Rash with Cloth Diapers

My children are very sensitive to detergent so I use draft, Giant food store and target are the cheapest. Also do not use fabric softer, because that also can cause problems.

Yes, they do not keep the moisture away from the skin the way disposables do. Load up on the A&D at each diaper change. That brand is just vaseline w/ lanolin and vitamins so it is gentler

Hi J.,
It sounds like you are washing them yourself by the way you talk about the sizes you have. I would then assume that you are washing them yourself. I'm guessing it's the detergeant you are using. If you are using Ivory, try switching to Dreft. That's what I used with my babies. It is a milder detergeant, but still gets things clean. Good luck!

Hi J.,

I had a baby with very sensitive skin, so I had to be very careful about what I washed her things in - including diapers. I would try changing thedetergent you are washing the diapers in to something that has no scent and that is very gentle. It may be that he is sensitive to something you are using. Also, I wouldn't use fabric softener sheets, but liquid with no scent added. I hope this helps your little guy.

C.

Hmm. Oftentimes using cloth gets RID of rashes, lol. Please make sure you are using the simplest detergent possible, no bleach or fabric softeners. And only use half the detergent you would normally use for clothes. But use twice the amount of water in a hot wash, after prewashing in cold water. Hope you figure it out!

Possible two part problem
most likely it is the detergent. something like Tide is far too harsh and causes reaction in both young and old alike.
Try 7th generation or something mild, fragrance free -- hot water is important though.

are you diapers of natural fiber content or synthetic fabrics?
from my experience both personally and within the cloth diapering community for years is that there is a large number of people who have rash or severe rash like reactions to the micro type fiber diapers. If this is the case try switching natural cotton, hemp, bamboo. If you are already using natural fibers I would suggest focusing on the detergent along with making sure your only using a 1/2 portion. Residual buildup from using too much (more than 1/2 portion is too much) can cause irritation too.

I have a few thoughts as to why this could happen. First, your baby is staying too wet in the cloth diapers since they don't have dry toppers and such. They need to be changed quickly when wet. The second part to that is the type of the diaper you are using. Some do a much better job than others of keeping a baby dry, natural fibers usually work best. I usually buy hemp inserts or cheap fleece to make liners.

The detergent could also be a big problem. Try doing a hot wash cycle with no detergent and see if you have any bubbles. You may need to do several of these to get all of the past detergent out, no matter how gentle your detergent is, this is called stripping if you want to google it. Here is a link to the best detergents to use for cloth diapering. Dreft and others like it are NOT good for cloth diapers. http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoices.ht...
Good luck!

what type of detergent are you using? This is the only reason i can think of for a rash.

I know you've already posted an update, but here's another idea, in addition to the good advice about the detergent...

If you're not already doing this, try using washcloths with warm, soapy water as wipes. Squirt a little babywash in a bowl and fill it up with warm water, and then dip a clean washcloth at each diaper change. This works well to get baby's behind clean and doesn't irritate as much as disposable baby wipes. (I bought the baby washcloths at the dollar store so it didn't cost that much...)

Like most of the other CDing moms, I suspect the detergent... it would help to know what you are using. Here's my routine:

We use the pocket diaps (mostly BumGenius but also Fuzi bunz and happy heineys) with microfiber stuffers and the flushable paper liners. When he's just wet, I close the velcro, shake the stuffer out of the diaper over the (dry) diaper pail, and throw the diaper in the pail. If he's dirty, I flush the liner down the toiled with the poop and then do the same. Every 3rd day, I load them all in the wash and run a prerinse cycle on cold with no detergent. Then I run a wash cycle on hot + extra rinse with 1 Tablespoon (no more) of Trader Joes or 7th Generation laundry detergent. That's all it takes for me, but when he was really little I ran an extra rinse cycle just to be 100% sure.

If you are using diaper cream on his little bum, make sure it isn't getting on the diapers AT all because it is hard to get out and that could be trapping the detergent. Good luck, and stick with the CDing-- you will LOVE it. I honestly don't understand why everyone doesn't do it!

