Common Illnesses & Injuries

Diaper Rash

Diapers, because they are warm and often wet, are a good place for bacteria and yeast to grow. Those germs, along with wetness, can create a red, raw rash on the skin of your baby’s bottom. Diaper rash is usually not a serious condition, but it can hurt.

Here are some ways to prevent it:

Change the baby’s diaper when you know it is wet or soiled. In a newborn, this could be 15 times or more every day!
Give baby’s bottom some “air time” each day. Dress him in a cloth diaper with no plastic or nylon cover. Cotton allows some air circulation. Leave a diaper off entirely for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. This could be done before his bath.
Rinse the baby’s bottom with clear water at each diaper change. Use mild soap if needed.
Avoid using baby powder. It can clump and cake, giving bacteria a place to grow.
If you are using cloth diapers, try to find diaper covers that allow air circulation such as wool or waterproofed cotton.
If you wash your own cloth diapers, use a mild soap or detergent and double rinse them to get out any soap residue. Adding a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle often helps.
If you are using disposable diapers, change them often. Disposable diapers can hold an amazing amount of urine before they leak. Change them every two hours or so.
Babies older than six months who eat solid foods may develop allergies to new foods. Food allergies can cause a diaper rash. Try only one new food a week.

If your baby does get a diaper rash, you can do the following:

Increase daily “air time”
Use a diaper rash cream that contains zinc oxide, such as Desitin® or Balmex®, to protect the skin from further irritation

If the rash develops into sores, or does not get better in one or two days, check with your baby’s healthcare provider. Sometimes a more serious skin infection can develop, and will need further treatment.