Question about a tiny fear I am trying not to have...

[deborah_r]

DS was at daycare most of the day today, trying it out, getting ready to start next week. They changed his diaper after he woke up from his nap at 3:30. Then he played in the sand outside for awhile, DH and I arrived about 4:15, but didn't leave til about 5pm. Then we went out to eat. So I did not change DS diaper until we got home, about 6:30 I think. I found sand in there (I should have thought of that and changed him, I'm not used to him playing in sand, most parks here have wood chips). When I went to clean off around his penis I found it to be very irritated and red on the underside of his penis, like sand had wedged between the scrotum and the penis. When I tried to clean him he fussed at me a bit, which he normally doesn't do. Perhaps he was fussing (almost flinching, I would say) because the irritaion from the sand had made him very uncomfortable?

My fears are: 1) Did someone do something strange to him that make the red mark, or is that just from the sand?

DH, who doesn't change many diapers :) , thinks it is weird for sand to travel around his diaper so that it would end up in that spot. I didn't think it was weird, sand usually seems to find the nooks and crannies.

2) Did they forcibly retract his foreskin while changing the diaper?

I discussed the "intact" issue with the director, but I forgot to discuss it with his "teachers". I will do so before he stays again.


This is the only thing nagging at me. He did great at daycare, fell asleep with no problem, with no nursing, no rocking, and no binky (I forgot to tell them binky was in his bag, but they said he put up very little resistance to going to sleep!) and napped for 3 hours!!! He seemed very happy and excited when we picked him up.

I'm pretty sure this is all just due to the sand, but I couldn't sleep so I thought I would ask you all!

[wendmatt]

I don't have a boy so have no advice but if DD plays in the sand she does get it in every nook and cranny. I hope everything's OK, that's the last thing you need to worry about when you've been so stressed about sending him anyways. It's worth checking with the staff to be on the safe side and put your mind at rest.

[luvbeinmama]

Hmmm... my first reaction would be to suspect the sand. Was there sand on his penis when you changed him? If he was playing in the sand a lot, you can pretty much bet that his diaper was loaded with it when they changed him. You could ask the teacher who changed him. Perhaps they didn't wipe him well enough? Maybe there was so much sand they had a hard time getting it all off of him? There are many reasons it could be irritated. BTW, the easiest way to get sand off is to put baby powder on it and brush it off lightly with your hand. Oh, and it's obvious your DH has never changed a sandy diaper! ;) Glad little Kai had a great first day at daycare! And I hope this gives you some good mommy recovery time. :)

[jec2]

Yes, sand does get in the most fun places :) I've even found food down the diaper. Nothing like a macaroni surprise! Sometimes Finn will get an irritation where you describe if his diaper isn't changed frequently enough or if we have detergent build-up on our CD's. I imagine that the sand and/or going awhile without a change is the culprit. Usually a bit of Aquaphor fixes it right away. I don't know about the retracting issue as DS is circ'd but I would remind the teachers not to retract.

Wow, 3 hours!!! Can we come to your daycare? finn finally managed 2 hours yesterday but otherwise he was working on the ol' 1 hour nap.

Good luck with the daycare transition :)

[jubilee]

**I** could use a 3 hour nap- can I go to the daycare? LOL

As for the diaper, it's likely the sand, but maybe put a sticker on his shirt with a note on it to not retract his foreskin? Or put a note with his diapers?

Anyway, how wonderful that Kai had a good time! This might be a situation that we are in soon, so it's good to hear a positive story.

[amp]

My guess would be the sand, and possibly a wet diaper combined w/ the sand. Jacob does get this, especially when he's got a wet dipe and sand together. Put some diaper cream stuff on it and see if it goes away and then see if he's still bothered when you change him. I really think (hope) you'll find that's the culprit.

[Calmegja2]

My boys have always, when they were little, thought nothing of dumping sand into their diapers (Josh was doing this yesterday afternoon).

It's always been like that. We go to the beach for a week, and though I try my best with the barrier creams, there's only so much you can do.

[drsweetie]

I would suspect the sand too. DD has come home with sand in her diaper even while wearing a snap-crotch T-shirt and a pair of jeans!

Ellen

[psophia17]

I vote for sand, too...especially after yesterday, when DS had cookie crumbs filling up his diaper. It looked like he had stored at least 3 cookies in there, which is possible since he's a packrat and since we had a wild and crazy family drama yesterday and DH likely gave him several cookies for lunch as opposed to some real food.

The red and raw is going on here, too, although in our case it's likely sugar, not sand.

[deborah_r]

Thanks for your opinions folks. My instincts were telling me there was nothing to worry about, but as I said to DH when he noticed me looking stressed, I would have just rather he came home from daycare on the first day with nothing wrong with his penis! YKWIM? But it was probably my fault for not changing him sooner. And I will bring a note to put with his diapers about the foresking retracting issue, just in case!

[deborah_r]

Ha, ha, well nap duration isn't a problem here, Kai often takes 2.5-3 hour naps! I was just surprised he wasn't awakened by the noises of the other children waking up or anything else unfamiliar.

Our problem here is not nap length, it is trying to get him to sleep before 10pm!

[Melanie]

LOL...just a though, you could sharpie it on to the front of his diapers. LOL. I think there are more and more intact boys around here, so they probably didn't, but I personally would make sure to speak to them or write a note as well.

I'm glad he enjoyed his day!

[deborah_r]

Oh, I bet we could come up with some fun phrases to write on his diapers! "Don't touch my foreskin, and we'll get along just fine" "No retraction zone" "If you can't see it, don't try to clean it!"

[votre_ami03]

ITA with what has been said. Nolan has a Sand & Water table at home and I constantly find sand in his nooks & crannies. He dumps it on his head.

Congrat's on the first day sucess. I also have a three hour a day napper, who doesn't sleep b/f 9:30/10 pm. *sigh*


Christy, mommy to Nolan 7/22/03

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030722/1/7/2/-7/.png

[lisams]

I'm laughing at these!!

I would put the note where every person who changes his diaper sees it at every change (like put his diapers in a baggy with the note on there) because sometimes an aide or different teacher might be doing the changing.

Sounds like he did super on his first day though, that is great!

Lisa