Diaper Rash (and what to do about it)

lara — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 22:40:55 +0000

Diaper rash is the generic term for a skin irritation in the area generally covered by a diaper and can have several causes. A few culprits include heat rash, chemical sensitivity, bacterial infection, food allergies or other irritating substance.

Please be aware that eczema, psoriasis and other skin conditions can look like diaper rash, but are treated differently and should be handled by a medical professional. If your child has persistent, chronic outbreaks, please see your health care provider for diagnosis.

Using cloth diapers is a great first step to avoiding diaper rash since they allow air to circulate, are free from unnecessary chemical irritants, and tend to get changed immediately rather than allowing urine to stay next to the skin for long periods of time. With disposables and pocket diapers, please remember that even if the moisture is wicked away and the diaper feels dry, the bacteria is still held against the skin, and there may be pH issues as well. Change early, change often, no matter what style of diaper you use!

With proper hygiene and diaper care, outbreaks should be rare and continual use of a barrier cream should not be necessary.

If you are having problems anyway, try these things first:

Eliminate unnecessary chemicals in wipes as well as diapers. Many disposable wipes contain harsh surfactants like sodium laurel sulfate. Instead, warm water on a washcloth works just fine until baby starts solid foods, and for some children after that as well. Wipes can be moistened at the time of use, or premoistened and kept in a plastic container for up to a week.

If you need more than water, consider using a gentle cleanser like aloe gel or make your own wipe solution with the following recipe:

1 Tbsp sweet almond or jojoba oil

1 Tbsp liquid castile soap (I recommend Dr Bronner’s almond soap)

1 cup warm water

Mix and either premoisten wipes, or keep it in a spray bottle to use as you go (this makes a great gentle cleanser for other things as well, from faces to applesauce covered windows)

Check your wash regimen:

Make sure you are using a gentle, low impact detergent that does not leave residue on diapers. Detergent should be free of fragrances, bleach and fabric softeners.

Many detergent labels tell you to use more detergent then necessary, and what you need will vary depending on individual laundry facilities and hardness of water. Experiment with reducing detergent to the least possible amount that still gets clothes clean. I use less than half the recommended amount in my machine.

Occasionally, hard water will cause mineral build up that traps detergent, ammonia and other irritants in the fabric. To strip diapers, soak them over night in a solution of one part vinegar, 4 parts water and then wash as usual.

Rinse your diaper pail regularly with a little soap or white vinegar to keep it clear of bacteria and yeast.

Allow your child a little diaper free time. You can give them recommended tummy time while lying on a waterproof pad or towel. As an added benefit, your child gains sensory input, learning what the cooler air or the texture of the blanket feels like on their skin- our kids invariably love ‘nunga punga’ time*.

Be aware of what your child is eating, especially when introducing new foods. Common foods that can cause irritation when introduced are acidic fruits (like strawberries), milk products and certain grains, especially if you have a family history of sensitivity to these foods.

Sometimes the skin just needs time to heal. Use a fleece or silk liner to wick moisture away from baby’s bottom. this, along with as much ‘nunga punga’ time as possible, will give the skin enough time to recover, and the natural seracin in silk can aid in the healing process.

If you do use a healing cream, look for one without mineral oil or zinc oxide. These can ruin cloth diapers and zinc oxide can aggravate certain skin conditions like eczema.

*according to my mother-in-law, nunga punga is the Housa term for naked little kid.

Why cloth diapers?

betsy — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 23:09:25 +0000

Cloth diapers can be

Good for you
Good for your pocket
Good for the environment
Good for baby

Good for you:

Less mess-

In our experience, good quality, properly sized fitted cloth diapers will prevent leaks much better than disposable diapers, especially when dealing with the runny stool produced by breast-fed babies. It is so much better to wash diapers than to be continually changing a baby’s outfit due to explosive messes!

Convenient-

Yes, we are talking about cloth diapers! All-in-one diapers are similar in construction to disposable diapers and just as easy to get on and off. Fitted diapers and covers with snap or velcro take only a little more time. Even prefolds do not need diaper pins anymore!

Inexpensive flushable liners are now available which prevent soiling of cloth diapers. This eliminates the need for soaking or scraping a soiled diaper.
Toss wet diapers in a washable waterproof bag when out of the house, then put the whole thing in the diaper pail when you return. If there is a clothes washer easily accessible, cloth diapers may be placed directly into the wash, eliminating the need for a diaper pail- much easier than taking disposables out in the trash or running to the grocery store to buy more disposables at -40 below!

