Cloth Diapers & Diaper Rash

He sounds like a newborn, so my guess might be laundry detergent. Are you using something like Dreft? You might change detergent to see if that helps. Butt Paste has been the best thing for my kids, but my belief is that everyone is different so something else might work for you.

Have you tried coating his tush with Aquaphor at night before he goes to bed. It creates a barrier and keeps the wetness away from his skin. We swear by Aquaphor and use it for everything from diaper rash to dry lips. Good luck!

Hi!

My recommendation is that during the day he needs some time without his diaper on so that he can get air and sunlight on his booty to help the rash clear up. And, using the butt paste can actually break down the skin if you are having to REALLY wipe to clean it off. My pediatrician recommendation and personal experience has been using A&D Ointment. You'll need to glob it on until the rash clears and then continue to use it with every diaper change. If you decide to use baby powder which can help cut down the moisture in a cloth diaper too than get the Johnson's Baby Powder With Cornstarch as regular baby powder can actually increase the growth of yeast. It'll hopefully clear up soon as diaper rash can be really uncomfortable. Also, the excess hot temps we've had lately can also bring on heat rash so try to keep him cool and hydrated. Take care and best wishes!

I never used cloth diapers, but I have seen inserts that look kind of like a sturdy tissue to put in to help soak up the urine. I don't know how well they work. I think the ones I saw were gerber brand. For creams I have always liked balmex or desitin for rash prevention. Lay it on really thick so when they move the diaper doesn't rub all of it off. But I find the thicker the cream it will keep the urine off their skin.

Creams & cloth diapers do not mix well. The creams do not wash out completely leaving the diapers less absorbant & it leaves a place for residue to 'stick'. If you use creams, try to line the diaper with disposable paper liners (for example http://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?cPath=37&amp... ) Other than that, let his bottom get lots of air & wash with warm water at each diaper change and DRY well at each diaper change. You can dab his sore bottom w/a clean diaper. If you are having a difficult time getting the thick cream off his bottom, you can use A&D cream, Vaseline, or olive oil to get it off gently.

There are many things that could be causing his rash.

1) DETERGENT RESIDUE - It could be detergent residue on the cloth. Check out this detergent chart to find one that leaves little or no residue. When washing diapers be sure to use very little detergent & to rinse them well to prevent build up. Here is the chart link http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoices.htm

2) MOISTURE - Depending on the diaper type or system you are using, it may not be drawing moisture away from the baby's bum. If you are using prefolds & a cover, try something like these to wick moisture away from baby's bottom http://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?cPath=37&amp... You can make your own, but this gives you the idea.

3) BABY WIPES - It could be the baby wipes you are using. If you are using disposable wipes, use fragrance free. If you are using reusable wipes w/a wipe solution try just plain warm water or dilute the solution you are using now. The solution could be too harsh for your baby right now.

4) FOOD SENSITIVITY - If you are breastfeeding, it could be something you are eating.

5) YEAST DIAPER RASH - If it is bright red w/bumps, you might want to call your pediatrician to determine if it is a yeast(fungal) diaper rash. If so, they are very painful & require a special cream to get rid of it. My sons gets them frequently & I sometimes use disposables or gDiapers w/the disposable inserts when he has a rash so I don't have to worry about creams getting on his diapers.

* If you are using prefolds & can't get the cream out, you can boil them after washing to get it out. It sounds crazy, but if you can't get it out it IS a solution. ;-) But DON'T boil other types of diapers or inserts.

Email me privately if you have any specific diaper questions. I think I've tried every type of cloth diaper/diaper system. :-D I'd be glad to help!

Don't worry Mamma, you'll figure out a solution!

J.
____@____.com

Sorry this ended up being a book!

Good Morning M., Pretty name btw ;)
I gave out this recipe yesterday so will give it again. It's from our gr son's nurse. Zane got horrible rash with cracking and bleeding. Nothing over the counter helped him at all.
So get one of those fruit cups with a lid, put a good size dollop of A & D ointment in it, then put in enough Maalox to make a good paste, mix it well. * takes a bit to mix it up, minute or two* Put this on his little hinny. It really does work, you should even see improvement the first time you use it. Zane hasn't had a really bad case of rash since we started using it. In fact he hasn't had any rash in about a month.

Won't hurt to try and you will be surprised how great it works.

