Dealing with Diaper Rashes: 10 Tips for Parents
Reading time: 3 minutes
Nothing pulls on our hearts as much as a baby that’s in pain or uncomfortable. One of the most common conditions causing discomfort is diaper rash.
Believe it or not, there are 3 types of diaper rash: Contact Diaper Rash, Ammonia Burn, and Yeast Diaper Rash. Each is classified as a form of dermatitis and emerges as red, blotchy patches that are sensitive to the touch. These conditions can range from simple skin irritation to painful bleeding and blisters.
Diaper rash occurs for a variety of reasons including chaffing, extended exposure to a wet/dirty diaper, or changes in a breastfeeding mother/child’s diet. While it’d be most comfortable for our little ones to roam bare bottomed, it isn’t a realistic option for most parents so we must take precautionary measures to protect our child’s sensitive skin from moisture, synthetics, and yeast during diapering.
Diaper rash is easy to treat at home. Here are some strategies to help.
1. Change baby’s diaper often – This is the simplest way to ensure diaper rashes don’t happen. If your baby wets his diaper, change it within the hour. If he dirties his diaper, it needs to be changed immediately.
2. Don’t put diapers on too tight – A tight diaper prevents air flow, which creates the perfect environment for moisture to get trapped. Don’t worry, it won’t leak!
3. Clean baby’s bottom – You should be cleaning baby’s bottom with at least a wipe whenever you change the diaper. Just because he didn’t go #2 doesn’t mean he’s clean. Baby urine is very clear, so it’s hard to see on the skin. Give the entire area a wipe down, even the back of legs and small of the back.
4. Avoid harmful wipes – Some wipes made for adults use alcohol or propylene glycol. They also might contain fragrance (and who knows what’s in that). Always use wipes made especially for babies, I love Water Wipes for sensitive skin, which are 99.9% water and .1% pure fruit extract.
5. Dry the skin after a change – The point is to keep moisture off the skin, right? Many parents neglect to dry the skin. After using an unscented wipe or soft cotton cloth to wash the area. Pat your baby’s bottom dry and air-dry completely.
6. Spend time without the diaper – It’s healthy for your baby’s skin if you give them some time every day without the diaper so the skin can breathe and dry out naturally. (Obviously, you’ll want to let them play on a towel or blanket you don’t mind washing!)
7. Change diapers or cleaning routine – If your baby is constantly getting diaper rashes, he may be irritated by one or several of the chemicals used in the diaper. Try changing brands. If you use cloth diapers, consider how you launder them. You might want to change your brand of soap.
8. Stay clear of baby power and starches – The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against the use of baby powder because of it can cause serious respiratory damage to any baby who inhales the particles. If however, you opt to use baby powder, be sure it doesn’t contain corn starch because this will worsen a yeast diaper rash.
9. Use a diaper cream – Good for preventing diaper rashes and treating them, a diaper cream should be a part of your diaper bag/station. Barrier creams such as Triple Paste, Desitin, Balmex, and AD&D will keep moisture from irritating your baby’s skin. I also recommend purchasing an anti-fungal ointment that is all-natural and 100% free of chemicals that is useful for yeast infections and facilitating healing.
10. Put some breast milk on it – Breast milk is often a cure-all and has been found to cure some skin conditions. You can use breast milk to treat diaper rash by expressing milk onto the rash or infected area and letting it air-dry. This miracle solution is made by mom and has an abundance of healing qualities; some moms claim it works better than anything available for purchase. It’s worth a try!
Written by Melissa LaHann, Founder and CEO of Happy Fig, LLC
Like many moms before her, Melissa cradled her hungry, crying baby as she clumsily adjusted her bra and sat uncomfortably holding up her shirt. Before she knew it, her baby was squirming, her shirt was falling, and the nursing session was interrupted. She needed a better solution, so she created LatchPal, the first nursing clip of its kind.
LatchPal is a breastfeeding shirt clip that holds up a mother’s shirt during breastfeeding. It eliminates shirt re-positioning and feeding disruptions, and helps a mom nurse hands-free in comfort to maximize milk flow. LatchPal was designed with moms in mind. The multi-use solution only requires one hand to latch. It’s a must-have breastfeeding accessory and essential for post-partum moms, pumping moms, and nursing in public.
Interested in writing a guest blog for LatchPal? Send your topic idea to pr@latchpal.com.
All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. LatchPal makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, current-ness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.
