Babies Stink?

My son had really bad cradle cap and eczema at 4 months, and it did smell bad, almost like a wet dog smell. I had a doctor tell me there was nothing that could be done. That's when I found another doctor who said his skin was INFECTED, possible with staph!!! She prescribed 2 weeks of antibiotic ointment and then showed me how to mix OTC (1:1 ratio) baby eczema cream and .5% hydrocortizone to make a cream to keep using when necessary. Henry is now 1 year old, and he doesn't smell at all, and when he breaks out in a rash (he has allergies to lots of foods), I just apply the mixed cream, and it's better overnight. As for bad breath: are you breastfeeding? If not, I've known other babies who are formula-fed who have pretty icky breath. It could also be digestive, like reflux. I also know that if parents share spoons, cups, pacifiers (ick!--my sister in law thinks that's funny) with their babies, they pass on adult bacteria that causes bad breath and even cavities. I hope this helps!

I have 3 children and I was told that I was to take a damp washcloth and wipe their mouths out 2-3 times a day. That may help the bad breath. I did this and never noticed that my children had bad breath. The only thing that my children's breath ever smelled like was formula, but this should do the trick.

A.

Cradle cap can be pretty stinky. Mom's I know have used a small amount of dandruff shampoo(supposedly selsun blue is the best/fastest) for a few days, and the cradle cap clears up, which will get rid of the smell.
Don't have any advice on the breath...they make "toothpaste" for babies that you rub on their gums, so maybe try that?

Hi K.,

I'm no expert but I recently read about different food allergies that causes bad body orders. This may be something to consider.

A. R

Hi K.,

My first suggestion - get a new pediatrician. If you need some referrals for your area, put up a new post with your town/area and I just know these mommies will pass along their recommendations. I am a mom of 4, and my doctor has never made me feel like any of my concerns are frivilous... you would think after 4, I would know these things already, but she is always sweet to address my questions. dump your Ped. - fast!

secondly, even if the scales on his head will 'eventually' go away on their own, doesn't mean that you can't do anything to help, especially if it's smelly. here's what I do for that (every one of my babies had this). Use a soft bristle baby brush and brush as much of the scaling away, to lift it, and loosen it. drizzle olive oil on the baby's head - seriously... it's great for the skin - rub it in with your fingers and put a hat on him for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, wash his hair, rinse then brush again. wash his hair a 2nd time, using the brush to do the lathering for you (do this the 2nd washing to avoid getting oil on the brush itself). Rinse, and it should look better. You can repeat this every day until the scaling goes away. Then to prevent, be sure to brush his hair every day, to stimulate the oil glands in his scalp.

Bad breath in an infant. This is NOT normal. Even my formula fed babies had 'sweet baby breath'... this follows my first recommendation - get a new Ped. It may be something as simple as a little post nasal drip? But it could be a digestive problem... check out this article http://ezinearticles.com/?Infant-Bad-Breath&id=403928 and insist that somebody takes you seriously.

p.s. - I recently called my ped's office and spoke with a nurse about a diaper rash that was not going away in my daughter. it had been a month, and i was concerned. the nurse tried to dismiss me, assuming I was just a new mom, worried about a little blemish on baby's bottom - it wasn't until i said 'look, this is my 4th child, i am no stranger to diaper rash, i know to change often, apply ointment, etc - this is bad' she finally gave me some real suggestions and told me if it isn't better or starts to bleed to call back and see the doc. So you are not the only one who gets the brush off from medical people - you are your baby's best advocate, if something doesn't feel right, be persistent.

Good luck!

I honestly have not heard of this young of a baby having stinky breath....until they start actually eating baby food. Or does it just smell like sour milk/formula? I always used a baby wash cloth, damp with nothing on it, and wiped inside my daughter's gums, tongue, and the roof of her mouth. Try that. If it smells like something other than milk, I may get a 2nd opinion from a different doctor. Maybe too much stomach acid or something??
Cradle cap is dead skin, so try finding a cradle cap brush. I had one with a sponge on one side, and a gentle brush on the other. Use baby soap, and massage it, and then comb out the loose pieces. That should help the head...even though I really don't remember it stinking....Sorry if this didn't help at all! S.

clean baby's head with gentle baby wash then rub oil on baby's head...bad breath...clean baby's mouth....give baby wather and make sure baby burps...sometimes gas stays in the back of the throat...clean gentle the inside of the mouth... hope that work's my first child was like that...not sick

My husband thinks I'm crazy b/c I say that our 5 month baby girl stinks sometimes. She used to have cradle cap also. I just wash with baby wash and use a very very soft baby brush to stimulate the scalp. This seemed to help her anyway. She doesn't get cradle cap anymore.

I also think she has bad breath sometimes. I don't do anything about it. I'm not sure there is anything to do about this one.

Hi K.,
LOL Sorry I have to laugh because it's funny, you are right they are lying atleast some of them...
Pretty much all of my kids had the cradle cap and yes it stinks, I tried everything to get rid of it. The thing that worked best and ofcourse was the last thing I tried with my oldest because its kinds weird is Olive Oil. You rub a little on their head and leave it over night then wash in the morning. It takes about 10 days of consistant attention but it should take care of it. But if you leave it alone it will take about a year to 18 months to clear up.
About the breath I breastfed all my kids with a little formula when they were older and they all had stinky breath, I grew to love it because it's kinda just how my kids smell...weird I know. But yes you can wipe their mouth out with a wet rag or just give them a swig or two of water after feedings from a bottle to rinse out what ever milk is in there. Congrats and enjoy your new baby!
W.

Hi,

Here is what worked for my kids,

1. Cradle cap - during bath time use baby wash and a baby brush (soft ones) and scrub (gently) in circular motion, rinse and repeat a few times. Not too much because you don't want to irritate his scalp. Try this at every 2nd bath time and less as it gets better.

2. Use a damp clean baby washcloth to wipe out babies mouth as needed.

Good Luck, sorry for any typo's I am holding my baby and typing. - B. Mother of 3

My boys had cradle cap, and I used a special shampoo to fix it. It's by Pure Baby and I got it at a pharmacy. I'm sure Target has something similar to it as well.

Maybe, K., you have an exceptionally sensitive nose! Maybe no one else has smelled or registered the smell before. Since your baby is only 4 mos. old, it's possible that your hormones are still organizing themselves. When I was pregnant with my first son and all thru his first year, I could not bear to be near jewel colors (vibrant teals, purples, greens) because they made me nauseous...how weird is that? There's not necessarily anything wrong with either of you! But be aware and notify your or your baby's doctor if something else catches your attention.
And you're not an idiot...clueless? we all are!!!! That's why we have each other

The cradle cap seems to be pretty severe, and should go away with minor home treatment. It sounds like your doctor is not veyr helpful. I have a FANTASTIC Medicine and Pediatrics doctor at the Loyola Darien clinic on 75th street, Dr. Ozark. He has helped me with SOOO many things, including cradle cap and getting my son to sleep through the nights. My son who is now a very happy and healthy 14 month old.

