Newborn Chapped Lips: 5 Clear Tips To Prevent And Treat
As you enter into parenthood and brought your beautiful bundle of joy home from the hospital, youre already obsessing over new environmental changes and making sure theyre eating, sleeping, and, most importantly, staying hydrated. However, you also notice that their little lips are looking a bit dry and chapped. Not to worry! In this article, Ill share five easy tips to prevent and treat Newborn Chapped lips.
Contents
Chapped Lips Causes Treatments Remedies Newborn Severely Cracked Lips Or Cheilitis
Chapped lips or cheilitis is a common problem that both in adults and babies. Read about what causes chapped dry lips and the best remedies to heal them. You will also see some chapped lips treatments and products to use.
Chapped lips do not look good on anyone. Neither are they a pleasant experience. Severely chapped smackers can even be extremely uncomfortable and painful. The dryness aside, one may also have cracks or splits, bleeding and pain. Even if you do not have severe symptoms, one may still feel sore on the lips.
The medical term for dry, cracked, inflamed lips is cheilitis. There are several kinds of cheilitis, some more serious than others. Furthermore, there are also several reasons why your lips could be chapped.
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