When you have a baby, everyone says you are supposed to keep your child at home, away from germ-laden strangers, snotty preschoolers and touchy feely distant relatives, for SIX FULL WEEKS.
I call it NEWBORN LOCKDOWN.
As of today, I have successfully completed four weeks of seclusion with baby Harlow. Well, that's not true. I did leave the house for doctor appointments, a couple closely guarded walks around the neighborhood, and a quick drive-by of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree (for Mazzy's sake), but that was it.
Basically, my life is one long cycle of breastfeeding and eating bowls of cereal while wearing the same pajamas, all to keep my baby alive and sickness-free.
Staying indoors might be good for the baby's health, but unfortunately, it does no favors for your skin.
We have radiators blowing out heat in every room (Harlow sleeps better when it's warm) and the air in the apartment is ridiculously dry. Even with a humidifier in my bedroom and the nursery, I still wake up every morning with a scratchy throat and cracked hands.
The cracked hands might also be due to constant washing and use of hand sanitizer— again, for the good of the baby, but neither is recommended for someone with eczema, like me.
My hands aren't the only problem. My legs have taken on a lovely scaled appearance, making them appear even whiter and paler than they did during the summer. My elbows are beginning to look like the elbows of an old woman. And my feet… well… if someone could tell my husband to stop shuddering every time he looks at them, that would be FANTASTIC.
All of this is why I was thankful when Vaseline contacted me to participate in a 'winter skin challenge' to test their new Intensive Rescue Repairing Moisture Body Lotion. They say it's moisturizing powers are so great, it can relieve dry skin after just one use and help heal dry skin in just three days.
Plus it's non-greasy formula feels great, unlike most of the other high-powered moisturizing lotions that feel like you've slicked your skin with a lubricant that won't soak in for the next 10-12 hours. Try holding a newborn with greasy hands— just not mine. I don't want you to drop my child.
Anyway, Vaseline gave me the choice of several winter activities notoriously tough on the skin, including ice skating, snowman making and baking, for my 'winter skin challenge'.
I chose baking because of the whole NEWBORN LOCKDOWN thing. Also, Harlow is definitely advanced (did I mention she lost her umbilical cord in just 5 days?!) but not the kind of advanced where I can put her in a pair of ice skates.
Choosing BAKING is hilarious because I have literally never baked in my life. But I assume, at some point, I'll have to make cupcakes for a school function which will determine my standing amongst the super-baking mothers of the PTA, and now is as good a time as any to learn.
Vaseline sent me a winter activity kit which included an old fashioned apron, a pair of silicone spatulas, some winter-themed hot plate grips and of course, a bottle of Vaseline Intensive Rescue.
I'm hoping a second package arrives in the mail, which includes a BAKER, and then I should be good to go.
More to come on my experience soon. In the meantime, pray for my skin and my kitchen!
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This post is sponsored by Vaseline but as always, the thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Man, I must be a horrible parent–I have two kids ( 3 and 8 months) and I was never told of this newborn lockdown business!! Who am I kidding? I get stir crazy sitting at home for one day–let alone six weeks. My youngest had been to my office four times, to the zoo, and to a Major League Baseball game by the time he was four weeks old. I did have the benefit of having both my kids in the late spring (April and May) so it wasn’t the middle of cold and flu season. But seriously–why did no one tell me this? I read the freaking books! Fail!
I didn’t manage six full weeks but we aren’t wildly social people so we wouldn’t have been huge crowds anyway. Eczema runs in my family – Eucerin works well without any grease for grown-ups and Aquaphor works for babies, kids and adults (it feels slimy right after you put it on if you do it heavy but then disappears). Always make sure you get the cream/ointment version of whatever you use though, lotions are crap.
I’m at week two of newborn lockdown myself. Good to see what I have to look forward to. Lol. I do have hand lotion in every room but between breast feeding the newborn and running after my 16 month old I never get a chance to use it. And I don’t even want to think about what my feet look like! *shudder*
I never stayed home with my little one. Knock on wood: she only had a day long case of the sniffles and a little case of croup. I mean, I didn’t parade her around a homeless shelter in the middle of winter or anything, but we did run errands, visit family, and other such business. Get out of the house, girl. It will be good for both of you.
I’ve never heard of this ‘newborn lockdown’.. Everyone I know takes their kid out starting the first week of their life.. and definitely don’t use hand sanitizer.
Judging by the latest research that says that children who are exposed to pets (dogs especially) from a young age have less ear infections and are less likely to develop asthma and so on, I would say a little germs is not a bad thing.
They say you are not supposed to make kids use hand sanitizer but I don’t think it’s a bad idea to use it yourself. I actually rarely use it because it really dries out my skin but most people who come over use it voluntarily and I don’t stop them!
We just decided to go to the Hamptons tomorrow for the holidays. My dad will be out of town so his house will be empty if we don’t use it. It will be a really nice change of scenery, I think. Provided Mazzy can deal with a house that doesn’t come fully equipped with toys…
Yay for you! Also, if you can swing the 22$, I love the Body Shop’s Vitamin E boddy butter. The whole line is ridiculously juicy.
Could you send that Baker to my house when your are done with Him/Her? I seriously hate baking and that would be awesome to have some one else do it.
oops…..”you’re”
You’re supposed to WHAT for six weeks? We were at ECFE after 17 days. Really? And she was born January 9.