For the craddle cap, after bathing your child, lightly rub down his body with Johnson and Johnson baby oil. You are truely supposed to leave it alone and in time it will go away. Do not pick it off! For the bad breath, I suggest giving him some baby water at times in his bottle.

Hi K.

I worked for a pediatrician for 8 years and a family doctor for 6 years.

The first issue sounds very much like cradle cap. Take the bruh that was given to you at the hospital when the baby was born and scrub his scalp when you shampoo his hair.

Secondly, after you give him a bottle, whether it's breast milk or formula, take a wet hand towel, wipe his tongue off thoroughly with the wet towel.

Don't feel clueless, you're a new mom and at least you're trying to solve the issues.

Good luck and congratulations!

A little about me: SAHM and licensed daycare provider, mom to 2 beautiful miracle babies now (4 yrs old and 11 years old), happily married to my wonderful husband.

Hi K., though I've never had the experience of "bad breath" with my children, might I suggest that you take some time to reflect on your baby's bowel movements and other things of that nature. Make sure there is no blockage in his/her bowels. That could cause bad breath. Does your baby have any other health issues? Just things to consider as you are seeking answers for this issue. Also, you can take a clean wet cloth and wipe the inside of your baby's mouth to rid it of milk residue and any possible bacteria. As for the cradle cap, does your baby smell like spoiled milk? I experienced that when my daughter had cradle cap. I brushed or combed her hair/scalp to loosen up the dry skin and then washed her hair. I put baby oil/baby lotion in her hair to keep the skin from drying out and to help create a more pleasant scent to the hair. Maybe try this twice a week until the condition clears up. I hope that helps a little. Being a mom is a scary adventure. Before you know it, you will be a pro and offering advice to new moms as well.

About me: I'm a 34 yr old single mother of 17 and 12 yr old girls.

I REALLY feel for you K.!! YOU need a new doctor!? The only thing that I can think of, is that maybe your baby had Acid Reflux?? THat will give him the bad breath? I'm just wondering if you "think" that it is his head, but really it is coming from his mouth the whole time!? I do NOT think that I have EVER smelled bad breath on a baby. A baby's breath is SWEET!! I always tell my husband, "Ahhhh, (whiff, whiff) there is nothing sweeter than to smell a babies breath". Both of my boys have / had the sweetest prettiest breath (especially in the morning???) :) I don't even think that my 4.5 year olds breath even started to "turn" until last year?? My 11 month old (who will be ONE, this Sunday) has the cutest, sweetest "baby breath", ALL OF THE TIME!! I would SERIOUSLY switch gears, and find a new pediatrician!!
Although, don't think that you are alone, entirely. I DO have a niece who is 5 who has REALLY bad breath, and has for quite some time, (although, I don't believe when she was a baby!!!) Her pediatrician just doesn't think that it is a "Chronic" problem!? But I know an adult who told me that she had her tonsils taken out, when she was 17, b/c they were "rotting" and she "NEVER KNEW WHY SHE ALWAYS HAD THE WORST BREATH!?", come to find out that her tonsils were decayed / rotting, and THAT is why her breath was so bad her "whole life". I DON'T think that your baby is old enough to have "rotting" tonsils???
sorry to go on and on and on, but I definately wanted to POST on this one!!!! :)
Good Luck!!!
~ C.

Good Morning K.

I really don't know anything about the bad breath, but as for the his head, after washing his hair, apply baby oil. Just regular baby oil. Not a lot, just enough to 'hide' the scales. Do this every time and that should do the trick!

God's Blessings to you and your little one
D.

My son is 6 months old and he still has cradle cap. It will eventually go away. He still has a little left on his head but most of it went away.

Are you hyper sensitive to smells overall? I am and felt the same way about my little one (now 8 months). She had a pretty strong case of cradle cap and I thought it smelled a bit like urine (although I was the only one who thought so). I was also bothered by the sour milky smell she got in her mouth and, after her hands had been in her mouth, on her hands too! My thoughts are this - you can work to clear up the cradle cap pretty easily. It's actually an oily skin condition even though it looks like dry, flaky skin so wash her hair daily. As far as the breath - my husband loves her 'baby breath' and, as she's now eating lots more foods, the smell is barely there any more. Good luck!

I can't help with the breath thing - I am neither lying nor have selective memory - but I can with the head thing. My first daughter had very, very bad cradle cap and it can really smell bad. She had flakes coming off of her scalp for a really long time. The best advice I received to help it was this:

put a little baby oil on her head. Then, take a really soft baby brush (the little pink ones that come with the bath set works well) and rub lightly around the scalp. It will be an oily mess, but will get the dead skin off. Then, if your baby has a lot of hair as mine did, you will need to put her in the bath and use a baby cloth with some baby soap to get most of the oil washed off. There will be some oil left because it's really tough to get off, but it will wear off eventually. The cradle cap situation will go away, though. It just isn't pleasant while it's there!

As to the breath, have you "googled" why a baby might have bad breath? There could be some underlying problem. I have not had a child with that problem, so I would suggest looking it up. The best advice I can give you as a mom of two girls is to not always just rely on what your doctor says. That is a mistake that most new moms make because we don't know any better. Your best source of knowledge is YOU! You know your baby better than anyone and you can find information that, sometimes, your doctor will not have yet. Then, you can take that information back to the doctor and work together for a solution. I've been doing that with my doctor and we work together as a really great team. He appreciates what I have found out and I am able to trust him. Hope this helps!

You can use olive oil or baby oil on the cradle cap. That will help loosen the scales. Hopefully it will clear up in time. Sometimes cradle cap is really persistent. If you feel like your pediatrician is dismissive, get a second opinion. Sometimes doctors are too lax for a parent's personality, and that's when you need to be the advocate for your child and see what someone else says.

As far as the bad breath, is he spitting up a lot? After my son spat up when he was littler, his breath would smell bad for a while. Try giving him something to drink. Maybe he's thirsty. There's bacteria that occurs in all mouths, and when we're thirsty it creates an unpleasant odor. I wouldn't use toothpaste or anything; that will just mask what's going on.

Good luck.

K.,

I have read some of the other responses and feel I must respond. Do not use baby oil, neutrogena T-gel (is loaded with carcinogenic ingredients) or any other non-natural soap/shampoo on your beautiful baby. Stick with some shampoo with essential oils and just rub on babies head. I sell Arbonne (for a very good reason, all natural, no carcinogenic ingredients) and we have a fabulous baby product, very inexpensive. I would be happy to give you a 5 day free sample which should take care of the cradle cap. I don't have any advice on the bad breath, but I would think it is probably due to some kind of allergic reaction. If you are breast feeding, try eliminating food from your diet. If you are using formula, then try switching brands.