God Bless you and your little Prince
K. Nana of 5

plain old corn starch works the best for me.

how are you washing your dipes? You may have a build up of detergent and may need to strip them, I am not sure butt paste is ok with cloth, some stuff either breaks down the fabric or sticks to it, it depends on what type you are using and the detergent type, etc. Sometimes my kiddos get rashy when they are sick or teething but it is not like when we used disposables, he got bleeding blisters. You may need to try a stay dry liner or a natural fiber with wool on top, if you want to private message me with the details I can help you through it. A.

Have you tried Arbonne's ABC Diaper Rash Cream? If you'd like, I can get you a sample. Just send me your info and I'll drop one in the mail. Works like a charm.

I've used cloth diapers with both my kids. First thing I would look at is making sure it is not yeast. Second I would look at how you wash your diapers, and third how often you change them (daytime, I rarely change at night, but my kids never pooped at night). It is generally recommended not to use diaper ointment with cloth diapers unless you use a liner. I don't know what kind of diapers/covers you use, but if it is prefolds and covers, like the other person said, boil the prefolds. I like prefolds and covers because you can wash them so thoroughly. There is lots of information on the web about how to wash, and I think you just have to figure out what is best for you. Some people find changing the detergent helps. Changing your vinegar/baking soda, etc. helps sometimes. Charlie's soap seems to work wonders for some people (and not for others), so shake it up a bit. I tend to change my regimen over and over again as they age. Also, I change them as soon as they wet or poop (as soon as I notice), as I do the rare time I use disposables, because who wants to sit in pee? I also second the bare bum idea. I think time with a bare bum or at least no cover or a wool soaker helps a lot. Feel free to ask if anything isn't clear... I hope something helps his poor bum.

K.

Hello, M.. I had the same problem with my little girl but now she is OK. I found out the my problem came from baby wipes. I stopped using them and switched to water. I used paper towel with water. I did that for the first 3 months.
For the rash I used Dr. Smith + Aquaphor.
If you can let the boy be bare but at least for 1/2 hour.
Good luck.

Do not use Butt Paste. Use Desitin Original in the purple tube.

When all else failed me and my daughter I used ordinary unsented hand lotion and of all thngs it worked-remember no scent that is generally perfumed alcohol.

It may be what you are washing the diapers in...have you considered switching to dreft? I used cloth diapers with my first and I know I had a diaper pail that had some non chlorine bleach in it but I always made sure I rinsed them well before I washed them. If you are worried about the price of dreft there are some other detergants now that are dye and fragrance free.

Lots of luck
B.

I didn't use cloth diapers, but my daughters Dr. reccomended using peroxide after I had wiped the area clean. This neutralizes the acid left on the skin. If it is not neutralized the cream just traps it to the skin making the rash worse not better. It worked wonders with my daughter. I was worried it would be painful for her, but she never seemed to even notice when I put it on. I also made sure the area got good and dry before applying the cream.
Good Luck!

I used cloth diapers during the day. I used them more at night when my kids were older and pooped less. Some diaper covers do not recommend using dreft. I would check with the manufacturer. Some indicate that certain detergents including dreft build up more contributing to diaper rash.

I would agree with washing/rinsing them more. I used the dry pail method and never soaked in anything but the washing machine.

I really liked the diaper covers out there that wick the moisture away from the baby. The actual diaper goes in the pocket. The diaper cover goes next to the baby skin. These covers are nice but a little expensive. However, they might be worth a try if you haven't already tried them, along with a disposable diaper liner. You might be able to pick them up used at one of the places that cater to cloth diapering or on ebay.

Good luck

K.-owner Healthy Baby Boutique here. You might need to strip out your diapers. AND what kind of paste are you using. You should not use anything with cloth except the Magic Stick or EMAB Bottom Balm. Any other brand will hurt you daipers. What kind of detergent are you using? All these things make a difference. Feel free to call our store or come in for all the cloth diapering info you could possibly want. We are happy to help :-) www.healthybabyboutique.com or ###-###-####

Hi... I asked a question last week about diaper rash with cloth diapers and got tons of great advice. We've used cloth diapers on my 19 month old since her birth and she's always had a rash no matter what we did (sometimes a really bad rash). I thought I had tried everything, but mamapedia gave me some great new tips. I wrote about what I did that FINALLY worked at www.UrbanSuburbanFamily.squarespace.com. It was a whole combination of changes including adding boiling water to strip the diapers, changing detergents, and (what I think was key) adding GSE to the rinse cycle and washing her bottom with it. Good luck!

If it's not too bad or concerning, at his next dr visit bring it up bc it could be a yeast infection or something other than plain ol' diaper rash. If he's really uncomfortable, go ahead and make a doctor appt and just tell them you're questioning yeast inf in his diaper area!

Have you tried corn starch (not talc)?