Curing Diaper Rash
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The following is written by LifeasMOM contributor, Lauren:
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If you have a little one, it is almost inevitable that he will battle diaper rash at some point. Whether it is diaper rash as a side effect from medicine or from a reaction to certain diapers, it can be a tough problem to cure.
While there are many good diaper creams on the market, there are also some simple things you can do to make diaper rash less painful for your little one.
Ways to Combat Simple Diaper Rash
Skip the Disposable Wipes
While diaper wipes are ultra convenient, they are filled with chemicals. When using them on broken skin, the wipes can irritate the skin further and cause a reaction that looks like a burn – and feels like one too! Disposable Wipes seem to only make diaper rash worse because they don’t give the skin a chance to heal.
Use Warm Water and Gentle Soap
Instead of using disposable wipes on bums with diaper rash, simply use plain warm water on a clean washcloth. If you need to use soap, only use a small amount of gentle “baby” soap. The fewer soaps, detergents and chemicals on your baby’s skin during this time, the better.
Use a Barrier Cream
Choose a good barrier cream that has an ample amount of zinc oxide. Be faithful in using it every time a diaper is changed.
Change Your Baby Often
Babies should have their diapers changed often – every couple of hours at least. Even though most modern disposable diapers are made to hold 6-8 hours of urine doesn’t mean that they should. The more frequently a baby is changed, the quicker simple diaper rash will heal.
photo source
But what about the kind of diaper rash that doesn’t respond to diaper creams? Or using plain warm water at changing time?
Here are two great tricks we use to treat the more difficult type of diaper rash when it shows up at our house. You know the kind: the rash that comes when a baby is taking antibiotics or has loose stools during a stomach bug. It can be heartbreaking to change diapers when it hurts your little one so terribly!
Use Baking Soda
Baking soda is my go-to resource when battling a really bad case of diaper rash. Its healing properties haven’t failed me yet! Here’s my method:
Each time I change a diaper, I wash the baby’s bottom with a mixture of warm water and baking soda. I dissolve 2-3 heaping tablespoons of baking soda in about 3-4 cups of water and then dip my washcloth in the solution prior to washing the baby’s skin. Then I use another dry washcloth and lightly pat the skin dry before fastening the diaper. Don’t rub the skin dry, as you want the baking soda solution to stay on the skin to decrease acidity.
If I know that I’m going to need the baking soda solution all day, I make a batch in the morning and place it in an old wipes container and out of reach of my other littles. If you choose to make one
container for the day, make sure you use a clean, dry washcloth each time you use your solution to avoid contaminating it.
Also, at bath time I bathe the baby in a baking soda bath. I use about 1 full cup of baking soda in a bath tub of water. Pour the baking soda into the tub and dissolve while filling the tub with warm water. Again, make sure to pat the skin dry as to not rub off the baking soda.
photo source
Liberally use Lanolin
Mothers tend to think of lanolin in relation to the early days of breastfeeding. But it has so many other healing and soothing properties! It is an excellent skin barrier and can safely be used on broken skin where other creams cannot.
To use lanolin, squirt a small dime-size amount on the ends of your fingers and “work it” between your fingers a few moments. The heat of your skin will make it more pliable and easy to work with. After it becomes more elastic, simply dab it onto your baby’s skin. Put it on anywhere the baby’s skin needs protection. This is an especially good product to use at night time when your baby won’t be changed as
often.
When to See the Doctor
Some cases of diaper rash just can’t be treated at home. Occasionally they can progress into yeast or a secondary infection. If you have concerns about your baby’s diaper rash not healing or not responding to your treatment at home, go ahead and give your pediatrician a call.
What’s YOUR cure?
Do your babies have experience with frequent diaper rash? What have you found to be the best at-home treatment methods?
– Lauren Hill is the ‘Mama’ behind Mama’s Learning Corner, a site that features all kinds of educational ideas and tips as well as free printable worksheets. She is the mom of four young children and loves to learn alongside them.
I am receptionist in a doctors office and one of the patients (ex nurse) informed me that vinegar is one of the best things for diaper rashes and sunburns. I have never tried this myself.
You are going to think I am crazy, but we had a very bad diaper rash and made a trip to the doctor to make sure that is was not a yeast or other infection. My doctor is not afraid to think outside the box and use other methods besides “medicine”.
She told us to go by “bag balm”. She said some construction workers use it for severe chapped hands in the winter.
I went to Walmart and asked the pharmacist where it was. She knew exactly what i was asking for and said it worked, then she directed me to the pet department. YES you find it in the pet department. It works wonders, I now use it if regular diaper ointment doesn’t do the job after one or two tries. Never fails. It doesn’t look or smell pretty, but it works.
You’re not crazy. I’ve bought it in the pharmacy of Target and at other drug stores.
Bag Balm is all I will use! I have tried every over the counter brand of diaper cream, some of them work (sometimes, but not all the time) and depending on the rash my baby will scream as soon as it touches his skin from it burning. Bag balm doesnt bother him no matter what type of rash. He has yeast rashes not often than any others and it always works…..it will be gone over night!
Side note; I have always used it in the winter time on my feet and hands! Put it on thick with a pair of socks when you go to bed. Your feet are healed, soft and feel great in the morning! 🙂
This is amazing for every day up to the worst when it looks like a chemical burn and they get little broken skin dots through it. It soothes while healing and keeping a barrier from urine and stool as well.