Let me know if you would like a free sample. Good luck.

I have noticed a less-than-nice smell on babies too. I have two young kids and I asked about the breath issue when they were babies and found that if I take a clean cloth and wet it and wipe out the mouth and tongue, it pretty much solves the stinky breath issue. Also, there is a finger "toothbrush" that slips on your finger and has very soft bristles and you can put a tiny bit of baby or children's toothpaste on it and rub it around in the mouth and on the tongue. Both of my children love the finger toothbrush! And, again, it solved the issue of stinky breath! :)

I don't know about the cradle cap issue as I have not experienced a smelly head on either of my children. However, after most feedings since birth and especially at before bed I would wipe my children's gums with a soft, damp baby washcloth. It gets the kids used to something being in their mouth which I have found has made it easier to floss and brush their teeth as they get older. It has also made trips to the dentist easier and has relieved some of the bad breath issues. Milk and formula both contain sugar and sugar is what causes bad breath so wiping sugar from the gums seems to help. As they get teeth, I would let them play with a baby toothbrush (has bristles, but is rounded) as I changed their diapers. Now, they let me brush their teeth. I hope this helps.

H=K.,
I have five kids and my youngest is 10 months and not one of them have ever had a smelly head or bad breath. The only time my dd had bad breath was when she had thush but that was the only time.
As for craddle cap, it is only dry skin and you should be able to take care of that by rubbing in a circular motion with a baby brush or using your hand. You can also put some baby oil on top of his head. The smell couuld just be formula or breast milk that is staying on his tounge. It isn't necessary to wipe out his mouth right now but you could use a baby wash cloth and wipe his gums off and his tounge. If it persists then you should find another Dr. who specializes in throats because they will be able to check out the mouth as well . Good luck to you .
W.
mother of five

Have not read through the other replies so I apologize if this is a duplicate. Does your baby have a white, cottage cheese coating in his mouth? It could be thrush which is a yeast infection. Hope this helps!

Are you sure it's coming from his mouth??? I remember both my kids got yeast infections under their necks about that age and they totally stunk! It happens often when the babies' necks have lots of folds of skin and sometimes milk or formula trickles down in there and gets stuck. Lay your baby on the changing table and pull back his head and see if you see some pink smelly skin. If so, some monistat will take care of it! I know i couldnt believe it! About the cradle cap, make sure you are bathing him everyday while his head is wet, get a good soft baby brush and srub his head. After you dry him off, moisturize his head and his whole body with aquafour. It's the best stuff. He will eventually grow out of it. Just make sure he's well lubed! Good luck! Let me know about the stinkyness- if it is under his neck or not.
Sincerely, L. H.

For my baby's cradle cap I washed her hair everyday. it is caused from oily skin. Wash her hair, put baby oil on scalp and then rub with a wash cloth. THis will help to exfoliate the skin. Then wash the hair again. It cleared up my cradle cap within a week.

K.,
Sounds like you might need a new peds. doctor. It sounds like cradle cap. Use baby oil and rub it all over his head. Use the brush the hospital gave you. It should be clear colored with tiny bristles on it. It is very soft and won't hurt him. Scrub with the brush and wash his hair repeatedly
Second the bad breath...Are you breast feeding or bottle? If it is breast feeding, it might be a yeast infection? You'll need to get prescription. If you are breast feeding, call your OB and he or she should be able to help both of you. You'll both need to be treated. I've had six kids and sometimes it just because your body is producing so much yeast after delivery. Hope this helps.

I'm wondering what your baby eats. I breastfed my son, and I noticed that other kids that were not breastfed have a different smell. I don't mean to knock it, but there may be something to the food he eats.

I also think that you know best. If you smell it, it's probably your very sensitive mommy senses that are cluing you in. Believe yourself.

I just wanted to add to what one of the moms already said about cradle cap and using baby oil. I rubbed oil on my son's head, let it sit there for 30 minutes (or at least tried to), then washed it - you have to wash it pretty good to get all of the oil out. Then you can brush the scalp gently. I did this process 2 times (a week apart) and it got rid of the cradle cap.

K.,
Hello, I am sure this is frustrating for you but I don't think you are an idiot. First I would seek a second opinion. I am not sure what the matter is but it sounds like it needs attention. Trust your instincts and call around (pediatrician,dermatologist,dentist)until you get an answer that is satisfactory to you.

Hi. My baby's head stunk too. The only thing that took the smell away was Johnson's Baby Shampoo, which I really didn't want to use for its bad ingredients, but it did the trick. I had to wash his head every day and wash his crib sheets alot too. He is 7 months now and it has gone away.

On the bad breath, I would think about reflux. My daughter had reflux and it was one of her symptoms. Some doctors said we didn't need to treat it if she had no other symptoms, while others said that it could cause problems with her esophagus if it went untreated. Go with your gut. Good luck.

there should be no bad odors coming from your child, I would seek out another opinion from another doctor,the ''cradle cap'' can be addressed by softening the scaling area with baby oil or olive oil or even lotion and can be rubbed off as it softens,you need to wash the head/hair at least daily with a gentle baby shampoo,if the area is really bad and large then it might be something else and should be looked at ,as to bad breath,there might be tummy troubles something again that needs to be checked,really sounds like you need another dr

My daughter had the cradle cap and my doctor told me it will go away on it's own but if I wanted to try Head and Shoulders shampoo and comb the scaly skin out. I have learned every doctor is different. My girlfriends doctor told he not to give her 2 yr old vitamins and mine told me it's ok too - so they are all different.
Hope this helps.

Here is one thought, stinky hair and/or feet is a common sign of a yeast overgrowth. Is your baby's tongue patchy white? Definitely indicates yeast. If you are breast-feeding, I would suggest to eliminate sugar from your diet (which can be hard, I know!) Including the hidden sugars in ketchup, cereals, etc. B/c sugar acts as a fertilizer for yeast in the body. You may also begin taking some probiotics as well to your baby can get some through your milk and benefit your gut. You can also add probiotics to your babies milk. There is a brand out there called Baby Flora by Renew Life. I gave it to my daughter when she was ready for a bottle at 4-weeks. My peditrican was fine with it and thought all babies can use a good dose of it when the are first born and help build their immune systems. Use olive oil to treat the cradle cap, which is another sign of yeast overgrowth. Go to www.drrapp.com for more info.

