We've been using cloth diapers for over 9 months and just recently, my daughter is getting really red on her bottom.
We've stripped the diapers with dawn soap, but have washed and rewashed them several times.
We've changed the soap I make the wipe solution with to Burt's Bee's from regular baby soap.
I only wash the diapers with the tiniest bit of ALL Free and Clear, some baking soda and vinegar.
I realize that I'm not supposed to use rash ointment in cloth diapers (because they are made with micro-fleece fabrics), so my real question is... will using a paper diaper liner work? Can I put ointment on her, then the paper liner, and then the cloth diaper? Will that help? She is 19 months old. I've read that paper liners usually shift on little ones that move around a lot.
PLEASE help me find a solution to this problem! I don't want (and can't afford) to keep her in disposable diapers.
And no, she doesn't show any interest in the potty yet, so I think potty training is still a little ways away!
Thank you! I had totally forgotten about little ones getting a rash when they teeth! This could actually explain the few rashes we've had. This past rash was just after a week of low-grade temps. and her doctor suggested it was probably from teething (her eyeteeth!). We've had her in disposables for the past few days and have applied Butt Paste a couple of times and it has cleared. In a couple of places, her skin peeled like after a sunburn. It still makes me think it might be chemical related. I'm going to keep her in disposables and really wash all of the cloth diapers one more time in really hot water and then dry them in the sun (something we haven't been able to do yet). I also purchased disposable "doublers" from Babies R Us today and will try those with Butt Paste if we get another rash. I am also going to find a new soap to wash the diapers in and get a more cloth friendly ointment. Her diapers do have the micro-fleece linings so I think she is not as wet as she could be. I will try to give her "dry" time, but hesitate because she is all over the house!
Thanks again!!!
I used cloth diapers for about 9 months. We used corn starch on my son's bum for his rash. it worked great. So great in fact that now that we are in disposable diapers I still reach for the corn starch when he is getting rashy. We just put some in a shaker and sprinkle it on his toosh. I usually kind of pat/smear in on (my husband does not). This works great for us. And it's CHEAP! Good luck!
I have used Aquaphor safely for years, and it works great, with no residual issues.
http://www.jennifersclothdiaperboutique.com/store/WsDefau...
They sell three kinds that are safe for cloth, and she gives a 5% discount to readers of my newspaper column with the code trycloth.
My daughter had the same issues, she all of the sudden developed a rash. I changed to a dif. detergent. I now use bio-kleen, awesome detergent, you can do a search on their website to find a store near you that carries it or buy it online. I now use it for all our clothing. And we use dryer balls to dry all clothing. Using all the same detergent makes sure there is no build up or residue in the machines to get on the diapers. We also added the paper liner that you brought up, not only does it aid in the use of an oinment when needed, but the ones I got have a stay dry feel, the liquid goes through, but not back. Both the change in detergent and the add protection of the liner has made a world of difference!
HTH,
J.
OK. First of all, check with your pediatrician to make sure this rash isn't yeast from being moist. Then I would recommend using a paper liner and using a product from a company called earth mama angel baby. They have a baby bottom balm that is better than any balm anywhere. The jar is pricey, but it only takes a little and ends up lasting you a long time. It is all organic and natural, it doesn't need scrubbed off and it smells of herbs and lavender. It is the only product I use in my childcare center, and I have used it on my children (i have 8) for years.
In addition, make sure you are airing your child's bottom out. I recommend a nightly oatmeal or baking soda bath and then lying her on her tummy with no diaper for about 1/2 hour. Let her crawl around and play and let the sore bottom dry out. Then apply a liberal coat of balm before bed. They also make a bottom spray for mommies after delivery which works great for spritzing on wipes. Lastly they make a diaper rash soap for cleaning the bottom which kills the bacteria.
There are diaper rash creams that are safe to use on cloth diapers. Northern Essence and London Frogg, (google them) both make good diaper rash creams that don't harm cloth diapers, and they both work very well.
If her skin is sensitive to wetness, microfleece liners might help her a lot. You might also discover that either your detergent isn't getting her diapers completely clean, or that she is becoming sensitive to it. A switch to a different "safe" detergent might just cure the rashes too. There are good cloth diapering forums out there where you can get help if these suggestions don't do the trick for you.
Hi J.,
When my son was young and got his first diaper rash his grandmother on his father's side told me that for generations they had used browned flour. It sounded crazy but worked amazingly well! It got rid of any rash he had immediately and you couldn't find anything cheaper. You just put some flour on a baking sheet and put it in the oven until it is golden brown. I kept it in a ziploc baggy and just sprinkled it on lightly. The only downfall, which gave my mother and I lots of laughs, was that he smelled a little like fried chicken when you changed his diaper :)
We cloth diapered both our boys and my absolute favorite for clearing or avoiding diaper rash is the Magic Stick (http://www.thenaturalbabyco.com/magic-stick-c-50_106.html). Our second often got a rash at night (he didn't wake from being wet). We'd put Magic Stick on him before his night time diaper and he never got rashes again. Now that the boys are out of diapers we have a new Stick that we use for scrapes - it is wonderful.
