If your baby’s bum has developed a rash, it’s only normal for you to be concerned as a parent. There are many different things that can cause diaper rashes, and it’s only natural that you want to ensure that your baby stays protected whatever it is that may potentially be causing an allergic reaction.
You have already been through a 9 month long pregnancy where you have tried to eat healthy, get the nutrients that your body should be feeding your body, as well as avoiding various toxins throughout the pregnancy, it’s now only natural that you want to take action when your baby is actually born and has a rash.
You know very well that when your baby isn’t doing well, you are also a lot less likely to actually get a bunch of sleep as a parent. Rest assured knowing that these rashes usually aren’t an indication that you have been a bad parent, as they are very common. In fact, half of babies between the age of 4 and 15 months will have had a rash in the last two months, and once they come, you’re sure that they will end up leaving your little one feeling annoyed, and rightfully so, very quickly! Unfortunately when they are already there, it can take some time before they go away again, which will unfortunately mean that it is better to address the situation as quickly as possible and take the necessary preventive measures to help your baby get their best sleep, and you as well!
If you want to make sure that you treat the situation, you will also want to find out what type of rash that it is, because it is only when you understand the type of rash that you can find out what needs to be done about it. There are unfortunately different types that you will have to safeguard yourself against, but with the knowledge from this article, you’re well on your way! We’ll go through the main reasons why you’re seeing these rashes, whether they’re caused by zinc oxide creams or something else!
Irritant dermatitis
While you may feel like you’re constantly changing your baby’s diaper, there is still a lot of action going on underneath it. Pee, poop and sweat is constantly being accumulated, and you are taking your job very seriously as a parent but can only make sure that your baby’s situation remains clean so effectively. It’s a hot stewing pot, and unfortunately the mixture of these various things is a common irritant that can cause a rash.
If you just bought new shoes, you will know that it takes your feet some time to get used to them with the rubbing that happens between the shoe and your foot, and while a diaper is made of material that should be relatively soft on the skin, even when rubbed back and forth, especially when you are using a cloth one, it’s still constant friction from your baby being a little person with lots of energy!
While we do our job as a parent in order to help ensure that your baby isn’t rolling around in urine and poop, these components make for very potent rash-creators. If you are seeing a rash that looks pretty red and pretty shiny, it may just be an irritant that is causing it. While this type of rash isn’t really found in the creases of the skin, they can be found on most parts of your little one’s body, including thighs and stomach!
If you noticed a rash that only started as your baby started growing and started consuming solid foods, these solid foods could be changing the microbiome of your baby’s stomach to something that would cause more irritation.
The best prevention is to change your baby’s diaper frequently so as to avoid the exposure to the irritant that is likely causing the rash. Avoid tying the diaper too tightly at night where you won’t be changing it for an extended period of time and let your little one have some time without a diaper on to give them some time to with no exposure to irritants.
Candida dermatitis
If you are seeing rashes that are very dark red, it could be candida ones. Being common in the fold and creases of the thighs, more commonly inside the diaper area, and sometimes in contact with red dots as well, this may be a type of yeast. Be sure to check your baby’s mouth for a yeast infection, and they are very common when antibiotics are being taken. Unfortunately they can sometimes even be passed on from the mom. While it may not be the easiest situation to remedy, probiotics could sometimes help when your baby has to take these antibiotics.
Allergic dermatitis
This is one of the reasons why a lot of people choose to use cloth diapers instead of the disposable ones, because you can actually control the substances and materials that your baby is being exposed to. While it isn’t very common, there is a chance that your baby may end up with an allergic reaction if you aren’t using cloth diapers. If you are using cloth diapers and your baby is still having an allergic reaction, there are things you can do. The issue about this type of reaction is that it can take 1 to 3 weeks before you actually start seeing the effects of it, meaning when you see the rash, it might be some changes that you made previously that is causing it. While you may get OTC cream to help with the symptoms, it’s still important that you find out what is causing the rash in order to make it go away.
The most common things that may cause this type of reaction would be fragrances, wipes or other things that have chemical additives. For cloth diapers, you should try changing the detergent and see if it’s something in it that is causing the reaction – it just might be!
Bacterial
The fact that you are containing a potentially moist and warm area unfortunately creates a situation where bacterial growth is very common, why even cloth diapers may still lead to a bacterial rash. Strep or staph both need to get handled quickly in order to avoid any further escalation, and you can’t simply go to various OTC solutions to try and fix it. Unfortunately it can be hard to take measures to prevent bacterial buildup and if you suspect that bacterial buildup is the reason for the rash, make sure to seek medical help immediately.
Jenn is a long-time cloth diaper educator and a passionate small business advocate. She has worked in the reusable diaper industry for over a decade, helping millions of families via her websites All About Cloth Diapers, Thinking About Cloth Diapers and Cloth Diaper Geek as well as hundreds of small businesses during that time. Her goal always to provide simple, reliable information.
Amy Smith says
It’s Great information you have shared about cloth diapers causing problems! Really great job. Thanks!!!