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.
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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.
We have a new adopted 13 year old daughter who has wetting issues and we have her in cloth diapers and rubberpants 24/7.I use babypowder on her with every diaper change and she has only had diaper rash once since we got her.So far we have been lucky that she has not gotten diaper rash since then.
I’m sitting in the bathroom right now while my two year old is playing tsunami in the bathtub next to me, after stumbling upon this amazing blog we went straight for the baking soda and to the tub. It’s only almost 11pm and WAY past her bedtime but she is happy as a clam and just burped pretty loudly due to how much water she’s swallowed. I just want to thank all of you for your words of wisdom! Unless baking soda is actually toxic, I think this previously awful night may end up being alright! 😅
I think you’re good. 😉 Hope you all slept well last night!
I’m so glad I came across all this information. My daughter who is 21 months used pull ups almost 3 weeks ago ( twice) and broke out into the horrible rash. I treated it at home with Dr Smiths & butt paste. It eventually got worse. I took her to her pedi last Thur & dr said it’s a yeast rash. She prescribed Nystatin & after 2 apps it got worse. I called her yesterday & the dr prescribed Nystop powder. I’m using that then putting dr Smiths on top of the powder -I’m now bathing her in the kitchen sink with baking soda & letting her run naked in the house to air things out. So now it’s been 3 weeks & counting, rash still looks the same, my daughter is in tears ALL the time, my husband and I feel for her & it breaks our hearts! Idk what else to do. Dr wants me to give this powder a try for 10 days–geez that will be over a month of a painful rash. ? makes me cry just thinking about it. I’m now going to try Maalox mixture or tea tree oil. I’m desparate RIGHT NOW!!! Thanks for all the great ideas-I’m starting first thing in the morning. Our daughter was doing so well with potty training but that has been placed on hold & to top it off I read online that there are A LOT of children that get yeast rashes & yeast infections from Pull Ups.
My 14 month old developed a terrible yeast diaper rash, here is what really worked for us. No more wipes at all. We use vi a paper towels at each changing. We use a wet paper towel to wash and then we thoroughly dry. Then apply coconut oil and then some triple paste. Every bath in regular size tub has a half cup of baking soda. We cut out all high sugar fruits for a few weeks, no bananas, no grapes, no mangoes…you get it. Done consistently we cured it. Now we still use coconut oil and triple paste and baking soda baths. Good luck to you and your lil love
I swear by Dr. Smiths ointment, not sure if they sell it at CVS or not but I always get it from walgreens. Every rash my daughter has had was pracically gone within hours of using it. I also do the baking soda bath which is also a miracle! I love using “natural” things.
My son wears cloth diapers (Alva Baby). I’ve been using coconut oil to help with his diaper rash that resembles a sunburn. I’m pretty limited to what I can use because a lot of creams can affect the absorbency of the diapers & inserts. I bathe him in Aveeno Oatmeal powder which is wonderful for his skin, but want to know if anyone has ever used it as a diaper rash treatment with cloth diapers.
My 15 month old has the worst diaper rash I’ve ever experienced, which started 3 days after finishing a course of antibiotics. I mean, we’re talking bleeding raw, skin sloughing rash! I’d been using baby powder, A&D, Desitin, all to no avail. Called Peds office for advice and they recommended neosporin, Desitin and aquaphor layered. Tried that for 2 days and just couldn’t stand it anymore! I was crying harder than she was at diaper changes! Took her in to see Peds. They recommended starting probiotics. I’m assuming, given the history of the antibiotic course, that her good bacteria was wiped out! They also recommended baking soda baths (1/4 cup per tub once a day, but I did 1/3 cup and I think I will even try more, at least twice a day). Lastly they said to make a paste using equal parts mupiricin (an antibiotic ointment), triple paste and cortisone 10. I think the steroid might have burned the first time I used it but doesn’t seem to bother her much with each subsequent application. I also do the warm water/soap washes in the sink after BMs, and the hair dryer on low on the counter. And the Dr. also approved when I asked about dabbing on maalox. At work we used to make butt paste that consisted of maalox, zinc and aquaphor, which worked like magic! (Interesting side note: I could not find maalox at 2 pharmacies! Only in combination with other products, so I bought di-gel with 40mg simethicone.) …. I very much like the idea of the lanolin! I have an old unfinished tube and was wondering what to do with it! … Here’s hoping we see some improvement in the next 24-48 hrs! … Thanks for this article and everyone else’s words of wisdom!
Thank you all so much for all this advice. I will have to start trying some of it on my son. He isn’t prone to diaper rashes, but he has one now that brings us both to tears. Here’s hoping something works and saves us a trip to the doctor.
I cannot believe no one has posted anything about ARGO corn starch. My baby was so red on the bottom that I tried everything the dr. told me. My best friend kept telling me to sprinkle ARGO on him…Finally, I listened and the next day the rash was gone..Its an old remedy.
I typically use the purple destin for my boy. However, when the rash is bad the destin stings really really bad. I started using antibiotic ointment with vasoline. It doesn’t burn and it helps heal it. I also soak his bottom in baking soda or Destins oatmeal soak for rashes. Both work wonders but of course baking soda is cheaper and it isn’t harmful if water is swallowed or gets in the eyes. My doctor told me that when he gets diarrhea to use a probiotic. I recommend cultural in the powder packets. The probiotics replace the good bacteria that is lost during loose stools. This can help with the duration of diarrhea. I keep some in my house at all times now. It really does work!! It is a little pricey at about $18.00 a box but the box lasts awhile!!
My daughter was sensitive to even the most sensitive wipes. I tried for 5 days without using wipes at all (except for BM’s which then I used butt paste) and the rash cleared up.