The ultimate guide to baby diaper rash in cloth diapers
Posted by MAJALIWA BASS
While diaper rash in cloth diapers is not as common as it is in disposable diapers, it does happen. Below are pictures and descriptions of the 5 most common diaper rashes babies get while wearing cloth diapers and what you can do to cure them. I also include mom-proven tips on how to get rid of the rash quickly and safely.
1. CONTACT RASH
Appearance: flat and blotchy
Location: all over the bum
Cause: exposure harsh chemicals like bleach, soap or detergent or exposure to synthetic fabrics like polyester or fleece.
Solutions:- Switch to cloth baby wipes or water-based baby wipes
- Switch to cloth diapers with a natural fabric lining like cotton, bamboo or hemp
- Apply a cloth-diaper safe diaper cream at every diaper change
- Strip cloth diapers to remove any detergent residue
2. ECZEMA
Appearance: red, itchy, scaly and cracked
Location: folds of the skin, elbows, cheeks, back of the knee and bum
Cause: unknown but often triggered by heat, dairy, soy and gluten
Solutions:
- Bathe using a gentle castile soap like Dr. Bronner's Baby Unscented Pure-Castile Liquid Soap
- Switch to cloth baby wipes or water-based baby wipes
- Remove dairy and soy from baby's diet (or mom's diet if breastfeeding)
- Moisturize the skin with coconut oil or a cloth-diaper safe eczema cream twice a day
3. AMMONIA BURN
Appearance: flat and blotchy, possible blisters
Location: bum
Cause: prolonged exposure to urine, usually overnight
Solutions: (any or all of these would help)
- change diapers more often (preferably every 1 - 2 hours)
- increase water intake to lower the pH in the urine
- Apply a cloth-diaper safe diaper cream at every diaper change
- Add a fleece liner to wick urine away from the skin
- Rinse diapers for 30 seconds under fresh water before placing in diaper pail
4. ACIDIC POOP RASH
Appearance: red "burn" ring around the rectum
Location: rectum and/or bum
Cause: consumption of acidic food like citrus fruits, tomato-based foods and dairy
Solution:
- Remove acidic foods from baby's diet (or mom's diet if breastfeeding)
- Give baby a daily dose of an infant probiotic
- Apply a cloth-diaper safe diaper cream at every diaper change
5. YEAST RASH
Appearance: acne-like pimples
Location: entire bum
Cause: over-consumption of antibiotics or citrus fruits
Solution: (note: treating yeast is a 3-step process)
- Apply a yeast-rash diaper cream, anti-fungal cream like Lotrimin, or a 50-50 diluted mix of Bragg's apple cider vinegar (ACV) and water at every diaper change for up to 7 days
- Balance the bacteria in the stomach by giving baby a daily does of an infant probiotic
- Add 1 cup of bleach to every cloth diaper load up to 5 days after the rash has disappeared
Reviews (1 comment)
jerin jahan On
Irritant diaper dermatitis is a generic term applied to skin rashes in the diaper area that are … Breast-fed babies, for example, have a lower incidence of
diaper rash, possibly because their stools have higher pH and lower enzymatic activity.