I love your questions! First, I also felt like a complete idiot with my first baby. = )

The cradle cap will fall off on it's own. However, you can help it along with all the helpful advice given. I left it alone with my first since it totally freaked me out! I now actually enjoy picking it off my third baby. =)

All babies are different, some have bad breath some don't. I have three kids and my middle guy had terrible breath as a baby and still does as a toddler. You can massage your babie's gums with a washcloth and baby toothpaste. However, this is not necessary.

Also, be sure to clean your babies neck and behind his ears. I had no idea that formula could get stuck in those places!

Best of luck - Working mother of three / 4 year old, 3 year old and 4 month old

Whew too many responses to read but I hope I can help!! LOL!! Not to be rude but change her bedding and do it often. My youngest has VERY bad breath and well when they sleep they drool. She's sleeping in old stinky drool. So that's the bad head smell. another is to bathe her daily! Some people think they have cradle cap so I shouldn't wash her as often, WRONG! I bathe everyday and ALL my kids do as well. That will help the dry scalp. Only use baby shampoo though, nothing with perfums or dyes! As for her mouth they sell toothpaste and toothbrushes for babies in the baby aisle. I brush my kids gums/teeth twice a day since I could get my finger in their mouth! About three months of age or so. Good luck and hope you get that good smelling baby back! :)

Mom to four busy kids!

Hi my name is L., im a nurse, a cosmetoligist, but now im a stat at home mom. So my now 1yr old son had the same problem. It comes from over active sebasious glands that can get clogged. The best thing to do is just use clear water to wash no shampoo. Also try gentle head massages. My baby didnt outgrow this until about 10mon. hang in there.
L.

Hi K.,

I am a physical therapist practicing a holistic manual therapy called Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT). In addition to the manual therapy I provide, I also provide diet & nutritional advice through our company's owner.

I think you are wise to look further into this issue.

When people have bad breath it is often related to what is going on internally, particularly the gut. I don't know if your baby is eating any food yet or just breast feeding or bottle feeding, either way, I suggest you consider the problem coming from gluten &/or dairy that either he is ingesting or you are if you are breastfeeding.

The skin issue can also be related to food & a possible lack of omega 3s such as fish oil or flaxseed. Make sure you discuss this possibility with your MD first before giving cod liver oil to your child.

When my children were little (they are now 10 & 13), I scrubbed baby oil into their scalp to get all the flaking away. Then washed it. There probably is now a better product at whole Foods, but I'm not aware of it.

Good luck,
D.

I used an over the counter product, by Johnson & Johnson... I can't remember the exact name, but it is in a greenish blue bottle labeled for craddle cap. I found it at Dominick's, but a friend of mine found it at another local store. I honestly don't remmeber my sons head having a bad smell. I do remember not liking to look at the mess on his head.

For your babies bad breath... you can dampen a wash cloth (Baby wash cloth) and gently rub the inside of his/her mouth or again there is a baby tooth paste (oral gel) with a finger tip brush that you can use. My dentist recommended the 1st option, why spend money you don't need to! My question is your baby formula fed? The reason I ask... I found formula fed babies tend to have stinky breath.

All in all, your Dr. sounds like he is giving you good advice.

Good Luck,
C.

On the first issue...it most likely is cradle cap..but I've never heard a dr say to leave it alone. I know it takes some kids longer to get rid of it than others (my friends daughter had it for almost a year). Some dr's say to use olive oil and then comb it out. I'm pretty sure there is an over the counter oil/cream you can purchase at most drugstores as well.
On the second issue...babies really shouldn't have bad breath. I mean, yea, when the spit up its going to be stinky but most bad breath is caused from plaque buildup and nastiness on your teeth and tongue from solid foods..babies obviously don't have that. Does your baby have tummy issues? colic? gas?? Could be she/he isn't digesting real well and the gas is (for lack fo a better word) fermenting in her tummy and thats what you might be smelling. Have you asked your dr about this?? I would definetely get it checked..even if its nothing, better safe than sorry.

Good luck!! and congrats on your new baby :) :) :)

My son is now 6 months old and I have never noticed any weird smells and I have a sensitive nose.

One thing that might help the cradle cap is to massage baby oil all over his head and gentle scratch your names over his scalp. They brush the baby's head with a baby comb (not a brush) and shampoo. You'd be amazed at how much of the scaly skin comes off!

Good Luck!

My daughter as a baby had bad breath and it was sinus breath for us. She has bad sinus issues at the age of 7.

Are you breastfeeding? We used to call our daughter "Stinky Milkfolds" when milk accidentally got trapped in the rolls on her neck. We'd know because she'd smell sour. Maybe it's the same dealio with formula.

As for teeth and gums, it's never too early to start rubbing his gums with a piece of gauze or one of those fingertip brushes. (I am kind of a stickler about my daughter's oral health, but that's only because my dental-hygienist MIL was on us from the get-go about it. Every time Grandma comes to visit she gives my kiddo a fluoride treatment - and that red stuff to point out where I'm going wrong!)

Good luck.

I hear that formula fed babies don't smell as nice as breastfed babies.
It sounds like he does have cradle cap. It's hard to look at it, but it will eventually get better. Don't shampoo, just use water. Only shampoo like 1/mo (unless they got something yucky in their hair). My babies' c.c. got worse w/ shampooing.
I've heard that bad breath in a little child is a sign of something more serious in the gut. See if you can google something about it.

I have 3 kids and only my son had a stinky head when he was a baby, he smelled like an old bald man. It bothered my so much that I would wipe his head with a damp wash cloth with baby lotion on it a couple of times a day. He finally out grew it, but I don't remember when. (I do remember it was before he was 9 months old.) Regarding the bad breath can't help you. Maybe if you're nursing it could be related to the types of food you eat, but not sure.

Good luck!!

Has your baby been sick since he was born? Has he ever been on antibiotics? Does he seem to suffer from sinus problems? Does he have any allergies? I'm an RN and have my own wellness consulting business (see Pure Life under Alternative Medicine section of MamSource businesses). Sounds to me like there might be some underlying issues that might be contributing to his issues, but it would be helpful to have a bit more info about him. Please email me at ____@____.com if you want to for further info on what is going on with him. Thanks!
C.

K.,

In all honesty I've had two children and neither had odor issues and I'm a paranoid FREAK about smells.

Couple of things to consider...

How often do you give baths? I give both boys a bath (together) almost every night. Now, I KNOW you shouldn't but bath time became a huge part of our bedtime ritual and both boys LOVE it. Afterwords, I load them up with cream - Aveeno for the 7 month old (he has sensitive skin) and Johnson and Johnson for the 2.5 y/o.

Are you feeding formula or breastmilk? Formula makes poops stink much worse that BM, so I would imagine the stink could also come into play in the mouth. Also, have you started any solids? They may be a culprit, too. As infants, my sons never had "bad breath". At this point the 2.5 y/o does at times but he has teeth and eats regular food.

