Q: I heard somewhere that it’s not safe to use powder on my baby. Is this true?

A: Great question! For most mothers with babies, some form of powder is a staple in the baby care pack. Powder is sprinkled all over the baby after they have been moisturized, used on the baby’s butt to prevent nappy rash, sprinkled on suspected rashes on the baby’s body etc. So, using powder on babies is pretty common due to the belief that it prevents friction and absorbs moisture

However, studies have shown that the cloud of powder ‘dust’ can be inhaled by babies and cause respiratory problems. Babies most at risk include premature babies, those born with heart disease, those with frequent respiratory problems etc.

Therefore, if you must use powder on your baby, here are a couple of tips:

Don’t shake the powder onto your baby. Move away from your baby, put some powder sparingly on your hands and then transfer to your baby’s body

Don’t allow the powder to build up on baby’s skin. Wash off residual powder on baby’s skin, especially folds, before applying another layer. If you’re trying to figure out what you can actually use to prevent nappy rashes, here are tips for you: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2019/05/09/hlwdk-daily-health-tips-did-her-diaper-cause-this/

Finally, please keep powder packs tightly closed and out of the reach of children to prevent them being accidentally knocked down and raising a cloud of powder dust.

All the best!