# Help! Nasty diaper rash



## ecoteat (Mar 3, 2006)

DD has had a diaper rash for over a week that's not getting better. It started out with large red rashy patches from an irritating poop that she sat in for too long (maybe 30 minutes before we caught it?). Now the edges of the rashy patches have cleared up, but there are several raised open sores. I was using Weleda diaper cream on it, but it doesn't really stick to the sores. I've put some lanolin on, which has done the trick in the past, but not this time. Before the sores formed, I tried Weleda calendula cream, but that only helped a little bit. I've been using FuzziBunz as much as I can to try to keep her dry, but I don't have enough to use them full time. She gets some naked butt time when we change her, but that hasn't helped either. I have her in disposables today in a desperate attempt to keep moisture off her butt. Help! I don't know what else to do! What works on your LOs' worst diaper rashes?


----------



## maryeb (Aug 8, 2005)

We always used calendula oil, not cream. Have you tried that stuff? It's like magic for us. Also, nakey time as much as possible, like all the time you're home if you can. Good luck, it sounds frustrating and painful. Mary


----------



## *Robin* (Aug 30, 2007)

Our remedy: Give her a bath with no bubbles and the most gentle soap (we use Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild). Let her walk around naked for a while until her bottom is completely dry and even a little longer if possible. We use cloth, as disposables actually cause rash on my DS. Also, it took a while to figure out, but my DS is allergic to chicken and gets a severe diaper rash similar to what you described when he eats it. Check her diet and possibly take her off the typical culprits like wheat and dairy until it clears up and slowly reintroduce them. We also use Bordeaux's Butt Paste which works wonders for us.


----------



## broodymama (May 3, 2004)

Boudreaux's Butt Paste usually works well for us too, but DD has had a couple of rashes that even the Butt Paste wouldn't help. When we had to have a diaper on her during those times I used Triple Paste and it helped.


----------



## ecoteat (Mar 3, 2006)

I've wondered about food sensitivities. Months ago it seemed like she would get a rash when she ate carrots, but we thought it was more the not-completely-digested carrot bits in her diaper that were bothering her. It seemed like now that she digests them more thoroughly, it wasn't a problem, but now I'm not so sure. I've never heard of anyone being allergic, or even sensitive to, carrots, though--have you?

I tried letting her go bottomless around the kitchen where I could clean up pee easily, but when I had to clean up pee 3 times on 10 minutes, I gave up and got her dressed again. Poor baby's butt is a mess!


----------



## aricha (Oct 21, 2007)

We just finally got rid of a nasty and long-lasting diaper rash like you are describing. Our 9mo started solids (fruits and veggies) about 3 months ago and everything was great until I gave her some apple sauce. Figuring that was the culprit, I stopped with the apple sauce, but the rash reamained. I figured the applesauce started the rash and now other things were irritating it, so we went back to only breastmilk for a week, which cleared it up, then started re-introducing the blandest foods first. We changed her diapers really, really often (like hourly), esp when the rash progressed to sores, which made a difference pretty quickly. We also used Vaseline, which we almost never use, but it makes a really good barrier and I didn't take the time to find something more "natty" that would work as well.

So I would say eliminate as many foods as you can, especially anything at all acidic as well as likely culprits for food sensitivities. Stick to whole, single ingredient foods (or combinations of things you have prepared) rather than packaged foods and snacks.

Check/change her diaper a lot. Give her plenty of water. And use something that causes a really good barrier against the moisture. Then reintroduce things slowly, especially carrots if you think that's an issue. I was assured when youngest DD was an infant that the corolation between me eating eggs and her vomiting was all in my head, but I stopped eating eggs anyway and she stopped throwing up... I think we just know! Besides, what's the harm in NOT giving her carrots for a while, even if that's not really the problem? It can't hurt and might help.


----------



## Valerieg (May 13, 2007)

As an infant, DD got a terrible diaper rash. The only thing that worked for us (and we were in sposies at the time) was to clean butt thoroughly with a cloth wipe and gentle soap or just water, blow dry (or air time if possible), Desitin original caked on (don't rub it on) with powder.

If I see something stirring up which sometimes happens when my MIL watches DD, I simply do the above with her nighttime dipe (disposable) and it is gone by morning.

Just watch it for signs of infection. Yeast infections can come out of nasty diaper rashes.


----------



## amaretto (Aug 16, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ecoteat* 
I've wondered about food sensitivities. Months ago it seemed like she would get a rash when she ate carrots, but we thought it was more the not-completely-digested carrot bits in her diaper that were bothering her. It seemed like now that she digests them more thoroughly, it wasn't a problem, but now I'm not so sure. I've never heard of anyone being allergic, or even sensitive to, carrots, though--have you?

I tried letting her go bottomless around the kitchen where I could clean up pee easily, but when I had to clean up pee 3 times on 10 minutes, I gave up and got her dressed again. Poor baby's butt is a mess!