Also when baby is crying out when u begin to clean with wipes at change time, when u know there is pain with it you can use a baby rag ( don’t recommend a regular wash cloth it can be harsh when skin is so fragile and “burned”) or even a baby wipe is okay just rinse a few times to get any chemical off. Rinse and cleanse area just enough. ( Don’t wanna cause any extra pain)
Then take. Price of a brown paper bag and soak in plain white vinegar and let set on baby’s bottom. Smell not great but it will pull all the sting out.
This remedy is more common for sunburn. But many rashes turn to a burn type skin and soaking brown paper bag and using the vinegar every time on cloth or wipe to clean at change time and as much bare bottom time you can give along with using bag balm when they have to wear a diaper Will not only heal quickly but will allow much more re comfort during healing time. All of this is safe from birth on up as well.
Good luck.!!
Watching your baby endure pain trying multiple things to “fix” them all the while painful time is passing is so miserable for a parent!
From an accidental expert:
We’re huge fans of Aveeno diaper rash cream, Aquaphor, and as a last resort, prescription Nystatin (for diaper rash coming from a yeast-infection).
I LOVE baking soda for cleaning–how did I not know it worked for diaper rash too? I’ll definitely be trying that next time. Thanks, Lauren!
Oh you’re welcome! And it’s cheap – the best part!
My daughter had terrible diaper rash – to the point that she required two pediatrician appointments. The doctor wanted her to be seen by a pediatric dermatologist! The wait was 3 months! As I was getting another prescription filled, I mentioned the story to the pharmacist, a mom of two.
“Have you tried changing the brand of diapers you use?” she asked.
I had been using Pampers; she suggested Huggies.
Before I left the store, I bought a pack.
Two days later, my daughter’s terrible rash was gone, never to reappear.
I cancelled the specialist appointment!
We used A&D or the longest time but hated the smell. Then discovered Baby Aquaphor by Eucerin… Cures diaper rash within hours.
Thanks for the baking soda tip! That’s a new one to me.
When zinc oxide isn’t working, I usually turn to A&D ointment. It’s thicker, like lanolin. My doctor also recommends a mixture of zinc oxide cream and bacitracin, which is an antibiotic.
When I have a baby with a rash, I set an alarm on my phone and check their diaper every hour. As a homchooling mom of 4, I often get very busy and forget, so the alarm is a great way to make sure I’m on top of the rash.
Love the alarm idea. 😉 I’ll have to use that.
When diaper rashes are bright red and slightly raised, that’s a yeast rash. If baby has a yeast rash, it’s likely that mom does, too.
If you are breastfeeding, take acidophilus yourself, and don’t eat sugar. This will help cut the yeast in your own system and baby will get the acidophilus in your milk. I found this usually works within a day to cure diaper rash caused by yeast.
This trick also works with bottle fed babies, but be sure to use a baby acidophilus and mix it into the bottle.
Lastly, I sprinkle acidophilus directly on the rash. And I let them go without a diaper (put them on a pad you don’t mind washing) so their sore cheeks can get some air.
By combating an overgrowth of yeast in the early years, you enable good intestinal health in baby’s future.
My daughter had a bad diaper rash once and our doctor proscribed an ointment. When we got to the pharmacy, they told me it would be 24 hours before it was ready, but that I could make it on my own at home. Use equal parts Aquafore and liquid Maalox (or any type of brand), squish it together in a plastic baggie until mixed and apply. It worked WONDERS!!!!!!!! I always had some on hand in a tupperware container. I swear by it!
I totally forgot about Maalox. I worked as an RN for 10 years and this was a frequent doctor’s order for hard to treat diaper rashes. I haven’t thought about that treatment in a long time!
I’m not sure of the rationale, but they required Cherry Flavored Maalox in the hospital. They said Mint (or other flavors) don’t work as effectively.
Glad you mentioned it!
-Lauren
It’s my understanding that the mint has been reported to sting.
We battled blistery baby bottom for 2 months as we attempted to figure out cause, stripping diapers, reducing (and prepared to eliminate) milk from nursing mama’s diet, various creams, the bare butt, rotating between tea tree mix to battle the yeast to calendula when there was broken skin, etc. A friend suggested the diaper cream/pepto mix as recommended by her doctor several years ago- immediately results within hours and gone in 3 days totally.
I was going to post the same thing!
what kind of diaper cream did you use with the pepto mix? i switched my babys diaper and now she got a bad rash! 🙁 but went and bought the brand she used before i dont recommend huggies snug and dry! worst diaper ever!
Coconut flour instead of baby powder. Best thing I ever did!!
My oldest had diaper rash CONSTANTLY. She had a lot of allergies (check for that if your baby has a frequent rash) and she had sensitive skin. My ultimate best solution was a homemade cream with coconut oil, beeswax, and a few other ingredients. The recipe is on my blog. When even a prescription cream couldn’t touch it, I came up with that. Usually cured it overnight.
I went to your link and I cannot find the recipe. would you link me please? thank you! I use cocout oil, and tea tree oil.
We have only had one really severe diaper rash here, and I found all of the above to be SO true. By following the steps above, we nixed it in under 24 hours. The most effective ointment that we used was Boudreaux’s Butt Paste.
I am a huge Butt Paste fan- it works wonders! My son has been having loose stools to accompany teething, so his little bum got very red and irritated. Butt Paste took care of it in less than 24 hours. I give Butt Paste to new moms as shower gifts all the time. It is worth the extra expense.
I did the baking soda bath and air out but now when I put his diaper back on, use the butt paste?