Finally, I never realized this because my first son was a skinny minny, but my second son is a chubby little guy (20 pounds at six months). But, you have to make sure to clean out all the rolls of skin on them. Especially around the neck area if they spit up.

I'm big on talking to my doctor about things and I would bring the issue up again and if you get what seems to be a brush-off, maybe consider going elsewhere. I don't think any concerns should be a brush off.

Good luck.

T.

I didn't have time to read all the posts as I have my own warm bundle on my chest right now. ;-)

I think the cradle cap issue was addressed. With the first one, I used rose-water lotion on her head after cleaning with Johnson's. Gently brushing/combing after a bit. Don't pick at it!

Bad breath may well be acid reflux. If it smells like sour milk, you can just about bet that's the cause. Your doctor shouldn't be brushing you off like that, especially in this case. My son has it and was completely miserable after eating until he started getting Zantac. If I forget to give him his medicine, the sour breath returns full force--with the pain and arching back at feeding not long after the breath surfaces. If your doctor doesn't listen or poo-poos it, find another office. I can recommend a good office in Algonquin/Hoffman Estates if you need a reference. They've been great.

Good luck! :-)

My son had this stinky head problem when he was born. I think it lasted about 6 months, along with baby acne! Thought it would never end, but it did and he is stink free. For the head, take a baby brush and some baby oil (I used Burt's Bees Apricot Baby Oil because it didn't have any mineral oil and it smells fabulous - get it at drugstore.com). Then you put the oil on the baby's head and gently use the bristles of the brush to pick away the crusty scales. It is time consuming and you have to do a little at a time since it can be uncomfortable for the baby, exposing the "new" skin underneath. It will gradually improve as you do it, be patient! Also, there is a cradle cap shampoo but I don't know how effective it is since the first method took care of my problem.

Regarding the bad breath, wet a washcloth and gently wipe the inside of the mouth. Also make sure you are keeping the baby hydrated. You can tell they are hydrated by pressing their heel with your finger and seeing how fast the blood comes back to where you pressed. It should be pretty fast. If not, you need to hydrate that baby fast and call your doctor. Hope it helps!

i think you could use a lavendar baby lotion on your childs head, plus it will help with scaly skin. my daughter had that for a while, dont remember if it stunk but i always love the lavendar lotion.

yes!!!!!! babies do have bad breath!! i use a gum cleaner with a toothpaste that is safe for infants, i got mine at babies R us.

hope this helps :)

It sounds like your baby has what was called cradle cap when my children were small (long time ago but some things don't change all that much!) I was told it was caused by flakes of skin that stick to the scalp. You can use baby oil to massage into it to soften the scales before you shampoo his head. Baby oil is gentle and helps loosen the dried skin. You can use a fine comb to gently remove the scales that stick to the hair. I did it regularly to prevent the scales from returning. If you don't remove it I don't think it will just go away by itself.

I always used water and gauze to wipe out my babies mouths to get them used to mouth hygiene (to eventually be followed by a tooth brush) Maybe baby has milky residue in the mouth?

When my son was a baby he had cradle cap and I would rub baby oil on it the washed his hair. I would do that and it came off. I hope it works for you. LC

For the cradle cap you should use baby oil to keep the baby's scalp mosturized while also washing the baby's hair regulary.

For the bad breath you should clean the baby's tongue with a washcloth daily. You have to remove the milk from the tongue.

are you givin him water and wash his hair baby shampoo get a fine tooth comb and comb it put a litlie baby oil on the scalp

you can try using some baby oil on his head for the cradle cap and then very gently comb or baby brush his hair and this should start to flake off eventually. How often are you bathing him? he's fine to bath every night at this point, I made it my daughters night time routine at that age and we still take a bath every night before bed, there's alot of great lavendar night time baths that will make him sleep better and smell great. This will also signal bed time and get him in the habit of going to bed the same time every night.
As for the mouth, yes, clean his mouth. You can just use a clean wash cloth to clean his gums with your finger. He will start teathing soon and it will feel good to him, as well as prepares him to brush teeth eventually.
Good Luck.

Hi New Mom,
Congratulations on your new baby. I cannot answer the one about the cradle cap. But it really should be nearly gone by now. You should check on webmd.com to see what they say about it.
I can make a suggestion about his breath though. I would say that the smell is not from his mouth, but from his tummy. Usually a person with an upset stomach can have really horrible breath. He maybe having problems with his food not agreeing with him. Maybe an allergy to the milk or a digestion issue, which many new babies have. If he is spitting up alot or getting colic, talk to the Dr. You should not have to clean his mouth unless he is getting a film on his tongue, ask your Dr. how to clean it if that happens. Hope this helps.

K.,
Regarding you baby's cradle cap, what we did was put a little of baby oil on your baby's head when he has been bathed and make sure to brush out their hair, everyday. Little by little the cradle cap will begin to fall off and the "stinch" should go away. Yes, it is normal for babies breath to stink due to the iron in the milk. Try giving some water from time to time, this will help. Also, try with a damp cloth to wipe down his gums and tongue, gently. Hope this helps!

I don't ever remember my kids' breath stinking. You could use a baby toothpast and use it on a little washcloth or infant toothbrush and just wipe the gums and tongue. You may even want to investigate holistic references about bad breath. As far as what I've heard, bad breath in adults and children can mean something isn't agreeing with their stomachs or they are sick. I know your baby's menu is very limited but maybe there is something about the formula that doesn't agree with him or something you are eating that comes though your breastmilk.

As far as the scalp - have you tried using baby oil? That is great for removing cradle cap and moisturising the scalp. It works great (all 3 of my kids had cradle cap). You rub the olil over the dry area and take a very fine toothed comb to comb out the dry skin. The scalp may get a bit red from this but it's perfectly safe and the redness goesa away. You don't need any fancy creams - baby oil does just fine. Warning - keep baby oil away from baby's mouths because if it is injested it coats their insides and this is VERY dangerous and deadly.

I hope this helps a little. Good luck and keep looking into the bad breath thing.

J.

Both of my daughters had cradle cap & yes, it stinks. You can rub baby oil on it to loosen it & it will smell better. I used (ok by DR - just don't get it in eyes!!) a tiny dab of Head & Shoulders and scrubbed at the cradle cap - that really REALLY helped... and helped the smell too.

For the breath - it might just be sour milk from formula. Formula fed babies sometimes have that smell of formula which i think is gross. I nurse & don't seem to have the problem.

Hope that helps!

