Please, help with diaper rash!

[ktmama]

My poor little 18 day old dd has a whopper of a diaper rash. She's been in disposables because her cloth dipes are too big, but we finally switched over yesterday (even though they come down to her knees LOL). Could that be causing it? Or is it something I'm eating? Her poop is a good color and she dirties about 4 or 5 diapers a day and she's nursing a lot, etc...I'm using cloth wipes, but adding a few drops of lavender and tea tree oils to the water in the warmer. As for remedies, I've been using Nipple Cream, but it's not helping. Going to try breast milk and air today. Any other suggestions? TIA.

[Anguschick1]

W/ds we spent a lot of time w/air & breastmilk. Maybe just spray water on the wipes right before you use them? In case it's the lavender (my sis's son is allergic) that's bothering. When I was seriously sleep deprived I would set a timer and change ds everytime it dinged - I forget now if I did it every 20 or 30 minutes? It was extremely often and surprisingly he was peeing/pooping that often at that age.

Also - are you drinking / consuming lots of dairy? It's one of the easiest things to cut out of your diet, but it takes 14 days totally without it before your body is completely rid of it. Ds was allergic to the cassein/milk protein and I was drinking milk/eating cheese like a fiend those first weeks, so cutting out dairy helped him also.

Good Luck!

[heldt123]

I will second water for the wipes, I just run our cloth wipes in warm water. Also, air ( lay on a towel or loosly wrap a towel between legs like a loose diaper) and frequent changed help a lot as does plain vasaline or other diaper rash cream. Disposables are notorious for diaper rash because you can't tell as easily when they pee. Also, make sure you are changing at night as well. My first son ended up getting rashes a lot because I didn't change him as much at night. I'm using cloth this time and I had no idea that they went that often. : Haven't had any problems with diaper rash this time compared to the frequent problems last time. Good luck.

[MAMom]

I'm visitng from the Feb 2006 due date club...but saw your post & wanted to reply. We've had a lot of luck with bathing DS's bum with a gentle cleanser & warm water a couple times per day, then a diaper cream (we use Hyland's Diaper Ointment - it has Calendula in it and works wonderfully. I buy it at Whole Foods, Wild Oats or the local health food store - they all carry it. Usually the diaper rash is gone the next day.

Dr. Sears also has good diaper rash remedy info on his site, including a section on "Identifying Specific Diaper Rashes". Fungal rashes may need something stronger, like anti-fungal cream -- which we had to use a couple of times on DS.
________________________________________
SAHM to a spectacular little boy, born 5/2003 :bf Feb 2006!
"When you teach your son, you teach your son's son." ~ The Talmud

[~Megan~]

If nothing here works try posting in diapering, those mamas know their rash stuff!

[WriterMama]

I love Bag Balm. It's lanolin based. The best stuff ever for diaper rashes

http://www.healthcentral.com/peoples...408/20281.html

[ktmama]

Thanks for the responses, ladies. Things seem to be clearing up with breast milk (right on the rash!) and air. In terms of the products suggested - any probs washing it out of cloth dipes?

[Jaimep]

I haven't used it but I wouldn't do anything with Lanolin since it repels water. I think it would be hard to wash out. A diaper cream made from all natural stuff would be better. My friend sells some GREAT diaper cream.

www.naturalnewborn.com