Diapers Q&A

Diaper rash still there... it's been a week?

My 3 week old baby developed diaper rash around Christmas. We tried switching to fragrance free diapers and are using Triple Paste, which helped a lot, but there is still some raw-looking rash there.Tonight I also noticed that the rest of her bottom looks a little red, which is how the bad diaper rash started. I am calling doc in the morning... but wondering if she could possibly be allergic to the disposable diapers? Anyone have experience with this? My mom and sis both suggested maybe she might need cloth diapers... She never sits in wet diapers for long; I change her diapers very frequently. I also use fragrance-free wipes for sensitive skin. I also try to let her sit without a diaper as long as possible, whenever possible... I'm desperate for a little help / suggestions while I wait for the clinic to open in the morning. THANK YOU!

Public Comments

1. my mom told me once when my baby got a diaper rash just clean him real good put some desetin on and just lay him there with his pamper undone and it helped i guess the cool air helped
2. It is possible for your child to be sensative to a material used to make these diapers (my oldest son was notorious for this same problem). It could also be a yeast infection. The doctor will prescibe a topical ointment and it should be gone in about a week. Hope this helps.
3. Try lanolin. It's worked for everyone of my kids.
4. Try using clear water drizzled over her bottom and blot it. Then use a hair dryer on low to dry her bottom completely. Try not to hold it too close so she won't get burned. I used this method as well as A&D ointment even when there was no rash and it kept the rashes down to nothing! Only bad diarrhea caused rashes with this method.
5. Try A&D Zinc ointment in the white & blue tube. Top off the diaper change with Johnson's Pure Cornstarch & Aloe powder or the Medicated Powder with zinc & aloe. Some people will tell you not to use powder. I did with my son. Sprinkle it on the diaper, not your daughter's body. Less chance of inhilation issues. Also, try washing the diaper area with warm water & the baby wash, Johnson's or Baby Magic. An allergy to diapers isn't common but it can be that. She could also be one of those kids who get rashes easily, no matter how on top of the diaper changes you are. A yeast infection can mimick a diaper rash too. The doctor will prescribe a topical oinment to be applied to the rash, 1-2 times a day or as often as he/she prescribes. Girls are more susceptible to rashes too.
6. Sounds like a yeast infection. The doc will have to see her... until then keep the area as comfortable as possible and change her asap.
7. My five children each had diaper rash from time to time, especially when they were teething. This worked wonders for me: Clean the diaper area thoroughly. Dry the diaper area. Slather the baby's rash area with a nice, generous layer of Desitin ointment. Powder the diaper area with plenty of plain cornstarch. Don't be shy with it. It absorbs liquid and will keep the baby's skin protected. Do not use baby powder. Change the baby when it wets and dirtys it's diaper. Do not let the baby wear a dirty diaper. Go through this routine every single time you change the baby.
8. OK this may sound a little crazy here but I have done this with multiple children and it works like a charm. Take her disposable diapers and dampen them with extra strength Maalox. Let them air dry then use them. The Maalox neutralizes the acid in the urine. Believe me it works. Keep the baby very clean also. Wash her every time you change her and it really helps to let her lay naked with no diaper at all.
9. While it's very possible that it's a reaction to the diapers, it's also possible it's a yeast infection. Taking baby to the Dr is the only way you'll know for sure. Until you are able to get baby in and seen, allow her to go "naked" for a while ... lay her on a towel or something with no diaper on, so she can kind of "air dry" to help - about 10-20 minutes at a time if you can. The moisture sometimes irritates the rash far more than we think. Also, if you have any cloth diapers on hand, put her in those for when you do use diapers. It never hurts to try. On one of my children, all diapers but Huggies gave her a rash, on another, we could only use Luvs, and yet another, only Pampers. Every child is different. Because I knew my children had sensitivities, while at home we only used cloth diapers, and saved the disposable ones for when we were out