Please help!!! Tiny baby, bulky prefolds and a nasty yeast rash

[waiting2bemommy]

dd is 2 weeksold and has been completely cloth diapered except for a couple outings where she started out in a cloth diaper and then got changed into a pamper while we were away from the house.

She currently weighs 8 lbs 5 oz, so still newborn size and although I have a few very cute secondhand fitteds/AIO's I basically save those for middle of the night changes or if we're going somewhere and use prefolds the rest of the time. The problem is, she is SOAKING them!!! I noticed yesterday that she had started to get a rash, and at her 2 week checkup today, the doc prescribed antifungal cream because it is yeast. I'm sure it's because she is onstantly wet. I change her regularly, every 2-3 hours round the clock, at least and immediately after a nursing session and whenever hear her poop. With ds he was in pampers still at this point, but I stopped changing him at night at, like, 5 days old. and he NEVER, not for one day in is life, had a rash like this.

I use gerber prefolds and a variety of covers...I have like 4 or 5 covers. but she is so little I don't see howI could possibly bunch any more fabric between her little legs for more absorbancy, yet she is almost always soaking wet!!!!

Am I doing something wrong? Do I just have to change her every half an hour or something? Maybe i's thway I'm folding the diaper???

[chely7425]

We use prefolds and covers from birth, and the Gerber prefolds really kind of suck. We have prefolds from Green Mountain Diapers but many other stores sell very good quality prefolds that will have a LOT more absorbency. Also, my boys at 2 weeks old still needed to be changed every 1-2 hours, sometimes more. At night we used AIOs or pockets so they had the stay dry inner since they sometimes slept a bit longer.

[chely7425]

I also just thought of this.... if your baby has had a yeast infection of any sort I believe you would need to sanitize your diapers, I do this with bleach but I believe there are other ways also if you don't want to use bleach!

[octobermom]

2-3 hours is a long time for a diaper on a little one. Mines just about 2 months old and were still going through around 15-20 diapers a day. Gerbers are jsut not great diapers there lousy with assorbancy and too big for wee ones but too small for most older ones. (work well as pocket stuffers though) You might want to waither look into changing more often, better profolds or consider trying some pockets which will help wick mositure from your LO between diaper changes.

Deanna

[octobermom]

oh another you could try a barrier cream. I sometimes coat my LO bum in targets brand A&D ointment to protect her bum from moisture from wet diaper. It washes off prefolds fine.

Deanna

[LionessMom]

do you have the gerber ones that have the padding in the middle. it is a synthetic sponge. i would trash those and get green mountain ones. if you cant then i second the bleach to kill the yeast. you need nakey bum time and a healing salve for when diapered. how do you wash them. did the doc swab for yeast? use a liner to keep her drier. bathe her and leave her naked to dry.

[Maine Mama Doula]

Do whatever you need to do to get the rash better, even if you have to use disposables. Then look at your diapers and your was routine. The diapers would need to be boiled to get rid of yeast. I really like green mountain prefolds and would recommend replacing your Gerber diapers with those. They are very reasonably priced. Then make sure you wash them right from the beginning. I have a HUGE stash of cloth diapers and none are being used because they ALL are contaminated with either yeast or detergent or something. It started when we switched to a front loader washer and with 3 in diapers (now 2), I've just invested all the time I had into washing each load 3, sometimes 4 times (mostly rinsing). I couldn't do it anymore and I've been thinking about investing in new diapers now that we've switched back to our old washer. We'll see. Bottom line: fix the rash then deal with the diapers. Buy new ones if you can and use the old ones as rags!

[waiting2bemommy]

thanks for the replies. I only have one pack of disposables and can't afford to replace the cloth diapers or buy more pampers so i would need to boil the gerber diapers on the stove? and then change much more frequently to prevent another breakout. I normaly wash the diapers on hot with an extra rinse....is that ok? they always come out smelling fresh.....

[Ellien C]

Originally Posted by waiting2bemommy

I use gerber prefolds and a variety of covers...I have like 4 or 5 covers. but she is so little I don't see howI could possibly bunch any more fabric between her little legs for more absorbancy, yet she is almost always soaking wet!!!!

I second all of the advice. Gerber "prefolds" are spit rags in our house. Useless as diapers. Even with my thick cotton prefolds I'm changing way more than 2-3 hours. I check about every half-hour and change when wet. And yeast needs hot water and hot dryer to be killed.

The thing about bunching fabric - remember that the babies aren't walking yet - their ligaments are loose, so they don't mind that stuff bunched between their legs like we would. They can still put their feet in their mouths and do splits, etc. I wouldn't worry about that.

Is there anyway you can get something else for diapers? Do you have an abundance of cotton receiving blankets you could use? Have you posted on the trading post here or on Craigs list that you need cloth diapers? There might be someone willing to just GIVE you some old diapers.

[Ola_]

If you're looking for inexpensive prefolds, I think Little Lions has seconds of their infant size at $13/dozen right now. I agree with others that changing more often is a good idea, and I'd add some vinegar to the rinse next time as it's good for killing yeastie bugs.

For now, you can try doubling up the Gerber's prefolds and use the bikini-twist fold - it reduces the bulk between the legs.

[averlee]

My daughter would rash up if left in a wet diaper for any amount of time. I started skipping the covers, to let more air circulate, and so I could tell right away when she peed. We had 40 homemade diapers and used them all every day.

[luv-my-boys]

I agree with all the other posters Gerber prefolds really are not "diapers" they are at best maybe a soaker if folded up.

Another tip is to give your baby some "air time" lay them on a towel or blanket with no diaper to allow some air to hit their bum and help dry them especially immediately after changing a diaper. Also really on a newborn I found changing them every 1-1.5 was the longest I could go. Really if you told have a good diaper to soak up the wetness you will need to change more often as they are basically sitting wet.