Natural Children’s Remedies: Bottoms Up! The Dreaded Diaper Rash
Despite being the most common skin disorder of infancy, diaper rashes can be difficult to get rid of. We just celebrated my son’s first birthday and we’re still dealing with the occasional diaper rash. Trying to isolate the offending source can be a case of detective work, since the causes are numerous. Dr. Greene and the Sears docs highlight the most common causes. I highly recommend checking out both of their sites if you’re dealing with a persistent rash. This week I’ll offer up some suggestions for keeping your little one’s skin soft as a baby’s bum.
Let it go! Inevitably, all babies will experience the dreaded diaper rash. Sensitive skin + moisture + friction = rash! Let’s work on preventing and treating this inevitable certainty.
Change it up! Frequent diaper changes minimize the amount of time offending excrements remain on your baby’s skin. You may also want to consider alternating the type and/or brand of diaper you’re using. While I am all for finding the best deals on diapers (Baby Cheapskate is THE go-to source for “stockopportunities”), I found that I was spending more money on wipes, creams, and other “remedies” for my son’s persistent rashes. After trying nearly 10 brands of diapers, we’ve finally settled on Seventh Generation’s Chlorine Free Diapers. They are hypoallergenic, fragrance and latex-free. More importantly is that they are soft; keep my son dry, and rash-free. Since they can be a bit pricey, buy them in bulk on Diapers.com or Amazon.com. I’ll save the great green debate on cloth v. disposable diapers for a later time and provide you with a list of chlorine-free diaper alternatives:
TenderCare Plus Diapers are free from chlorine, latex, perfumes, TBT (Tributyltin), and GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms)
TushiesDiapers are free from gels, latex, perfumes, dyes, TBT, GMO, and chlorine.
MotherNature Diapers are free from latex, TBT, and chemical binders.
Nature BabyCare diapers are chlorine-free and derived from corn-based materials.
G Diapers are the only flushable diaper available on the market. They strike a nice balance between the comfort of cloth and the ease of disposable. We tried these with my son and loved them but found the refills to be a little pricey. The refills are free of plastic, chlorine, perfumes, and fragrance.
Why chlorine-free? If you’re like me, I used to associate white with clean. Unfortunately, the harsh chemicals used to get your diapers sparkling white very often irritate the soft, sensitive skin of babies.
Do your homework. Check out The Green Guide’s report on the environmental and personal health effects of conventional disposable diapers.
Pair organic cotton cloth diapers with wool diaper covers and you virtually eliminate your baby’s exposure to plastics. Since you control the type of detergent used, I find this to be the most natural solution (but not necessarily the greenest).
Sckoon’s 100% Egyptian organic cotton cloth diapers, liners, and covers are super soft and super cute!
Tiny Tush’s Trim Organic One-Size Cloth Diapers are a fab steal since they can be used all through infancy into toddlerhood (up to 35 pounds).
Under The Nile makes a super cozy organic cotton terry knit cloth diaper
Check out the fab selection of organic wool diaper covers from Little Beetle, Tiny Birds Organics, Tiny Tush, Imse Vimse, and Disana.
Wipe out! Another chemical offender is the oh-so-convenient, not-always-natural baby wipe. We could be product testers for all of the wipes we’ve tried. For the first month of our son’s life we used soft gauze and plain water and I highly recommend doing the same if your baby’s skin does not tolerate wipes. Conventional baby wipes make life a lot easier, particularly when on the go, but contain a slew of irritants that may be contributing to your baby’s sore bum. Chlorine, alcohol, fragrance, and other synthetic ingredients are the most likely culprits. Whole Foods’ private label 365 brand of wipes are chlorine-free, unscented, and hypoallergenic. They are super soft and contain aloe vera and Vitamin E. They are also the most affordable chlorine-free wipe available. Check out these all-natural alternatives:
Seventh Generation’s Chlorine-Free Baby Wipes are hypoallergenic, unscented, and alcohol-free. They also contain Vitamin E and aloe vera.
Avalon Organics’ flushable biodegradable baby wipes are a soothing blend of organic aloe, calendula, chamomile, witch hazel, and Vitamin E.
Check out Nature BabyCare’s Chlorine-Free Wipes sold at select Target stores.
Tushies hypoallergenic unscented wipes are free from propylene glycol, alcohol, parabens, and GMOs. They also contain aloe vera and Vitamin E.
Natracare’s Organic Cotton Baby Wipes are free from parabens, phenoxyethanol, SHG, and propylene glycol. Their lovely smell is the resultant blend of organic apricot oil, chamomile, and linden. We actually LOVE these wipes but they are very difficult to find.
