What I Would Do If My Baby Had Eczema
(And why it has nothing to do with soap)
If your baby has eczema, you're not alone. But you also don’t need a lineup of special soaps and lotions to “fix” them. That’s one of the hardest truths—and also one of the most freeing.
Because eczema isn’t your baby being broken. It’s your baby responding to their environment.
What I’ve learned through experience, research, and helping others is that eczema isn’t just about what you put on the skin. It’s about what surrounds it: light, food, nervous system, microbiome, and more. If I had a baby with eczema, this is what I would do—step by step.
1. I’d Stop Using Soap—Completely
Let’s get this one out of the way: even the “clean,” “gentle,” or “natural” soaps aren’t needed for a baby. Their skin barrier is still developing. Their microbiome is still forming. And washing it away every night (even with the best intentions) isn’t helping.
The only baths my babies took were with me—on my chest, in warm water, with a cloth draped over them. It was honestly more about relaxing my nervous system than ‘washing’ baby.
That says it all. Bathing can be a soothing ritual—but it doesn’t need to involve suds, lavender bubble bath, or a scrub brush. Babies aren’t dirty. And even if they’ve had a major diaper blowout, a warm cloth is usually all that’s needed.
If I had a baby with eczema, I’d completely stop using soap—on their body, on their hair, and even on their scalp. Just warm water, gentle hands, and time.
(And speaking of water, what kind of filtration system does your bathwater have? We have a bone char filter in Calgary to minimize the newly added fluoride, and when the kids have a bath I put in a TBSP of ascorbic acid that neutralizes the chlorine. It's not perfect but it's where we're at right now. Something to consider.)
2. I’d Reframe Eczema as a Full-Body Signal
It’s easy to zero in on the skin. But skin is an output—a downstream reflection of internal and environmental stress.
That means eczema can be a signal of:
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A disrupted circadian rhythm
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An imbalanced gut microbiome
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Inflammatory inputs from food or air
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Nervous system dysregulation (yours and theirs)
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Topical irritation from laundry products or clothing
Instead of trying to suppress the symptoms, I’d step back and start peeling layers. Because eczema is the body trying to respond—trying to protect. My job would be to reduce the load so their skin doesn’t have to do it all.
3. I’d Get Very Intentional About Light
I learned about the light-skin connection from Dr. Jack Kruse, who has written a lot about eczema and circadian biology. While I won’t quote him directly here, one idea that stuck with me is this: our skin is deeply influenced by our light environment.
That means:
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Morning sun exposure is critical. It sets the body clock, regulates hormones, and supports the immune system. For baby and mom. Get the Circadian App. "Moring sun" means sun between sunrise and UVA rise, which is the OG free red light therapy. The times vary depending on your latitude.
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Evening light hygiene matters. I’d dim the lights, avoid screens, and switch to warm, red-toned lighting after sunset. Babies are especially sensitive to blue light at night. You can also get red light therapy outside at this time, just check on your Circadian app when UVA set is and that's your window.
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Midday light in small doses is powerful. A few minutes of filtered sun on baby’s skin (arms, legs, cheeks) can offer beneficial wavelengths that support repair and regulation. I would aim for 5-10 minutes of UVA time, and then just 5-10 minutes of UVB time (check your app).
- Bonus:
Why Time in the Shade—Especially Around Greenery—Matters
Spending time in the shade, especially under trees or near grass, offers more than just a break from the sun. Green plants reflect a high amount of near-infrared (NIR) light, which penetrates deeply into tissues and helps stimulate melatonin production inside your cells (not just in your brain). This cellular melatonin is a powerful antioxidant that supports repair, reduces inflammation, and helps regulate the immune system—making it especially relevant for things like eczema, fatigue, and poor skin healing.So even in the shade, your baby’s body is getting important light signals. And if you're holding them on your chest, you're both benefiting.
- Double bonus:
Why Grounding Matters for Baby Skin
Letting your baby lie directly on the earth—or even on a thin muslin blanket—is a simple way to support their healing. The ground carries a natural electrical charge that helps reduce inflammation, regulate the nervous system, and even improve sleep rhythms. Babies are especially receptive to this input. Just 10–20 minutes of grounding a day (belly-to-earth, chest-to-earth, or skin-to-blanket-to-earth) can help calm the immune system and support skin repair. No fancy mats needed—just real contact with the real earth.
If breastfeeding, my circadian rhythm would directly influence my milk. Hormones like melatonin and cortisol are present in breastmilk and shift based on light exposure. So I’d focus on getting myself aligned too—because that rhythm gets passed to baby in every feed.
4. I’d Audit Everything That Touches Their Skin
Eczema-prone skin is already working hard. I’d make sure everything that touches it is working with it—not against it.