On a related note, our first got diaper rash at about 6months. At that time we hadn't found the Magic Stick so I tried a variaty of detergents. After lots of trials we switched to Charlie's Soap (http://www.charliesoap.com/products.asp?cartID=4C37B19BAB.... Within a few days of switching his rash was cleared. We use it for all of our clothes. You use a little and we no longer use any softener. I love it!
Good luck!
Hi J.,
I've used cloth diapers for two babies, and I think I have some advice for you.
I did use ointment with cloth. I don't know why you couldn't.....I have never heard that before. And in the past, just good old vaseline has worked best for my girl's rashes.
Perhaps all the different stuff you are using is inflaming the rash. Different perfumes/scents/detergents, etc. Maybe the new soap in the wipe solution. Maybe just switch to water for a while until it clears up, or make sure you rinse her tushie with water.
I wash my diapers once with a very natural detergent, one that I get at my local health food store, in cold water. Then I wash them again with the detergent and 1/4 cup of vinegar (this cuts the acid of the urine), in very hot water, with an extra rinse.
Try this stuff, and also, if you can, give her tushie time to air out.
GOOD LUCK!!
My oldest get diaper rash quite frequently and we always use diaper rash cream on him while he's in cloth. I just use a liner. I made most of our liners by cutting up some fleece scraps to fit inside the diapers. I just use regular Tide but I've heard that some F&C detergents have enzymes that can cause issues. I also agree about giving her lots of naked time to air out the rash. That will help a lot. Is she teething or anything? It's common for teething to cause rashes.
I have a friend who uses cloth diapers and when her little girl had a rash on her bottom, she did some 'research' on-line and then put Maylox on her little one's bottom...and it worked great! It has something to do with the ph balance of this medicine. Hope this helps you!
hi J.,
we too use cloth diapers. i wash ours in seventh generation soap and add borax as well. our son was getting a red bottom for a while and i found it helped to let him run around naked for at least an hour a day. but the real magic was a product called...blissful baby balm, by alaffia. it has shea butter. i can not recommend it highly enough! we found it at a co-op. another thing i learned along the way was introducing acidopholius to his diet. good luck!
I don't use use the paper linners, they do shift all over. I would go to a fabric store and get micro fleece. Cut it into liners. It will act as a stay dry layer to keep the moisture away if your not already using cloth with a stay dry liner. The other thing I would do is just switch to a plain water wipe for a while. (side note, my son was allergic to burt's bees stuff, we had to switch to all califonia baby products, they have a diaper area spray that works really well for us) Check out
http://www.diaperswappers.com/
they don't just sell and trade diapers they have forrums for EVERYTHING. the diaper Q&A forrum is extremely helpful!
You can't use diaper ointment on cloth beacuse it can cause repelling and leaking issues, it also has fish oils in it which make diapers stink. California Baby diaper ointment can be used with no liner.
Here is a great site w/ reviews on everything for cloth diapers.
http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/diaperrashcreams.htm
Why aren't you supposed to use rash ointment with cloth diapers? I realize things may have changed since we used cloth diapers (our daughter is almost 19 yrs.), but we always used ointments when necessary and my mom certainly did on all of us girls when we were babies. I find the Boudreaux's Butt Paste to be about the most effective.
If she has been using the cloth diapers fine until now it could be some sort of food she is eating. That has been my experience with cloth diapers anyway. In fact, now that I am thinking of it, my son got a yeast infection somehow a little vagisil for a few days and we never had problems again.
I would stop using wipe solution for a while and just wet cloth wipes with warm water.
I would avoid paper liners because they move around, like you said.
I've always used cloth diapers, and on the rare occasions when we've had a rash, it hasn't damaged my diapers to use a little cream. I like Weleda baby cream (with calendula oil), but for a bad rash I would recommend Weleda Diaper Care cream. That should clear up your problem within a couple of days. They have it at Campbell's.
Let it air out! Give her some naked time. Play time in the tub is good also.
If it is a common diaper rash just put ointment on it with the bath and air time, it should clear up. If it doesn't clear up fairly quickly it could be a fungal rash. Fungal or yeast rashes can be easily cleared up with some athlete's foot ointment. It sounds strange, but it works quickly. Change her a ton either way.
Hi J. -
I used cloth diapers on all 3 of my children and when they got a rash - I used diaper rash ointment on them all. I have never heard of such a thing that you aren't suppoes to do that with cloth diapers.
Perhaps with so little detergent being used - not all of the waste product is being washed out. I used to soak my diapers in 1/2 bleach 1/2 water solution over night before washing them in the washer. Maybe times have changed but my kids were for the most part rash free except for a few select times and then I used ointment to clear it up.
Best wishes - D.