When my daughter was an infant up until she was two, her head and scalp smelled really bad, like b.o. or sweat but really strong. I discovered that for some reason the baby shampoos had something in them that didn't mesh with her scalp or hair ph. Once I started using an organic type of shampoo which was by accident as I had run out of the baby stuff and used what I had, I noticed a 100% improvement. From what I understand, the baby shampoos are the harshest and have strong chemicals because of the "tear free" formula. Good Luck.

Hi K.,

Do you like the smell of the shampoo you are using? Try massaging some baby oil into your baby's head for a minute and then washing it with shampoo every other night.

My daughter has bad breath sometimes. Before she had teeth I would just take a damp washcloth over a finger and wash her gums. That seemed to help, as brushing does now that she has teeth. Also, I found if the babies aren't getting quite enough milk, their breath stinks...kind of like ours does if we don't get enough water. Maybe try and increase the babies fluids.

Good luck!

My ds had HORRIBLE cradle cap until he was about about four months old, and it stank. I think it was the dead skin trapping the oils or something there. I have to say, even though it was SO hard to do, trying to get rid of it just made his skin more irritated, so leaving it alone was best.

As far as breath, hey, all they drink is milk, and my breath stinks after that! If your kiddo is formula fed, jeez, that stuff's even more stinky.

K.,

I don't remember stinky breathe due to anything other than formula. If you don't already, try at least one bottle with some water twice a day. That should help rinse out the formula, also better for the mouth when he starts to get teeth. For stinky head, don't think I had that problem, but my oldest, I have three, did have cradle cap so I used baby oil on his head everyday. You may want to try that for his head.

How often do you bathe him and lotion him and what do you use for this? You might want to change to another baby soap and lotion. Could be a chemical reaction to what you are using. Just like different woman use the same perfume, but it smells differently due to our chemical make up. Hope this helped.

My kids' breathe always stinks when they are sick or about to get sick. Some babies have a lot of nasal drainage too and that will make their breathe stink. Maybe that is it. You can always see the nurse at your pediatrician's office, sometimes they have different information.

Hi, I'm a first time mom too.

First of all, for the cradle cap, there is something you can do which my pediatrician suggested. Use a soft-bristle baby brush and gently brush it every night before you shampoo his hair....every night! If the scales are particularly rough, use baby oil first, brush it, then make SURE you wash it all out, otherwise it'll get worse. Not sure about the smell thing, but it should work on the cradle cap.

Second, the bad breath sounds like a symptom of reflux. Does your baby have this? Signs to watch for are fussy when eating, more than normal spit-up, crys shortly have eating. If so, your baby may have reflux. check with your pediatrician, or change pediatricians because it sounds like they will not help to diagnose the problems you are experiencing.

Good Luck!!!

If you take some baby magic lotion or other baby lotion and take a baby brush and massage into his scale before he goes to bed. I took the brush and massaged in circles. The next day wash his head and you will notice that it has loosened up the cradle cap. You might have to do this a couple of times to get rid of it all together. As far as the stinky breath, I just remember it smelling of sour milk. I probably wouldn't worry about that now. There is a book out called Baby 411 (by Ari Brown, M.D. & Denise Fields)that I got when I had my last baby almost 2 yrs. ago. It has alot of other helpful tips.

Sounds like it could be cradle cap- which I think most babies get. It is not a big concern. I think we had to put baby oil in my sons hair and this helps moisturise and sometimes you can rub a bit and get some off. (I forget exactly what we did but you are supposed to put baby oil or something on it- I don't remember if you rub it off or not, I forget). About the breath, could be an issue, but not very knowlegeable on this subject. 4mo old you don't brush the teeth yet- so that isn't it.

K.,
I do not think it is normal for your baby to smell if you are doing the normal hygiene things with him. My daughter had "cradle cap" and I don't remember any smell coming from it. I think your doctor is brushing you off. Babies do not have bad breath. They have so much constant saliva in their mouth and no teeth to capture any bacteria, so they usually have no smell to their breath. My doctor told me to take a little cloth and wipe the gums, but that was all the dental hygiene given until teeth arrived. Again, I think your doctor is not being thorough. I don't want to be an alarmist because I don't know what could be causing any of this, but I certainly would persue it further with a different doctor. Don't give up if you don't get a satisfactory answer. You are not a clueless idiot. None of us know a thing when we start out!

Most emphatically, NO! Babies don't have bad breath. Do you have a ped? or just an M.D.? Tell this dr. that you want to know what it is the baby has. YOU'RE paying this person!!! He can look it up in his medical book. Tell him you're horrified that nobody can pick him up without getting sick to their stomachs. You want answers, NOW!

With the cradle cap just brush his hair everyday couple times a day. It will help bring the natural oils out of the skin to help clear up. As for the breath you can always just use a wet wash cloth to clean out his mouth after taking a bottle. Good Luck.

Well K.,

First wash your baby head in a BABY HAIR PRODUCT like JOHNSON & JOHNSON. put some regular VASELINE in all over head and put a hat on the baby like the ones the hospital uses when the baby was born. You can get them from the dollar store.

The baby breath could be from others kissing on them as well. So use the kids toothpaste on a face towel and rub the gums then rinse the towel and wipe the mouth from any toothpaste that is left.

Dear K., they have shampoo for cradlecap inthe drugstore , my baby had it before I used it a couple and it went away. For the bad breath what you probably smell on your babys breath is the residue from the babys milk all you have to do is take baby washcloth and wet it wiht warm water and very gently wash your babys tongue and gum that should help but make sure the water is lukewarm not hot. Hope that helps

The stinky scaly skin is cradle cap. Looks like all of the others solved your problem on getting rid of that. I've used olive oil to get rid of it on my daughter's head. As for the bad breath, it could be reflux look for other symptoms like frequent spit up, arching back after feedings, and possibly extremely smelly bm (my daughter's smelled like a swamp). Anyway, I found a little infant toothbrush that looks like a rubber thimble that you put on your finger. You can use it to gently wipe any residue on his gums. It's also a good intro to toothbrushing! I think I found this toothbrush at Walgreens or CVS.

breath is yeast or reflux smell?? do the baby oil and brush for the scalp. JOdi and K. gave great advice also try the no yeast diet someoen with a j mentioned on here
I will look it up and see what else i come up with you are NOT crazy! listen to your instincts too ok!
good luck
J.

Dear K.,

The craddle cap is a condition most mums are aware of and your doctor is wrong not to give you advice regarding clearing it up. I'd be inclined to change doctor. In the UK we use a vaseline product (like an oily jelly - don't know whether they do something similar here) that we put on the babies head over night and by the next day I was amazed at the results. I never remember my little ones head or breath smelling - I'd seek further advice from another doctor just to ensure you get the correct guidance.