That includes:
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Laundry: Many “free & clear” detergents still use harsh surfactants. I’d switch to soap nuts, castile soap, or a simple combo of baking soda and vinegar.
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Clothing: Soft, breathable, natural fibers only. Organic cotton, linen or wool. No polyester, no tight elastic, no fire-retardant PJs. Less is more. Barefeet.
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Diapers: Whether cloth or disposable, I’d choose unbleached, fragrance-free options with minimal ingredients. I’d avoid anything that feels plasticky or overly “baby-powdered.”
Sometimes eczema flares because the skin is reacting to multiple tiny insults all day long. Removing those friction points helps the skin calm down and rebuild.
5. I’d Rethink What They’re Eating—And What I’m Eating
This part can be tricky, but it’s important.
If I were breastfeeding, I’d remember that breastmilk is dynamic. It delivers more than calories—it carries immune data, metabolic signals, and even circadian rhythm information.
So I’d support myself with:
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Warm, mineral-rich foods: broths, eggs, fruit, raw milk, liver, butter
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Low-stress digestion: no fake milks or fiber-heavy snacks
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Circadian eating: more food in the morning and midday, less at night
If I wasn’t breastfeeding—or was combo feeding—I’d be extremely cautious about formula ingredients. Most conventional formulas are full of:
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Powdered skim milk (heavily processed)
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Seed oils (inflammatory)
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Synthetic vitamins
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Emulsifiers and stabilizers
What would I do instead?
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Look into the Weston A. Price homemade formula . There are a few variations, one with goat milk. Honestly I personally wouldn't add the cod liver oil (unless you're cold pressing it yourself at home lol) but I'm neither a doctor or a nutritionist so I'll leave that up to you.
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Source donor milk from someone local (I’ve shared mine with others and deeply believe in that kind of mutual care). If you had a midwife or doula then they may have other clients who are currently producing who would be happy to share. A combination of all these would be wonderful. (The donor milk you get from the actual associations are all pasteurized so I personally would try source milk from someone with similar dietary and "other" health beliefs IYKYK.
6. I’d Use Just One Product—FATBABY
I’m obviously biased here, but FATBABY was made for this.
It’s a simple, whole-fat balm made from:
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Grass-finished tallow (full of fat-soluble vitamins)
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Cacao butter (gently protective and healing)
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Jojoba oil (mimics the skin’s natural sebum)
No preservatives. No fillers. No essential oils. Just whole, food-grade ingredients your baby’s skin can recognize.
I wouldn’t slather it on every hour. I’d use it as needed—on dry spots, after a warm cloth wipe, or post-bath if needed. The goal is to support the skin’s natural repair, not to replace it. I believe it can help alleviate baby's itch and irritation and seal the barrier while the body does all the rest of the work. It's not the cream that heals it, it's you figuring out how to best support baby's body.
7. I’d Remember That My Baby Feels What I Feel
Babies are attuned to our rhythms—our stress, our breath, our nervous system. And skin is closely linked to both the immune and nervous systems.
If I’m running on empty, constantly anxious, or overstimulated, that will ripple through our day. And possibly show up in their skin.
This doesn’t mean “don’t stress”—we’re moms, stress is part of it. But it does mean I’d carve out little moments to ground:
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A slow breath during a diaper change
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Getting outside barefoot for a few minutes
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Turning off overhead lights and lighting a candle
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Lying skin-to-skin with my baby and doing nothing else
You don’t need a self-care plan. You just need little moments of stillness that tell your body (and theirs): we’re safe.
I didn't babywear much with my first and I remember how stressed I was just trying to get her to sleep on some imaginary schedule and trying to make her stop crying. With the other two, I would just wear them in a wrap and everything just seemed...easier. The would cry and I would just be with them while they let it out (after checking if they needed anything), they would sleep when they needed, and eventually they got their own kind of rhythm and I could put them down to sleep at the expected times. It was a much more relaxing method.
TL;DR – If My Baby Had Eczema, I Would:
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Stop all soap. Even the “clean” stuff.
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Stop daily baths. Gentle cloth soaks or shared baths only.
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Get the light right. Morning sun, red light in the evening, minimal screen exposure.
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Clean up the skin’s environment. Laundry, clothes, diapers—simple and natural.
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Support the gut and immune system. Breastmilk or homemade formula. Avoid ultra-processed foods.
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Use one topical. FATBABY. Nothing else needed.
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Tend to my own nervous system. Because they feel everything.
You don’t have to fix it all at once. Just start pulling on the threads that feel doable. The body wants to heal. The skin wants to protect. And your baby is so much wiser than we give them credit for.
Let them lead. Let yourself soften. And trust that healing doesn’t always come in a bottle—it often comes in the absence of one.
xox Caitlin