Diaper rash

Babies have this knack for making their problems your problems, and if baby has diaper rash, you have it, too.

How do we tackle diaper rash?

Give them some air

Give the baby's bottom some air. Take the baby's diaper off and lay him chest down, with his face turned to one side, on towels underlaid with a waterproof sheet. Leave the baby that way for as long as you are there to keep an eye on him.

Super absorbent diapers

Diapers containing absorbent gelling material have been shown to significantly reduce skin wetness.

Blow-dry

Keeping the diaper area clean promotes healing but drying with a towel can irritate sensitive skin. Try a blow dryer instead! Set it on low to avoid abrasion to wet skin. When it is dry, zinc oxide ointments may be applied.

Give cloth diapers a vinegar rinse

Adding vinegar to the final rinse when washing diapers will help bring the pH of cloth diapers into line with that of the baby's skin. Add 1 ounce of vinegar to 1 gallon of water during the final rinse.

The cranberry connection

When urine and feces mix in the diaper area, the result is a high pH that irritates the skin and promotes diaper rash. It is noted that 2 to 3 ounces of cranberry juice given to older infants will leave an acid residue in the urine, helping lower pH and reduce irritation.

Research shows that breastfed babies has less diaper rash than bottle-fed babies. Even better, it is noted too that this resistance continues long after a baby has been weaned.