DD gets a rash whenever she eats carrots. She gets the rash with a very small quantity (let's say a tiny cube) and it shows up even without pooping, so I don't think that the rash is from the undigested bits. She has the same issues with apples and pears. I believe that if she already has a rash, banana is a problem too.

Ok, about treatment: I need to be drastic because she has had labial adhesion issues and even a small rash can worsen the situation. So I use vaseline and more frequent diaper changes. I would like to try lanolin but vaseline is more handy in the changing area and I "forget" about lanolin. Weleda oil and cream are not very effective for her and we use them only for prevention. We wash her butt at every diaper change - plain water for pee, mild soap for poop. We use disposables (our reasons are a very long thread) that do not seem to irritate her skin, if her food is OK.

Recently I went back to work and my mom doesn't feel comfortable washing her, so she uses wipes and wet cloth, and DD has a persistent mild rash. Since yesterday, I breastfeed her almost exclusively, allowing only some boiled potatos and it looks significantly better. We also get her to use the potty every now and then, so this is her "naked butt" time.

I remember that a few years ago, we used baby powder for my nephew and a little boy I was taking care of and it was really effective, but I don't use powders any more because of the dangerous side effects.


----------



## AEZMama (Jul 24, 2005)

When ds had a thrushy diaper rash, the only thing that worked was genetian violet with a bit of Vaseline or a thick paste layer over it after a bath with a bit of salt in the water to clean the skin. He gets to run around bare back before the GV goes on.


----------



## Perdita_in_Ontario (Feb 7, 2007)

I have been in this situation too - DD gets very very sore if she eats anything acidic and then doesn't get a poopy diaper changed immediately (difficult when she's at daycare...). She's had some open sores that made me cry to look at them.

I've tried a whole bunch of stuff, and given up on most of the diaper creams. When it's really bad (there have been some nights she can't sleep) I have a tube of mild hydrocortisone handy (recommended in Dr. Sear's book and approved by my ped). I don't use it often, but it clears up bad rashes quickly.

And... Bag Balm. I just started using this this week - DD has had a rash that simply wouldn't go away for weeks. I've used Bag Balm for years on my lips and any cuts/scratches/etc - it's wonderful stuff. It never occurred to me to use it on DD though. I researched it a few days ago before using it and found that it is safe. It's mainly petrolatum and lanolin, with a little bit of antiseptic in it - again not what I would use constantly, but I can report that after a few days of use, her bottom looks better than it has since, well, she was born! I suspect that it's a marvelous barrier as much as anything. She has a couple of scars from the sores, but I hope they disappear soon.

Aveeno also works quite well, but I don't use it for anything major. I find it's better to bring out the big guns quickly :-(


----------



## tammyswanson (Feb 19, 2007)

My mom used cornstarch as baby powder for us when we were kids, not sure it that would work? I know talc is considered dangerous, not sure about cornstarch?


----------



## mamatomax (Mar 31, 2007)

DS had a horrible rash because he had the runs for 2 weeks. We tried everything, and then a friend gave me a tube of Bert's Bees. That stuff really stays on, and it worked like a dream. It took about 4 days before it was completely healed, but an improvement was visible within a day.
I am a huge fan of this stuff now! It's all that I'll use for the next baby,too.


----------



## nevaehsmommy (Aug 6, 2007)

I am using coconut oil/lanilosh on my dd's diaper rash currently, slllloooowwwwllllyyyy clearing up. Had been using Zinc Oxide cream with no improvement.


----------



## amaretto (Aug 16, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tammyswanson* 
My mom used cornstarch as baby powder for us when we were kids, not sure it that would work? I know talc is considered dangerous, not sure about cornstarch?

I am not sure about cornstarch because it is still a thin powder that can cause respiratory problems and we avoid corn because there is a predisposition for allergies (shouldn't this apply for both food and cosmetics?).


----------



## melanyh (Nov 6, 2007)

...i know you're probably going for a more homepathic or natural remedy ... and we tried tiger balm and calendula and lots of different stuff when z got a bad, bloody one. and the thing that made it disappear was Rx Silvadene. it's a burn creme and i guess since the diaper rash is a form of burn (?) it cleared it right up.

fwiw, ours was due to potty training issues, holding poo, then it leaking out and him not telling us, etc. not a food allergy ...


----------



## Marylizah (Jun 17, 2005)

Hi ecoteat, we're dealing with something similar here, only in our case it was raisins that triggered baaaaaaad diaper rash. It's much better, but there's still a sore that's healing.

I actually kept DS in sposies







: for two days and slathered on Desitin/Weleda (alternating) on day one and nothing on day two. There was a big improvement by then.

Poor LOs, with their sore bums! DS was SCREAMING during his bath the first night it hurt him so badly....


----------



## jumpincholla (Feb 23, 2005)

Air, air and more air is the best. Bath after poops and let them air out for as long as possible. I'm talking an hour or so. Then use whatever you like best...I like coconut oil (has antifungal properties) and Badger Balm. I agree with staying away from acids. The worst rash my dd got was after drinking oj. Don't let them sit in a pee or poopy diaper for any time at all.


----------