Hi K.,
My Dr. suggested mineral oil for the cradle cap. As far as the breath, use a wet wash cloth & wipe his gums & tongue. I would also get a new Dr. You need someone to address your concerns & not ignore them. I think women Dr's are the best. Find a women's Dr. group. Mine is Dr. Cathy DiVincenzo ###-###-#### in Skokie, near Old Orchard Mall. Her partner is also a woman.

My daughter had cradle cap--it's very common. I took a baby oil gel (it's much thicker than baby oil and will stick onto the scalp) and rubbed it into her scalp and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Since your baby is only 4 months old, he's most likely not sitting up on his own. Just put him in the Bumbo chair for a few minutes. Grab a towel and then take a fine tooth comb and back-comb his hair (running the comb from back to front, instead of the normal way). It's really gross when all that stuff comes off his head, but I really believe you should remove it. Wipe the comb off before each pass through his hair... Be careful not to press the comb too hard. It's tempting to want to really get in there and remove it all, but you don't want to hurt the baby! After you've gotten as much off as you can, use the towel to wipe off the remaining oil from his head and then give him a bath and use shampoo to try to wash the rest off.

As far as the bad breath, maybe try wiping his gums and tongue off with a warm, damp wash cloth.

Last thing, get a new pediatrician. If you're not feeling that this doc is responsive, then find one you're more confident in and comfortable with. I would tell you to see about getting in to see my daughter's pediatrician, but we're all the way out in Montgomery. I'll tell you one thing though--we liked her immediately and trust her immensely. That's how it should be--you're talking about your precious child here!

Good luck!

Hello, I hear ya. My daughter had the same problem. I used a small dab of olive oil and comb her head/ hair. I would use the oil before you give him a bath. But comb the hair 1 a day. She would fall asleep from me doing this probably because it felt good. Sometimes that stuff itches.

With the breath it's due to spit up and just formula sitting in the mouth. Everytime the baby spits up use the spit up rag to clean the tounge. Very gently. Don't go as far back to choke the baby. This will also prevent thrush. You might want to check that the baby doesn't have that. Otherwise orajel has a gum finger cleaner that comes with baby toothpaste.

I hope this helps.

Our son's pediatrician recommended Selsen Blue dandruff shampoo (no substitutes!) for our son's infected dermatitis (very bad cradle cap, infected, a huge red swath across his head, ). that & the antibiotics cleared it up, his hair grew in. We were incredibly releived.

Not sure about the breath thing, but as for the scalp thing, it is probably cradle cap, and it does smell. Take it from a mom of three kids who all had cradle cap as babies. Put a little baby oil or conditioner on the scaly parts of his head. Wash his hair, then comb out the scales (gently). The yellowy scaly part is what makes his hair smell. When you get rid of this scaly material, the smell will be gone. If he has really bad cradle cap, you might have to do this every couple of days to keep the scales from building up again. The good news, it that cradle cap is a phase that is usually worst in the cold weather when you have the heat on. With my kids, it only lasted a few months.

As for the breath thing, if your baby is on formula, that could be the cause.

I wonder if the bad breath is being caused by reflux or sinus problems. My daughter started having very bad breath as an infant and we later found out that she has seasonal allergies that were causing sinus infections and in turn causing the stinky breath. Once the sinus problems cleared up her breath went back to normal.

I don't remember these issues with my son and maybe my daughter is too young, but I find there are some things that go one in early babyhood that people forget about once they're gone! Your sons scalp sounds like cradle cap and if your dr. isn't concerned there probably is no harm treating it like cradle cap and seeing if that helps. You didn't mention if you breast or formula fed--I remember that once we switched to formula my son's burps were horribly stinky!! I didn't like the smell of the formula to start and it was worse on the way out. Maybe that is the bad breath smell? But likewise with the scalp, it won't hurt to start cleaning the baby's gums and if it helps all the better!! Good luck!

Hi, I would have to say, go to another doctor. Not to scare you, but ususally when someone smells or has an odor there is something wrong interally. That has been my past experience with adults. I have a 4 year old and I can honestly tell you that he never smelled. Nor have I known anyone with this problem with a baby. If your instincts are telling you that you feel something isn't right, listen to that you are probably right. Go see another doctor, have tests done?? Keep at it, no one knows your child better than you!! Good luck.

It's been a while since my son was an infant, but that doesn't sound normal. Even if it is just cradle cap, you don't leave it alone. I'd seriously think about getting a new doctor. A new mom needs support and your doctor should give you detailed explainations, not dismiss your concerns! L.

My brother-in-law is a pediatrician and he recommended using head and shoulders for my son's cradle cap. It went away pretty fast, but I still use it every night because it makes him smell so good. His head never had an odor to it, though, and I'm wondering if you might want to get a second opinion if it has a bad smell because it could possibly be fungal. Is your baby breast or formula fed? I have noticed babies with bad breath who drink the soy-based formulas.

Try danruff shampoo.
And you should wash out his mouth with a wet cloth. Milk breath does stink.

I remember both. When our son had cradle cap we spread baby oil on his head (to soften the crusties) and then brushed his head with a soft brush. It took awhile to go away completely, but eventually his cute little baby head that smelled like baby shampoo returned.

Both of our sons breath smelled like spoiled milk when they were babies (but you only noticed if your nose was right next to their mouth). Sometimes using a baby washcloth over a finger to clean their gums helped. You can also buy little gums cleaners that fit over the tip of a finger. When they were a little older we started using baby teeth/gums cleaner. It is like toothpaste only without floride so that babies and small children can swallow it without harm.

Hi K., truth be told, i don't remember either, but, i am a hairdresser, & I have seen more dry scalp on everyone this year than you can ever imagine. I do however remember the breath issue!!!! My daughter was bottle fed & her breath was awful!!! I brushed her gums. I can't believe your doctor didn't have any suggestions for the cradle cap, try some scented baby oil after the bath.good luck! L.

I can't say that I thought my baby stunk, but you can probably help the breath. It's recommended that you wipe your baby's mouth/gums with a damp washcloth daily. Also oragel makes a gum cleanser that comes with a little brush that fits on your finger. You can use it to clean his gums and probably his tongue a little too. Just make sure on the age...I think it's OK for 3-4 months and up, but read the package to be sure.

I don't know about the stinking head issue, but the breath I can agree with you. My daughter who is now a year old has bad breath sometimes. I have been brushing her teeth & gums since she was 4 months. Sometimes I don't do it as often as I should and her breath gets stinky. I also find when she has a tooth coming in, it gets bad then too. Get a kids tooth brush and brush your little guy's teeth and gums. You don't need to use toothpaste if you don't want to. If you do only a tiny, tiny smear will do the trick.

Hi K.,

As far as the breath smelling...my daughter's breath has been stinky from when she was a baby (she's 2 1/2 now) and I noticed it is when she uses her pacifier. When she first wakes up it is stinky but after eating and/or drinking it smells normal again. I don't know if there is bacteria that collects as she is sleeping or what but that's what I noticed. So I guess my question to you is...does she use a pacifier and do you think that might contribute to it? Good luck!

