[sixpence1978]

I have been trying to CD for a year now and still haven't completely gotten into it. It just seems like everything I try doesn't work right. My 2 year old keeps getting different types of diaper rash (redness from fleece, other rashes from wetness, etc..). If I'm using prefolds I've tried changing him whenever he's wet but he is a chronic dribbler and I end up changing him every 1/2 hour or so. At that point he is so tired of diapers that he is running away crying. I always consider going back to sposies since we never had rash problems or leaking problems but then I feel guilty about throwing them all away and when I go to put them on him, he says ouchy (but gets over it fast and gets on with playing). Any wool cover I put on him he pulls at until I take it off. I want to start training him soon too but he could care less if he is wet or messy.

I've dabbled in CDing my 2 month old as well. Right now she is also battling a diaper rash (it is dry looking skin with small red dots if anybody knows what that means) which cleared up after a night in sposies. The few CD's we've put on her seem so uncomfortable. Her HH fit nicely except she can't "sit up" at all. She loves to try sitting but the aplix puts so much pressure on her tummy (and she already has GI problems). The FB we sold because they didn't fit her thighs very well (even the L on the tightest setting leaves marks and she's only 12 pounds!). She soaks a prefold in 1 pee (she's a VERY heavy wetter...pees more than my 2 year old).

I'm just getting so tired of being up to my eyeballs in diapers all day long and the rashes that just won't stop but then I feel like a failure because I couldn't even get the easiest system around to work for me.

Any words of advice for somebody who just wants to stop worrying about what my kids are peeing in?

 

[ChiknGirl]

I'm sorry you are having such dificulties with cding and rashes. I don't have any words of wisdom

I'm sure other more experienced mamas will help you out there. I hope you are able to get these issues resolved quickly and you can start enjoying cds.

 

[natashaccat]

Gosh I don't have any advise either, fighting chronic rash sounds horrible.

: it seems like you really have given it a fair try.

Can you afford to buy the envirofriendly sposies? Or maybe just do part time CD's?

I totally understand about somethings just being too much, it's so hard to do all the "right" things and still give your kiddos the one on one time they need.

 

[mamaBlue]

I'm sorry about your diapering difficulties.

Rashes and leakes would stress me out too, and I only have one baby in diapers.

I'm trying to think of a solution for you...Have you tried doing a strip wash and using Calgon with every diaper wash load?

I'll think about this more.

 

[flminivanmama]

hmmm I wonder if it is yeast?

 

[rwikene]

the dry rash with red bumps sound to me like exema...

are you nursing? maybe try eliminating milk out of your diet to see if that helps your little one.

What detergent do you use? maybe it's too harsh? try some biokleen (but keep that away from your pocket diapers and all fleece b/c it will build up)

You know, if it makes you feel better then use sposies for a week while you get your whits about you and strip your diapers. You are not going to be a bad mama if you chose to use sposies, you have given cloth a try and it doesn't seem to be doing the trick right now. I know that you don't *want* to use sposies, but maybe a week break from washing diapers and rashes might clear your head?

how frustrating.

We dealt with rashes with DD for 8mo when she was in sposies, I didn't know to use cloth until I came here. I know how frustrating it is....she would end up with dry red rashes on her bum too. Ugh, then it would spread and spread and she would be red all over....it was truely horrible!!!

 

[Marco Esquandolas]

...that must be so frustrating!

Ok, first off, you need to do as was mentioned-switch to a gentle detergent and strip your dipes to ensure no residue is remaining. You may need to do extra prerinses or final rinses as part of your wash routine too, if you don't already. Also, be sure diapers are entirely dry when you dry them.

Next things-doublers will help with absorbency for both kiddos. These need not be fleece topped if you've established fleece allergies. Maybe try a wool liner under your doubler? I *think* you can just use any wool to do this and cut it into strips, but I'm not 100% on that one. Frequent changes are always good, as is airing out time with nothing on at all. Breathable covers would be key too.

Do you use rash or barrier creams? Maybe you could try different ones out to see which work best, if you haven't already gone that route. You can even use petrolium jelly like vaseline to make a barrier, but know it won't allow for breathing down there. Diff vege oils achieve that effect too. The dreaded desitin always worked wonders for our boys, but I understand if you don't want to risk your diapers (stains) or putting up with the smell.

I'm still brainstorming............hang in there!

