How To Prevent Diaper Rash In Newborns

How To Avoid Diaper Rash

This article was co-authored by Jami Yaeger. Jami Yaeger is a Parenting Specialist, Doula, and the Owner of AustinBorn, an online community offering comprehensive and modern education to growing families. With 10 years of experience, Jami specializes in whole family support for pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and parenting. Jami earned her BA in Theatre Performance from San Diego State University and earned her Certification as a Lactation Education Counselor from the University of California, San Diego. She is a Certified Infant and Child CPR Instructor, Birth and Postpartum Doula, and Childbirth Educator.There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 5,069 times.

Diaper rash is an unpleasant rash on your baby’s bottom that can be caused by a variety of things, including chafing, skin infection, and allergies.XTrustworthy SourceMayo ClinicEducational website from one of the world’s leading hospitalsGo to source Diaper rash is extremely common, and luckily it’s usually fairly easy to treat. While most babies will develop diaper rash at some point, you can help prevent it by taking a few simple precautions.

When To Call The Pediatrician About Diaper Rash

Its time to call the doctor if the babys rash doesnt improve after five days, gets worse, or if sores appear on the babys skin, says Dr. Iravani. Seek medical care if the baby has a fever, pus drains from the rash area, or the baby is fussier than usual.

The doctor may take a few paths for treatment, depending on what type of rash the baby has. They may prescribe an antifungal cream or an antibiotic cream, or recommend other changes to the diapering routine. If the rash is caused by an allergic reaction, the doctor may prescribe a mild steroid cream.

Make Sure Babys Bottom Is Dry Before Putting On The Diaper

Let the skin dry thoroughly before putting on a diaper. Enclosing wet skin with a nappy is like working backward.

You are changing the diaper so your baby can be dry, it doesnt make sense to put on the diaper when the skin is still wet.

With your busy schedule, it seems a bit tedious to wait for the skin to dry. Use a clean soft washcloth to pat dry your babys bum to speed up the process.

Dont reuse this cloth, wash it after each use.

You should get yourself a few washcloths to use throughout the day and wash before the end of the day. Have extra ones to use while others are drying.

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Living With Diaper Rash

Diaper rash is very common in babies, especially those between 4 and 15 months old. Do the best you can to prevent it. But sometimes it cant be avoided. Home treatment often clears up diaper rash in a few days. If that does not work, call your family doctor.

If you use cloth diapers, you should also keep these tips in mind.

• Wash diapers in hot water with bleach to kill germs. You can also boil them for 15 minutes on the stove after washing.
• Rinse diapers 2-3 times to remove all soap and chemicals.
• If you use detergent, be sure to choose detergent for sensitive skin. There are some brands specific to babies and cloth diapers.
• Avoid fabric softener and dryer sheets, which can irritate skin.
• Try to avoid plastic pants that fit over diapers. They increase heat and moisture in the diaper area. This makes it easier for diaper rash to start and for germs to grow.

Check The Size Of Your Childs Diaper

Wearing the wrong size diaper can increase the chances of diaper rash and make it harder for an active rash to heal. A diaper thats too tight can cause extra moisture and faster rash growth. A diaper thats too large can rub and cause friction that makes rashes worse.

Check your childs current diaper size. Switching to a new size might help.

You can use pastes or barrier creams that contain zinc to soothe the skin and prevent contact with feces and other irritants. Examples of these products include:

• Triple Paste
• Desitin

Apply a thin layer to prevent stool or urine from touching your babys skin.

Jellies like Vaseline may be ideal, since theyre inexpensive and usually contain fewer dyes or perfumes. However, jellies may stick to cloth diapers and can be hard to wash off. They also dont offer a barrier as strong as other creams.

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Questions To Ask Your Doctor

• How often should I change my babys diaper?
• What ointment would be best for my baby?
• Are cloth or disposable diapers better?
• What should I do if the diaper rash spreads or gets worse?
• My baby is on antibiotics. Is there a way I can prevent him/her from getting diaper rash?
• Should I leave my babys diaper off while he/she is asleep?

Signs Of A Baby Diaper Rash

A diaper rash is generally easy to spot. Watch out for shiny pink or red patches on your babys skin, which are common in mild diaper rashes. But sometimes, the onset of a diaper rash can be noticed when your baby is fussy during diaper changes or when being washed. Meanwhile, in more severe cases, there will be spots, blisters, and even open sores.

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How To Treat Heat Rash In Babies

So, how is heat rash treated? There are several things you can do to treat mild heat rash or prickly heat in your babys sensitive skin.

First, keep your childs diaper area cool and dry. You can do this by dressing them in light, loose-fitting clothing that wicks moisture and keep them out of the sun. Avoid too many layers of clothing.

Second, you can apply cool compresses or a wet washcloth to the affected area. A cool compress will help soothe the irritated skin and reduce irritation. Give your child cool baths in cool water and mild soap.

Third, you can use a mild, unscented baby powder to help absorb moisture and keep the rash area dry.

Finally, if the baby heat rash is severe or does not improve with home treatment, you should consult your childs healthcare provider or doctor. They may prescribe a topical steroid cream to help relieve the symptoms.

Heat rash is a common skin condition that usually goes away on its own. However, there are things you can do to help ease your babys symptoms of heat rash and speed up the healing process. By following the above tips, you can help your little one feel better and get back to their usual self in no time.

How To Heal A Babys Diaper Rash

Dr. Leila Iravani, a pediatrician in the CHOC Primary Care Network, recommends these four steps to help resolve diaper rash.