My son had cradle cap, but it didnt stink. My doctor told me to use baby oil on his hair before I washed it and use a small spaced comb to comb thru his hair and get the stuff out and then wash his head as normal. I did this for about a month or two and it was gone. Just dont put lotion on it, it makes it worse. You can also wipe your sons mouth out with a clean washcloth to see if that helps out with the bad breath.
My son is almost 10 months old now. If you have any other questions, just let me know! I'd be glad to help you out!

If your baby has scaley skin on his head, it is more than likely cradlecap. You can get rid of it by putting baby oil on his head and gently combing his head with a fine-tooth baby comb, but don't comb his head til it's red. Try this procedure several times til it's gone. Wash his head with baby shampoo afterward and dry completely. A little lotion or baby oil will keep his head from drying out. The bad breath is probably a sour stomach. Are you breastfeeding or bottle feeding? Some babies get a sour stomach easily. When he starts eating food, this should go away. If not, ask your doctor.

Wow, you have a lot of responses! Good! Well here's my two cents.

As for the head, it does sound like cradle cap. One of my daughter's had it. My pediatrician recommended I put a little baby oil on the affected area about 20-30 minutes before giving my little one a bath and then just very very gently scrub the area to lift off the flakes. OneStepAhead.com sells this great little sudsing brush that's recommended by the American Red Cross. It's a sponge on one side and a very gentle brush on the other. I used it and it seemed to help without causing any discomfort to my daughter.

As for the bad breath, I just wanted to add that you may want to contact an ENT specialist. When we took my trio in for their hearing tests, one of the questions our ENT asked was if they had bad breath. They didn't so I didn't pursue why he asked. I just remembered that he asked so you might want to pursue that direction in finding a solution.

In the interim, be sure your brushing your baby's gums, inside of cheeks and tounge. They sell these little finger brushes that help to the trick or take a clean wash cloth (wet of course) and gently clean the mouth.

Hey K. I am a mother of a 1 1/2 yr old and a 3month old. The smelly head situation does sound like cradle cap. My advice to that is to just wash his head other other day and try scraping scalp with a baby comb to loosen up dryness use baby oil also. I really don't know what to do about his breath situation. I also recommend getting a second opinion from another pediatrician.

K.,
I don't know about the head, but as far as the bad breath I did notice that on my daughter and it was actually because she was teething. Her first tooth did not appear until about 6 1/2 months either so I thought that there was no possible way it could be that... but it was! I bought a baby toothbrush and infant paste and just cleaned her gums morning and night. It seemed to help. Good luck!

I would suggest that you wash the baby's head with baby shampoo and rub pure olive oil on the baby's head. Do not use baby oil because it is not easily absorbed by human skin. As far as the breath problem, does your baby have regular bowel movements? Is there a problem with constipation? Do you give your baby water to drink? If not you may want to have your baby drink water daily. I would also let the baby drink apple juice. Try apple juice to clear up the bad odor of the breath.

Best Wishes

Gwen Kinard

K.,
First I would like to ask you to be patient and switch your doctor's!! Baby's breath are always pleasant to smell,they don't get stinky breath until 1-2 yrs. of age.If your child has severe cradle cap he should be taking an antibiotic!4 or more months is too long!If his head smells bad it may be a skin infection that needs more attention than the average cradle cap case.If I were you I would go see a child specialist,wash his hair 3-4 times a week,use warm water with herbal shampoo from the health food store,you would be surprised that it might even help his breath. I have a feeling that he has an infection that is causing this reaction to his head and mouth.

Both of my boys had cradle cap as babies. My first son wasn't smelly and grew out of it but my second son, to this day -he is soon turning 20- still has a stinky head!

As babies, after bathing and oiling them down with baby oil, I would use their baby brush or comb to loosen and sort of gently "scrub" off what was softened by the bath and oil. This seemed to help.

If your baby is anything like my son, this may be an indication of a life long scalp problem. Mama knows best and remember Doctors are always "practicing".
I have never taken my "stinky" boy to a dermatologist but I have kept his head under control by having him use Neutrogena* T/Gel Therapeutic Shampoo. NOT FOR BABIES obviously.
This son has thick coarse long curly hair an has always had dandruff to boot. Typical boy, he hates to wash his hair plus wears a hat(like Johnny Depp) all the time. This doesn't help.
To me his head stinks because genetically we are the same...on the other hand, his girlfriend likes his smell! Now if you think about it, odor is how we females (and males) literally smell out our perfect genetic mate. We are hard wired to do that unconsciously. In the mean time I hassle him to wash his hair at least twice a week and use plenty of Fabreze* on his pillows and bedsheets, heck, his entire room!
I use it in the laundry too!

So maybe you are more aware of the odor because you are his mother. As far as the breath odor, as long as you are only smelling it when he is crying forcefully, you shouldn't worry too much. Milk breath is the worst even on adults. Remember, when milk mixes with the hydrochloric acid in the stomach it curdles pretty quickly.

I have an extremely keen sense of smell as well you may have. I can smell alcohol on the breath of a carload of boys that have been drinking as they drive ahead of my car in traffic! The same goes for someone smoking in another car or lighting a match...I can smell the sulfur! That is with the windows closed!

If you are not happy with your doctor, get a second opinion if the problem persists.

My best to you!
D. D. Science Teacher

I did not experience a baby with cradle cap or bad breath but I can tell you that bad smells from any body part is a sign of something that should not be ignored. When my younger son (now 10) has bad breath even after brushing his teeth usually signals a sign of gastrical illness and my older son (now 18) bad breath signaled cavities. If your instincts are telling you something is still not right...listen and get a dr (or specialist) second opinion.

Don't you just love doctors?!

Sounds like you have two issues. The first sounds like cradle cap. My baby had the same thing. Just massage his little scalp with some oil (Burt's Bees has a nice apricot baby oil) then shampoo a few times. Be sure to use one of those fine baby head brushes (square, we got it at the hospital).I did this every other day and the cradle cap was gone in a week or two. Plus, in the meantime, his little head smelled like a sweet apricot :)

As for the bad breath, I didn't experience this with my little boy, but I've read about it. It can be a symptom of acid reflux, which my little guy does have. Other symptoms include crying jags, coughing, frequent, but small feedings, hiccups and spitting up a lot. It took a while for our pediatrician to figure out. Initially, she just thought he was going through a crying phase. But this was not regular crying, it was crying like the little guy was in pain. So, as I'm sure many people have told you, trust your instincts, if you think somethig is wrong, get it checked out by another doctor.

Good luck