Good for your pocket

Less Expensive-

3 year Disposable vs. Cloth Cost Comparison in Fairbanks, Alaska

6000 least expensive disposables & wipes available in Fairbanks
6000 Unbleached low impact disposables
10,000 most expensive disposables & wipes available in Fairbanks

Prefold diapers (infant & premium), covers, fasteners, wipes, liners, home laundry + soap 3 years, 1.5 loads/week
All in One Diapers( 3 sizes), wipes, liners, home laundry + soap, 3 years, 1.5 loads/week
Kissaluvs colors (our most expensive)
Bummi covers, wipes, liners, laundromat (wash & dry) for 3 years + soap, 2 loads/week

Hidden costs-

Children in disposables often take up to a year longer to potty train, leading to additional expense.
Cloth diapers can be used for more than one child or resold on consignment, further reducing expenses, sometimes dramatically.

Good for the environment

Most disposable diapers contain about 1 cup of crude oil (each), bleached wood pulp, and the super absorbant polymer sodium polyacrylate,(banned from tampons due to link with Toxic Shock Syndrome) along with an asortment of dyes and perfumes. Dioxin, a by product of the manufacturing process which has been linked to infertility and some types of cancer, is also present.

Raw materials-

A study financed by the Women’s Environmental Network in the UK which considered statistics provided by disposable manufacturers reported that when manufacturing was considered, disposable diapers still use “20 times more raw material, 3 times more energy, 2 times more water and generate 60 times more solid waste” than cloth diapers, even when laundering is considered.
Production of cotton, hemp and wool fibers is a more efficient use of land than the producton of wood pulp currently used in disposable diaper fill.

Waste disposal-

American disposable diaper use results in roughly 2 billion tons of urine, feces, paper and plastic deposited annually in landfills. Cloth diapers can be reused, eventually composted and human waste flushed into the local sewer system for proper treatment.

Good for Baby:

Healthy skin-

Cloth diapers allow air to circulate, reducing heat rash. Some babies may have allergic reactions to the chemicals used in disposable diapers even when fragrances and dyes are not used.

A study by a major disposable diaper manufacturer shows that the incidence of diaper rash rose from 7.1% to 61% between 1970 & 1995, coinciding with the increase in disposable diaper use.

Fewer chemicals-

Sodium polyacrylate, the absorbant plymer found in disposables, was banned from use in tampons after being associated with toxic shock syndrome. It has been shown to be fatal to be pets when ingested. Dioxin, a byproduct of the bleaching process for the wood pulp in disposables, has been linked with cancer, infertility and other health problems.The effect of holding these chemicals and others next to baby’s skin for 3 years has not been tested.

Choking hazard-

Cloth diapers are harder to pull apart than plastic disposables, posing less of a choking risk. We do indeed know babies who have both choked on and ingested pieces of disposable diaper, along with all the chemicals they contain.

This information is presented by Blueberry Baby and is based on local Fairbanks prices gathered in March 2004 in an unofficial survey, and available information which is current, to the best of our knowledge as of February 21, 2004

For more tips on using cloth, contact

Blueberry Baby
378 Old Chena Pump Rd
Fairbanks, AK 99709
907-347-2772
www.blueberrybaby.org
We offer quarterly cloth diapering workshops for new and expecting parents, and caregivers. For upcoming workshop dates, please call or e-mail us.

Rent a sampler pack of cloth diapers!

Do you want to try everything without the long term commitment? Leave a deposit, try it for 2-3 weeks, then return it (clean & good condition) for a refund of deposit, less cost of flushable liners and a weekly fee.

References:

http://enviro-baby.com/wclothvsdisp.html
Retrieved February 6, 2004

Environmental concerns II: Looking at Both Sides of the Issue, retrieved October 13, 2003 fromhttp://webhome.idirect.com/~born2luv/e-concerns2.html

The New Parents Guide (2004), Diapers…Diapers…Diapers…Cloth vs. Disposable, Retrieved February 5, 2004, from http://www.thenewparentsguide.com/diapers.htm

Diaper Dilemmas, retrieved February 5, 2004, from http://www.asac.ab.ca/BI_winter0304/diaperdilemmas.html

Kerstin Ruth Wolf, Don’t Throw It All Away: Paper Products and the Environment, Retrieved February 5, 2004, from Grinell College Technology Concentration web site:http://web.grinnell.edu/techstudies/wolfk/ubp.html

Other resources:
http://www.wen.org.uk/nappies
http://www.diaperpin.com
http://www.borntolove.com/d-list1y.shtml

Blueberry Baby, Fairbanks, Alaska » health