Typically, most diaper rashes will clear up within two to three days with home care and simple changes in diapering and home care. Dr. Leila Iravani, a pediatrician in the CHOC Primary Care Network, recommends these four steps to help resolve diaper rash:

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Tips For Preventing Diaper Rash

These tips will keep your babys bottom clean and dry, preventing excessive outbreaks of diaper rash and helping to heal areas that are already irritated:

Choosing The Right Type Of Diaper

Diaper rash can cause a great deal of discomfort for thebaby. Since the goal is to keep the skin dry, parents should choosediapers that are labeled as superabsorbent or ultra-absorbent. Theseprevent diaper rash better than older, regular absorbency diapers. Someparents prefer cloth diapers for reasons of economics, sanitation, orconservation, but disposables are far better than reusable cloth diapersin preventing diaper rash. If cloth diapers are used, they should neverbe covered by plastic pants, since the plastic keeps moisture trappedinside the diaper and makes diaper rash more likely.

During an active case of diaper rash, the skin is verysensitive. Most commercial diaper wipes should be avoided during thistime, as these products may contain chemicals that irritate the skinaffected by the rash. Immediate cleaning of the area with mild soap isthe safest alternative.

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Try An Ointment Or Petroleum Jelly

Rash creams and petroleum jelly can act as a protective barrier between babys skin and a wet diaper, but the key to making it work is to make sure your little ones bottom is dry before applying it.

If it can lock moisture out, it can also lock moisture in, which defeats the purpose of keeping your babys skin dry, explains pediatrician Dr. Ina Atutubo in a previous SmartParenting.com.ph article.

There are different products in the market, but it is always best to consult a pediatrician first. Our Village moms swear by products like petroleum jelly, Calmoseptine, Drapolene, and hydrocortisone creams.

Newborn Baby Diaper Rash Tips: How To Treat & Prevent Diaper Rash & Causes Of Diaper Rash

8 minutes

07/10/2020

Newborn baby diaper rash is, unfortunately, something that most babies experience, in fact, WaterWipes parenting research revealed that nearly 9 in 10 said their baby experienced diaper rash. The skin on your babys bottom is sensitive and delicate, so it can become sore with all that regular but necessary changing and wiping.

As a wipe born out of a fathers desire to gently care for his daughters severe diaper rash, we know it can be worrying to find a rash on your babys skin but diaper rash is a fairly common issue and were here to help. In this guide, we share expert advice from the likes of dermatologist Dr. Cairine Wilkinson and Dr. Pixie McKenna, as well as newborn baby diaper rash tips to help you understand the causes, prevent and treat diaper rash effectively so you can keep your baby happy and healthy.

We will also share the ground-breaking, independent, clinical study results that revealed WaterWipes can help against the causes of diaper rash. Read more below.

• 1. What is newborn baby diaper rash?

• 2. Diaper rash symptoms – What does newborn baby diaper rash look like?

• 3. What are the causes of newborn baby diaper rash?

• 4. How to prevent newborn baby diaper rash

• 5. Diaper rash treatment tips – How to treat newborn baby diaper rash

• 6. How long does newborn baby diaper rash last?

• 7. When to see doctor for newborn baby diaper rash

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How Often Should You Change Your Babys Diaper

According to ReviewThis, newborns urinate approximately 20 times per day, which means you should change your newborns diaper every 2-3 hours. If youre using cloth diapers instead of disposables, you should change them every 90 minutes. If your baby is sleeping peacefully, a diaper change can wait until your child wakes up on his/her own or when you wake him/her for a feeding.

Its especially important to change a poopy diaper as soon as possible because bowel movements can irritate a babys skin. This is even more crucial with baby girls because feces that are allowed to stay in contact with their genitals can cause a bladder infection.

Newborn Diaper Rash Tips: How To Treat & Prevent Diaper Rash & Causes Of Diaper Rash

8 minutes

01/04/2021

Newborn diaper rash is, unfortunately, something that most babies experience. The skin on your babys bottom is sensitive and delicate, so it can become sore with all that regular but necessary changing and wiping.

We know it can be worrying to find a rash on your babys skin but diaper rash is a fairly common issue and were here to help. In this guide, we share expert advice from the likes of dermatologist Dr. Cairine Wilkinson and Dr. Pixie McKenna, as well as newborn diaper rash tips to help you understand, prevent and treat diaper rash effectively so you can keep your baby happy and healthy.

• 1. What is newborn diaper rash?

• 2. Diaper rash symptoms – What does newborn diaper rash look like?

• 3. What are the causes of newborn diaper rash?

• 4. How to prevent newborn diaper rash

• 5. Diaper rash tips – How to treat newborn diaper rash

• 6. How long does newborn diaper rash last?

• 7. When to see GP for newborn diaper rash

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Causes Of Diaper Rash

While there are several different kinds of diaper rash, there are also several common causes. The most typical cause for a diaper rash is infrequent changing. But, there are other less obvious culprits, too. If you notice a rash on your babys bum and youve stayed on top of diaper changes, it may be due to:

• Chaffing
• A reaction to antibiotics you or your baby have been prescribed

Consult A Doctor For More Advice

If youre taking all the precautions you can to prevent diaper rash and it keeps recurring, or your baby is suffering from a diaper rash that wont go away, it may be time to speak to your childs doctor. According to Washington Post, there are signs parents need to watch out for that indicate their babys diaper rash requires a professionals help. These include:

• It doesnt resolve itself within a few days.
• Red, raised bumps are visible, which can be a sign of a fungal or yeast diaper rash and may require an antifungal cream.
• The babys skin is tender, hard, or swelling. Especially if this is accompanied by fever, it may be sign of an infection. Seek medical attention as soon as possible.

In many cases, diaper rash is preventable before it occurs. But with that being said, sometimes its persistent and requires medical attention. Thats okay it doesnt mean you as a parent are necessarily doing anything wrong. Your doctor will be able to advise you on the next best steps to take.

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