and about. Also, Desitin and Balmex diaper rash ointments are best - balmex works for minor rashes, and desitin on major ones ... but you need special ones form the Dr for yeast infections. For wipes - like diapers, you may need to try different brands as well as different versions. my kids were all able to use either Huggies or Pampers wipes, as long as I made sure they were alcohol free (stings the rash big time!) A friend of mine just made her own mix in a spray bottle, some very gentle baby soap and water, and kept paper towels in the diaper bag ... would spray either the baby directly or spray the paper towel and wipe. Used this for hands, face, bottom, etc. This might help you if the wipes are a problem. Also - using corn starch baby powder helps to keep them dry, which can prevent rashes/yeast infections. Blessings.
10. I bet it's the wipes: I cannot use any type of wipe for my baby -- even the fragrance free, sensitive skin ones give him diaper rash. I have tried many brands and all of them cause diaper rash. I also tried Mustela Physiobebe, because I heard that's better than wipes, but that also gave him diaper rash (it's very strongly scented and not the gentle, natural product I was hoping for; I would not recommend it) Here's my technique, which I have perfected over the last 3 1/2 months: First, I keep a thermos of hot water by the changing table and use cotton pads (sometimes you find them in the cosmetic section). I use 1-2 wet pads to wash and 1-2 pads to dry. ** THE KEY IS TO AIR DRY COMPLETELY.** I live in a humid area, so that means first drying him off with a cotton pad (or you can use any soft cloth) and then fanning him with air until the skin is really, really dry. A cool hairdryer would work well too. If you apply a cream before the area is completely dry, you're just going to trap in the moisture and make it worse. Also try to avoid rubbing the area too much. Then I use a thick coating of A&D diaper cream (the white zinc oxide cream). My pediatrician said to really slather it on; a thin coat won't do the trick. I use Huggies diapers. I find that they are softer than Pampers. I don't think switching to cloth is going to do the trick because it is probably wetness that is causing the problem, and the cloth get wetter than paper. I know you are changing the diapers often, but you're going to need to start to go overnight without a change if you want your baby to sleep all night! When I need to do extra cleaning, I do a mini sponge bath with Aveeno Soothing Relief Baby Wash, and rinse it completely. I also use that for the bath and I highly recommend it. The Dr. Spock book recommends letting the baby's butt air dry for a couple hours per day. I think that is really impossible, even using waterproof pads (especially because my baby is a boy!) My doctor also said that for stubborn diaper rash, you can use lotrimin, but I have not tried it. Of course, you are probably going to want to run that by your doctor. Good luck!
11. my daughter had the same thing and it ended up being a yeast infection, just go to the doctor and they should prescribe some kind of cortizone safe for babies and boy does it do the trick for all those baby rashes. good luck. hope the little one's bottom gets better.
12. Well, it could be sensitivity or a yeast infection ... My daughters skin is pretty sensitive. When she was born they gave us Destin cream at the hospital and it gave her horrible rash, I found that the cheapest "no name" zinc oxide cream was the best for her. She also got a rash from the Pampers "Sensitive" wipes, we always had to use unscented wipes with no alcohol in them. When she was almost 4 months old I decided to start cloth diapering her and the rashes have stopped completely! Now if she is in disposable diapers, even just for an hour or two she ends up with diaper rash. Go to the Dr and see what they say!
13. We used A & D ointment and Desitin. The A & D cleared the diaper rash up within a few days. I guess it could be the diapers but I surely don't think cloth diapers would work better. They don't pull the wetness away from the babys butt like the disposable type do. So, I think cloth would be worse.
14. HERE IS WHAT YOU DO...USE HYDROCORTIZONE (ANTI-ITCH) CREME & ATHLETE'S FOOT CREME (ANTI-FUNGAL)...alternate the two with each diaper change. At night use with Butt Paste to seal the medicine & give extra protection. I have used this with my middle child. He would get bad rashes w/ broken skin and this would clear it up after a day or so. Trust me...IT WORKS