Well that's frustrating!
What kind of diapers are you using (cloth)? What kind of detergent are you using? What's your wash reutine? Do you use viniger or TTO at all in the rinse cycles? Did you buy the diapers new or used? If new--did you prep them properly? If used--did you strip them? Do you use bleach?

Don't worry! This is something that can be figured out!!!! I'm happy to try & help if I can!
A.

Hi J.!
Are you washing them or do you have a laundry service? It could be the harsh detergent or the chemical they use that is irritating his skin. I would try switching to a gentler detergent.
Good luck!
N

Hi J., You should find out (if you have a service) what the diapers are being washed in or what softner they may be using. If you are doing them you might want to consider changing the laundry soap/softner you are using. Either could cause a rash that only shows up when mixed with what diapers have to hold! Best wishes.

Dear J.,
I found with cloth diapers, of which I soley use for my 2 children, that rashes occurred when too much laundry soap or such was left on the cloth. To resolve this, I pre-rinse the diapers & wraps, wash with about half the amount of detergent recommended and only used a "free & clear" detergent, and then rinsed with baking soda or white vinegar to return the cloth diaper's PH to normal. Never, never, never use fabric softener or dryer sheets. And as always, the cloth diapers need to be changed more frequently. I cut up fleece fabric to lie against my children's bottoms to wick the urine away from their skin and this also did wonders to reduce rashes and allowed the cloth diapers to be worn a bit longer. It took me a while to learn these tricks and we had our fair share of rashes until then but my son still sleeps in an overnight pocket cloth diaper and is in it for 12-14 hours with no rashes. As soon as his skin lloks the least bit irritated, I am sure to rub zin oxide cream on his bottom before bedtime. It will stain the fleece & cloth diaper but don't worry, the zinc won't harm the cloth diaper in the end.

Good luck! Cloth diapering can be done with less rashes than disposable, it just takes some practice and it is so much better for the environment.

ann m.

we use CD's and when we wash them i soak the diapers in the washer for 30-45 mins then i add my covers and add very little seventh generation delicate detergent (not the free and clear because it actually has enzymes in it and is not good for you CD's. then i wash with just water 2x more to make sure i got all the detergent off.

Try using them 2-thick to get more of his urine off his butt. Or, use vaseline to protect him, or zinc oxide. If you use any powder at all, use corn starch.

Also, you may have to change him more often.

The other thing to watch? Your laundry soap. Use ivory or dreft, and be sure not to overload your washer -- you want the diapers not to have soap residue that will get wet and irritate him.

I use to soak mine in chlorox and water before washing, then wash in chlorox and ivory, but be sure you use a "larger wash" size on the machine than you actually put in it. You want to be sure they rinse.

:-)

I also suspect you need to check your detergent and washing methods. I used prefolds (unbleached organic indian cotton) with my DD when she was tiny. I washed frequently, probably every day (we had a small stash). She virtually never pooped in them (amazing baby - pooped in the potty all the time), so we didn't have to deal with a lot of poop issues, but even when she had diarrhea, I just made sure to clean them immediately. You need to make sure you have a gentle and effective detergent (avoid perfumes, optical brighteners). Some people also add baking soda to the wash and vinegar to the rinse. I did a cold rinse first, if I needed to, followed by a hot wash and TWO cold rinses. The second rinse cycle at the end makes sure to get all the detergent out. As previous mamas have said, use smaller amounts of detergent and make sure the water comes clean on the rinse with no more soap bubbles.

It could also be a reaction to the TYPE of cloth diaper you're using. If you're using pocket diapers lined with microfleece or other synthetic lining, it's possible his skin is just sensitive to synthetics. You'd be better off with 100% cotton. But - cotton/bamboo blends are also really nice, or you may find that hemp works well, too. CD'ing is a trial and error experience, I think. Try what you think will work, and if it doesn't, you try something else.

Good luck to you! I <3 Cloth Diapers!

I tried cloth on my oldest and he got horrible rashes from cloth diapers. Cloth doesn't keep the urine away from babies behind so I went back to disposable. It didn't make sense to keep lubing the child up with ointments, creams and corn starch to keep the rash away, rather than removing the thing that caused the rash in the first place.

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

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