Cleaning a Baby's Neck
The Solution
First, the optimal solution is to avoid the formula slinking its way into your baby's neck crevices in the first place. Though your little one may be screaming and eating their fingers in anticipation of the "baba" take time to put a bib on them first. The quickest bibs to put on a baby are the kinds with velcro. This simple step will save you on the amount of laundry you must do and it will slow the rate at which neck cheese builds. The Innovative Parent website sells a bib that works great at blocking the formula from rolling down baby's neck because it has a high absorbant collar. This is also great for protecting expensive little outfits too.
Second, your baby will inevitably have some neck cheese build up over time. Bathe your baby regularly. When bathing, clean yourself first, then get in a shallow tub with your infant and lay them over your legs and one arm, gently tipping their head back exposing their neck. Clean their neck with a soft baby washrag that has gentle baby soap on it. Rinse. Pat dry. Ensure you dry the area thoroughly because dampness and water contribute to yeast infections. Apply a small amount of Baby Aquapher using a Q-Tip. Be very careful that you do not allow the baby to get this product (or baby oil- if you opt to use it) on his or her hands because vaseline like products and baby oil ingestion can be deadly. If your partner or a helper is on hand, you can give the baby a bath in the sink or tub and ask them to help you tilt your infant's head back so that you can expose the neck and gently wipe it clean. Before you know it, it'll be easier and easier to clean their neck as it grows longer and they grow stronger. At nine months I know hold my daughter as she floats in the tub. I support her neck area and can easily reach it with my wash rag. I can also sit her up since she can hold a sitting position by herself and wash her neck grooves with a soapy finger and a washrag. I am always careful to rinse thoroughly because soapy residue would cause her to itch. I don't want that!
Take care to clean your baby's neck regularly to avoid yeast infections in the neck area. If the neck is extremely red and irritated, call your pediatrician. He may tell you to buy Lotrimin and apply it twice day to the red infected area or he may prescribe Nystatin which works really fast at relieving baby's discomfort and clearing out the yeast infection. Remember to wash your baby's folds when they sweat during the hot summer months. This helps protect against yeast infection caused by sweat and milk/forumla, and dirt.