How a Nightly Routine Helps Me Manage Eczema and Motherhood

Every night before bed, I pick out my outfit for the following day. You might wonder why a 37-year-old mom of three would need to do this. It's not because I have morning meltdowns over my outfits. Let me take you back 25 years to my childhood to understand my routine.

Picking outfits around eczema flares

When I was young, getting dressed was a challenge. I wasn't a fashionista (I don't think that term even existed back then). At that time, my eczema was severe, with open wounds and sores in every joint that were crusty and bloody. I often chose outfits that seemed comfortable, only to find they weren't. Sometimes, a shirt seam would rest on a wound, causing me great discomfort. Other times, socks or tights would get stuck in a crusty area, or the tags would be insanely irritating. Some outfits didn't offer enough coverage for my eczema. These discomforts could be immediate or occur after wearing the clothes for a while. When I'd pick out my clothes, my bedroom often looked like a tornado had hit it, and my siblings joked about how many outfits I'd go through in a day.

Why I pick out clothes the night before

Now, as an adult and a mother of three young children, mornings are busy. I help my kids get dressed, style their hair, and pack their bags with lunches, snacks, and homework. My time to get ready has significantly decreased, so anything I can do in advance helps me feel less rushed and stressed. That's how the routine of laying out my clothes the night before started.

Do I ever change my outfits?

You might wonder if this routine is foolproof. Most of the time, the outfit I choose is the one I end up wearing. Occasionally, I might scratch an area during the night, making the outfit I chose uncomfortable the next morning. When this happens, I may swap out the sweater for blouse, or choose a different skirt. For example, last night, I chose a sweater with tapered sleeves. While it wasn't highly irritating, the cuff rested on the new raw wounds on my wrist which was uncomfortable. I quickly switched to a different sweater with a looser sleeve, which felt much better.

Having my outfit prepared the night before doesn't always work perfectly, but it saves me a lot of time and frustration. This simple routine has helped me reduce the burden of living with eczema.

What routine have you found helpful in managing the challenges of living with or caring for someone with eczema?