An otherwise happy and carefree baby can suddenly turn irritable and cranky due to a diaper rash. A diaper rash is almost like a rite of passage in the first 2 years of a baby’s life and it can adversely affect the parent’s routine as well. The following home remedies for diaper rashes are completely natural and can help you deal with them effectively. Before we find out what to use on a diaper rash, let us first study the exact symptoms of such a rash. Diaper rash symptoms vary from baby to baby but typically, you will see red, irritated spots on the entire diaper area which may also be puffy, warm and tender to touch.
Here are some things that are good for diaper rash
1. Keep the skin cool and dry
Moisture tends to aggravate the baby’s rash. So leave the baby without a diaper for as long as possible. If need be, use soft cotton nappies to collect the baby’s waste. You can also use a blow dryer on low heat to dry the baby’s bottom. This will eliminate the rubbing action caused on wet skin by baby’s clothing.
2. Change the diaper often
Leaving the baby in wet diapers is a surefire invitation to skin rashes so the best thing to do is change the baby frequently.Apply some baby powder in the diaper area during each change.
3. Feed plenty of water to the baby
A diaper rash indicates there is too much acid in the baby’s system. So feed it plenty of water (you can also give older babies 2-3 ounces of cranberry juice to maintain pH of the body). This is one of the best natural remedies for diaper rash.
4. Wash nappies in hypoallergenic detergent
Commercial laundry soaps used for washing baby’s clothes can also aggravate the baby’s rash. So wash the baby clothes in warm water using a mild, hypoallergenic soap.
5. Create a barrier between the baby’s bottom and the diaper
In order to get rid of diaper rash quickly and prevent further chaffing, you could use some petroleum jelly (Vaseline®) on the bottom before putting the diaper on.You could also sprinkle cornstarch powder or baby talc on the bottom to
6. Zinc oxide creams speed up healing of diaper rash
Zinc oxide creams help heal the broken skin and reduce inflammation. They are mild and gentle enough for baby’s delicate skin.
7. Use vinegar rinse for nappies
Apart from using hypoallergenic detergent to wash the child’s nappies in, also use vinegar for the final rinse. Vinegar kills bacteria in the nappy and helps balance the ph of the baby’s skin and the nappy. Use 1 ounce of vinegar per 1 gallon of water.
8. DIY homemade chamomile lotion for soothing diaper rash
Take a cup of water and add a tablespoon of dried chamomile herb to it. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and steep for a few minutes. Let the mixture cool before straining it. Add a tablespoon of cod liver oil to the herb water. Use it on the diaper rash to soothe and heal it overnight.
9. Use anti fungal cream
In some babies, the diaper rash may be caused by Candida or yeast. So use antifungal creams like Monistat or Lotrimin on the rashes.
10. For oozing red blisters
If the rash is oozing and has angry-looking, red blisters, you can apply Burrow’s solution which contains Aluminum acetate. It has astringent and antiseptic properties that heal and soothe skin rashes.
11. Hydrocortisone for particularly nasty rashes
For a particularly nasty diaper rash, apply topical corticosteroid or hydrocortisone cream. Do not use this diaper rash remedy for more than 4 days as it can cause thinning of the baby’s delicate skin.
12. Nursing moms- change your diet
Nursing mothers might want to eliminate allergens from their diet including nuts, dairy, citrusy fruits etc as these could pass on through the breast milk and make the baby more susceptible to diaper rash.
13. Use Castile soap to bathe baby
It is very important to avoid using harsh soaps to wash the baby’s sensitive skin. Switch to using warm water and Castile soap which is all-natural and prevents further irritation.
14. Use Calendula cream
Calendula has antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and healing properties that work very well on diaper rashes. Calendula cream or lotion can be applied on the rash to cure it within 24 hours.
Try these 14 natural remedies for diaper rash and heal your baby’s skin quickly.