Unlike you and I, babies can’t grab a tissue or their sleeve to catch those dribbles of milk escaping during a feed. So off those dribbles go and find all those gorgeous rolls and crevices in your little baby’s skin: in the neck folds, under the armpits, in the palms of their more-often-than-not scrunched fists. And, as we all know, spilled milk may not be worth crying over (Although that’s another topic as sometimes it really can feel it is!), but it does often leave a less than desirable odour behind and can be the cause of skin irritation, Rashes or, if left and able to break the skin, infection.

How can you help your cheesy baby?

During and after a feed, watch out for those missed dribbles that may have escape down the neck or under clothing and give baby a wipe with a clean muslin. Having a muslin or bib around their neck throughout the feed might help to catch some of those droplets before they reach a cosy fold.

Make sure that you give your baby some form of clean – I say that as a full-blown bath time ritual every night really isn’t necessary – every day. I quite like to do this with the lights dimmed as I do the final nappy change and put baby’s night-time outfit on. Lying on the changing mat – perhaps on a warm towel I can cover baby with as I work my way around his/her sneaky folds – I use some warm water and cotton pads/wool or a flannel even to wipe around and in any areas that may be guilty of housing dirt, old milk, hair that is most likely not the baby’s! Pat dry with the towel as you go so baby isn’t left feeling damp as you go.

Places to check that are easily forgotten (and I’ll probably forget some here....)

• Under the arms

• Under the chin

• Behind the ears 

• Elbow crease

• Hands (from those tightly closed fists) and better fingers

• All around the bottom and genitals

• Under the knees

• Between and under toes 

And don’t worry! If your baby does manage to store some funky deposits away and you notice their skin is looking rashy, you can start by applying some sort of nappy/barrier cream during changes and avoid dressing your baby in tight clothing that might rub against the area while it heals.

If you’re particularly concerned, visit your GP.