Almost every baby will get diaper rash at some point or another. It’s no surprise since their bottoms are almost constantly covered in a diaper.

A diaper rash will start with a little redness in the diaper area, which can quickly develop into raw, painful sore spots. Catch diaper rash as early as possible to keep your child from getting to the painful stage of it.

To keep diaper rash at bay, use a diaper rash cream at the first sign of redness. The cream will form a barrier between the skin and the wetness from the diaper.

One of the best ways to clear up diaper rash is to let your child go without a diaper as much as possible. Put your baby on large towel or let her run around outside (if you have a private backyard) with a bare bottom. This allows the bottom to stay dry and will heal the rash quickly.

Young babies wake up every few hours, which can be quite exhausting for mom. The days of getting 8 or even 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep are gone for a while. You’ve probably heard this before: sleep when the baby sleeps. Go ahead! Take a nap or two during the day while your baby sleeps. You may be tempted to catch up on laundry, do the dishes or pick up around the living room. Don’t do it. Your baby needs a mom who’s as rested and rejuvenated as possible.

Pass some of the household chores on to your spouse and accept some help from friends and family members. Lay down for that catnap and get some sleep whenever you can those first few weeks.