Jackson Reece’s Soothing Herbal Wipes are free from alcohol, parabens, sodium laureth & lauryl sulfate, and lanolin. They’re made with organic aloe vera, organic tea tree oil, and organic lavender essential oil. While they can only be found in brick & mortar stores in the UK, you can purchase them online at MotherNature.com!
If you’ve opted for cloth diapers why not pair them with cloth wipes? They’re versatile and reusable. Check out Imse Vimse’s Organic Flannelette Wipes, Organic Caboose’s combination wipe/washcloth, Under The Niles Organic Cotton Baby Wipes, Firefly Diapers’ organic cotton wipes, Northern Essence’s Organic Cloth Wipes, or Better For Babies Organic Velour Wipes.
Ambitious? Try making your own baby wipes!
Before I resort to creams, lotions, balms, and ointments I try the following strategies at the first sign of redness:
Air it out – moisture inevitably leads to skin. Let your child roam diaper-free…if you dare. Or simply blow-dry your baby’s bottom on the lowest setting.
Breast is best – the same immune boosting properties inherent in breast milk can heal your baby’s bum. Rub in and allow to air dry.
Bathe in this – Add a little oatmeal to your child’s bath and let your child soak for 10-15 minutes…if he or she will stay put. Oatmeal soothes irritated skin.
Yo-mommy – If you’re nursing, adding some yogurt to your diet can prevent the growth of yeast (a common cause of diaper rash) in GI tract, diaper area, and mouth of babies. Be sure to choose a yogurt containing lactobacillus cultures. Hat tip to Dr. Greene.
Barrier methods! Olive oil, cod liver oil, mineral oil, vegetable oil, and shortening are wonderfully natural skin protectants. Avoid cod liver oil if using cloth diapers unless you want your baby smelling like the Fish Market! Hat tip to Pinstripes and Polkadots.
Wash it away! If you’re using cloth diapers, be sure to choose a hypoallergenic laundry detergent free from dyes and fragrances. Rinsing twice and adding a half-cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle will help remove alkaline irritants. Hat tip to the Sears docs.
Cliff Note – I don’t recommend cornstarch because it has the potential to aggravate a yeast infection. Use caution if you choose to use Lanolin (widely used in over-the-counter diaper rash remedies), as it is a known allergen.
If you’d rather skip the DIY remedies, try one of the following au-natural creams, balms, and ointments:
Natural Eco Organic’s Diaper Distress Cream contains lavender, which acts as an antiseptic and possesses healing and calming properties and tea tree oil, which acts as both an antibacterial and an antifungal.
Tush is derived from organic hempseed oil and contains omega 3 and 6 oils to improve skin health and soothe inflammation.
Check out Northern Essence’s complete line of therapeutic diaper remedies including Diaper Dust, Better Butt (er) Cream, All Natural Diaper Rash Salves, and a very cool Foaming Wipes Solution.
Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Diaper Ointment is rich in Vitamins A and E to nourish your baby’s skin and chamomile to moisturize and soothe. Almond oil and beeswax form a natural barrier.
California Baby’s line of products include a Calming Diaper Rash Cream, a Non-Burning & Calming Diaper Area Wash, and a Calendula Cream.
ErbaOrganics makes an organic aloe, shea butter, organic beeswax, and zinc diaper cream that’s sure to soothe that sore bum.
Earth Mama, Angel Baby’s Bottom Balm is a vegan alternative to soothe your baby’s sore bum. Organic olive oil is infused with organic herbs, shea butter, and essential oils.
Be sure to check out Avalon Organics, Aura Cacia, Nature’s Gate, Nature’s Baby Organics, Little Twig, and Weleda for their diapering remedies. These leaders in all-natural skin care manufacture top-of-the line products, many of which contain organic ingredients.
If your child’s diaper rash persists, despite home treatment, be sure to see your pediatrician.
July 10th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
We switched to cloth diapers when DD was 6 months old and haven’t seen a rash since! For wipes we use California Baby Diaper Area Wash paired with cloth wipes. We love it!
July 11th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
[...] thanks for the “hat tip” in your column on PeekabooPicks. Many moms don’t know that adding yogurt to your diet while nursing can prevent the growth of [...]
July 15th, 2008 at 12:47 am
My son had an awful diaper rash when he was a newborn and after weeks of trying everything under the sun (including air dry which STUNK), my mother recommended the following treatment which worked in less than 24 hours. For the record, she is a pediatric nurse…
Slather on Triple Paste and put a triple layer pad (like a steri pad) on either butt cheek (or wherever the rash is) and then put on the diaper. It was incredible – and gone the next day…