Having two babies with sensitive skin, I have had my fair share of experience with mild to severe diaper rash. From googling remedies, trying tips from others, visiting the pediatrician, to trying ideas on my own, I now know what works best for me and my littles whenever they get diaper rash.
My son Emmett is three now and fully potty trained but what worked for him didn’t work for my daughter Everly, who is going on eight months old.
Diaper rash is extremely irritating and can be very painful depending on the severity of it. If you’re struggling clearing your child’s diaper rash, I hope this post has all the pointers and support you’re looking for!
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Desitin, Triple Paste & Boudreaux
These over the counter creams and ointment work great for minor diaper rash! All three worked with my son however, Desitin and Triple Paste never seem to work with my daughter. No matter how minor, the creams never heal her rash. They only act as a barrier from her bowel movements.
I haven’t tried Boudreaux with her because I didn’t have any luck with the other two creams.
Aquaphor Or Vaseline
Aquaphor and cocoa butter vaseline are honestly two of my favorite products! They work great for most diaper rashes, chaffing, cuts, chapped lips, etc.
The only time these two didn’t help was for yeast rashes.
Prescription Steroid Ointment
If your baby has a yeast rash or yeast infection, you may need a steroid ointment to heal the area. If you’re not sure whether or not your baby has a yeast infection, visit your pediatrician.
Steroid ointments have always worked for my kids but you can only use them up to three times a day. So I recommend using Aquaphor in between diaper changes.
I apply the steroid first thing in the morning and during the last diaper change of the night. I also apply it once in the middle of the day usually after a bad poop.
When Everly was two months old we had to use a steroid ointment and it cleared her rash within a few days. However, when she had another rash a couple of months later the steroid ointment didn’t work. I’m still not sure why.
Breast Milk Bath
I’ve heard lots of mamas swear by breast milk baths! And maybe it does work for minor diaper rash. But my babies have always had pretty severe diaper rash. They both have eczema and when my son started solids we learned he had sensitivity to foods high in acidity.
I’ve tried breast milk baths with my daughter by pouring a bag of thawed milk into a warm bath and then letting it air dry onto her bottom. If you try this method, don’t use any soap during the bath and let your baby’s bottom dry completely before securing their diaper. Bacteria grows in warm, moist places. In my experience, I didn’t see any significant improvement the next morning from this method.
Oatmeal Bath
This helped my son so much! I sprinkled Aveeno Bath Treatment in my son’s bath and kept him in there for at least 15 minutes. You can either let your little one air dry or to save time you can use a hairdryer on cool and then lather them in diaper rash cream, Aquaphor or vaseline! I have yet to try this with my daughter because the breast milk bath wasn’t successful.
I’ve learned that oatmeal baths are really helpful for severe diaper rash only to calm the area and reduce pain. I wouldn’t solely rely on this method to heal diaper rash.
Lanolin
Remember how I said the second time Everly got really bad diaper rash the steroid ointment didn’t help?
I was home without my husband at bedtime and she was in so much pain. So after pulling every.single.item. out of my bathroom cabinet, I found Lanolin. Yes, the ointment for cracked nipples that you use while breastfeeding!
After a google search to see if it was safe to use, I applied it as gently as I could. It’s much thicker than any cream and even Aquaphor. I used a pretty good amount and tried not to tug at the skin too much while applying. By the next morning I would say about 50% of the rash was gone and by day two she didn’t have a rash anymore!
Preventative Measures
If you want to prevent diaper rash, change diapers often and as quickly as possible whenever your baby poops.
Diaper rash can be caused by baby soap as well so be mindful of fragrance and perfumes. I personally love Dove Baby Soap.
When starting solids, keep an eye out for diaper rash when introducing foods high in acidity. With my son we had to limit tomatoes, oranges, pineapple, blueberries and milk. He could eat dairy periodically but when he chugged a full bottle of milk his bottom would flare up and he’d get sick to his stomach.
It’s also safer to use wipes without fragrance. Especially for baby girls! And never wash genitals with soap! Only warm water.
This one might be unexpected, but pay attention to the diapers you’re using. We have tried lots of diapers including Pampers, Huggies, Luvs and for the past 6 months we’ve been using Members Mark from Sams Club. And we’ve loved every single one of these brands!
But there was one night we ran out of diapers before our usual Amazon delivery arrived and we had to make a trip to the store to get more. We made the mistake of buying what was on sale and I wish I remembered the brand for you, but my son broke out in a rash within an hour.
Conclusion
Diaper rash can be tricky and annoying. I always hate to see my babies in pain, as does every mama. I really hope you were able to find a solution within in this post! If you have any questions for me, feel free to comment below and I’ll answer to the best of my ability!
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