Have you ever wondered about a diaper rash? Why do babies get them, how long will they stay, and how can they be cleared up? Yes it is true that babies in cotton, cloth diapers, will have less diaper rash, but there will still be times of diaper rash. It is important to learn the causes of diaper rash to help narrow the solutions to get the rash healed.
Major Causes of Diaper Rash:
Soiled and Wet Diapers: Though cloth diaper are absorbent they don’t have any ultra absorbent synthetic gels to wick moisture from the skin. It is important to change frequently since some babies develop a rash even with a short time in a soiled diaper.
Tip: Frequent changing (every 1-2 hours) will definitely help. You can also add a cloth diaper safe cream to help clear it up.
Teething: All babies will go through growth spurts and times of great development. During the teething stage especially it is likely that you will find more diaper rash. There is excess saliva during teething which translates into the rash.
Tip: Change your baby more often during this time or leave more naked time for air exposure.
Diet Changes, Allergies, New Foods: As your diet as a nursing mother changes sometimes the results will translate into a diaper rash. Perhaps as you transition into solid foods, more berries, or acidic food you will notice more rashing. Also there will be some reactions due to allergies. Most of these will clear up with time as the stomach lining adapts to the new foods.
Tip: This passes with time, but using cloth diaper safe cream in the meantime will help. Also more frequent changes can help.
Sickness and Medications: During sickness babies often will develop a rash due to their body attempting to fight whatever bacteria is present. Babies on antibiotic are more likely to develop some sort of rash. For those that develop a yeast infection, consult a doctor to get recommendation on treatment.
Tip: It is important to clean diapers thoroughly after a yeast infection to insure all yeast spores are killed. Frequent changes and air time will help clear up the irritation.
Super Acidic Urine (Ammonia): Some babies produce more acidic urine which can cause irritation on the skin.
Tip: Start with a bit higher of a pH diaper (more basic) that will balance the acidic urine. Also watch the buildup on the diapers from detergents etc. More frequent diaper changes will help as well.
Soiled and Wet Diapers: Though cloth diaper are absorbent they don’t have any ultra absorbent synthetic gels to wick moisture from the skin. It is important to change frequently since some babies develop a rash even with a short time in a soiled diaper.
Tip: Frequent changing will definitely help while also using cloth diaper safe cream.
If rashes are persistent and do not get better over time it is important to consult a physician. These are simply guidelines for narrowing down causes of rashes, but in no way will every rash be solved with our tips. If you are looking for cloth diaper safe creams read The Downlow on Cloth Creams.