 

[sixpence1978]

thanks so far guys!

as far as buildup is concerned, we do have a major problem with that. we have a water softener so i don't use too much detergent. i've mostly used some kind that came with our system since we got like 6 10lb boxes of it. we've also tried sportwash to help on the fleece. we've tried tide and gain as well but the scents really bother me. our hemp inserts always smell as do our prefolds. i even did the bleach thing and even after 2 uses, the smell is back. right now our routine is
prewash on cold with nothing
hot wash cold rinse with 2 spoons of detergent (very little suds though)
hot wash cold rinse with nothing
sometimes another rinse

dd is allergic to dairy, chocolate, and peanuts so i'm off all of those anyways.

one final question...do any of you notice if you put a toddler in like prefolds he will eventually notice his peeing more and start holding it instead of piddling all day?

 

[Jilian]

Have you tried hemp diapers? We use Liz's cloth and no matter how soaked the diaper is, my DS's bum usually feels dry. He doesn't like the feeling of a wet diaper next to his bum and hemp does the trick.

 

[bradenboy]

TWO scoops?

THAT SOUNDS LIKE WAY TOO MUCH!!!

Did you try cutting it in 1/2 or even 1/4?

Wash the diapers like 4 or 5 X in HOT HOT water to strip them...
then wash them from then on w/ the 1/2 or 1/4 of what you normally use.

I have a scoop for my laundry and use so little you can BARELY see it in the scoop(from the side- the detergent is about 1/2 as tall as my pinky)

 

[feather]

Maybe I missed it because I am just skimming this thread, but, did you mention wether or not you ruled out a fleece allergy? I know it is possible to be sensitive to fleece, and I noticed you mentioned using fb and HH, which both are fleece lined. Have you used anything that is not fleece lined, and was the rash there?
By the way, I know what you mean about the aplix on the HH, and the thigh fit on the fb. We had the same problem and cannot use either of those dipes.
Sounds like your littlest would benefit from a good fitted diaper and a pull on cover.
We use:
-Lucyshopechest fitteds
- Liz's cloth hemp fitteds(for nighttime with a hemp prefold inside, with a wool cover)
-Lukes Drawers fitteds with a velour lining
THese are good dipes for heavy wetters and chubby thighs and bellies.
Oh, and I am LOVING our Bearbottoms pull on fleece nighttime cover(which we use for day because ds is a heavy wetter)
We are all about comfort here at my house in the diaper department. I have gone to great lengths to get ds dry and comfy and it has been hard.
Good luck!
Jenn

 

[famousmockngbrd]

I agree with feather - a fitted and a pull-on cover would probably work well for your little one. I had trouble with red marks on Cole, too - we used ME AF and Bummi covers and I had one PUL AIO (I forget from where) and they all left marks on him. We got a Stacinator So Simple, which is PUL but has fleece cuffs on the waist and legs - so if your baby does have a fleece allergy, that wouldn't work. But, I was reading from someone on here recently that fleece allergies are actually very uncommon, because fleece is basically just plastic so if you were allergic to it you would be allergic to tons of other things too (basically anything made of plastic). This person said (I wish I could remember who it was) that "fleece allergy" is usually really a reaction to detergent buildup.

ANYWAY - the So Simple worked great, no marks, but then we decided we were

people and that has worked well, too - no red marks. We use Sugar Peas and a Fuz Easy. We also have a pull-on soaker from www.hiddenpearlcreations.com that works well and seems very comfortable on him, and was pretty cheap.

 

[sixpence1978]

no, i don't think it is a fleece allergy actually. just detergent build up most likely. it happens more with my FB than with my HH (newest fleece).

i should clarify though...my scoop in the laundry detergent is a regular kitchen spoon, so it would be about 2 TBSP of detergent.

i like fitteds with the exception of the drying times. and the quick-dry ones seem like more work to me than a prefold. i actually do like my prefolds and was considering a hemp one or something.

 

[Asquaredmom]

If you are considering a switch to hemp prefolds, babykicks.com's hemparoo fleece prefolds are very absorbent!

I used the red stitching size to stuff an XL FB for my then 4yo and it handled even her first pee in the morning without a leak, ever!

It sounds likely that the rashes are a detergent/build up problem.

Have you tried different detergents?

 

[Mom2Sailor]

I've had trouble with rashes and my dd also. Here's what I've finally figured out works best for us.... a disposable diaper at night. We use cloth all day long and by the end of the day she's almost always a little red. She gets a bath, a tiny dab of A&D and a Huggies for the night. In the morning she always looks nice and normal again.

I would prefer to use cloth only but I am willing to compromise on that one throw-away dipe a day for her comfort. HTH!
~Kira

 

[MissSugarKane]

Have you checked with a doctor about the rashes? Maybe it is yeast , exema , or a bacterial infection. When I first started cding ds had a rash that wouldn't go away. It turned out to be a version of strep. A perscription for an antibiotic cream cleared it up.