Can't stop the rashes!!

Alison - posted on 02/14/2010

Thanks so much girls! I have taken a lot of your suggestions and tried them out. We have now brought her rashes down CONSIDERABLY! She doesn't have sores or bleeding anymore. She has some spots that haven't healed yet, but I think with all the changes, we are now out of the woods! :) Now all I need to do is figure out which of the changes created the results........

Vanessa - posted on 02/14/2010

What did your doctor say? My older daughter was strictly in disposables, but wasn't being changed enough by the babysitter. My younger daughter uses both dispo's and natural, and has a little pinkness, but no rashes. Each child is different, but sometimes the obvious answer isn't the right one. I've found that the fleece liners made wetness and odor worse for her, not better...

Alyson - posted on 02/14/2010

I had this issue using BG diapers. I switched to prefolds with a snappi and a diaper cover. It took a while to figure out how to put these on right but once I did no problems at all. I used a BG insert as a liner with the prefold diapers. I got all my supplies though www.cottonbabies.com I also use disposable overnight I agree with the other comment I dont know how people use cloth overnight unless they get up and change or put so many liners on the child cant move at night. Whatever works. Good luck

Kathryn - posted on 02/13/2010

My DD2 used to get bleeding nappy rashes, and even prescription creams didnt stop it. Then I came across an Article online which suggested sprinkling on a home-made solution of bicarbonate of soda in warm water (2tsp in 1 cup warm water) and she healed up in a couple of days. When ever it tried to come back, we would ditch the wetwipes, make up the bicarb solution (or put some bicarb in the bath AFTER washing her face & hair) and it would heal straight up.
http://www.minti.com/parenting-advice/89...

Mattie - posted on 02/12/2010

I had a hard time with rashes too. Everyone has given such great advice. I have a couple of other suggestions that could also help. I wash the diapers and covers in hot water with detergent and half a cup of white vinegar to kill bacteria. It's a very cheap effective solution and takes smells away from everything. I also use it the vinegar with the regular laundry.



While I was breastfeeding I also took a probiotic every day. You can also get the same effects if you eat yogurt with active cultures every day. This will help if it's yeast based rash. Now that my son is 14 months I give him yogurt at least everyother day and it helps a lot. Good luck.

Jamie - posted on 02/12/2010

Have you used rash cream on the diapers by accident? Or washed them with wipes that had rash cream?? I did this and it messed up my diapers! I use bumgenius 3.0 . Any ways I had to hand wash my diapers with a toothbrush.(after I washed them in the washer to get the mess off) You put them in hot water with about a teaspoon of original dawn(the blue kind) Then One by one scrub them with a little dawn and toothbrush. then wash them with extra rinse in washer. IT is time consuming but The diapers are working good again and the rash is gone.

Alison - posted on 02/11/2010

You guys are so great! Well, she seems to be doing much better! I think boiling the diapers really helped. The naked sleeping did not work (she woke up after one hour because she wet and was lying in it...Yuck). I changed the wipes solution I was using as well. I was using mostly water and only using a spray that included soap when she was poopy. I now use the solution (I make myself) after every change. I also changed the detergent again to Crunchy Clean and, although I had to use much more than the package claimed, my diapers smelled like nothing when they were done! Yeah! I also ordered samples of Rockin Green (should be here tomorrow) and really hope that will be all I need yet to do. It may have just been that my detergent just wasn't rinsing out clean (I have VERY hard water). I really appreciate all your advice!!

Becky - posted on 02/11/2010

Although you have changed your detergent several times it could still be the detergent. My grandson is so very sensitive and we have used many many detergents. I have found that Planet works well and RockinGreensoap.com the Soft Rock for sensitive babies. I read in this thread that someone has samples. Take advantage of that and try additional soaps. Drinking lots of juice was another problem. Goofd luck hope you have found a solution by now.

Karen - posted on 02/11/2010

i thought it was the cloth diapers when this happened to my son, but it was eczema. it had nothing to do with the cloth diapers. He was scratching himself. Just a warning, because I did everything you did to fix it thinking it was the diapers.

Jan - posted on 02/11/2010

My DD has VERY sensitive skin, we can't use disposables, and we can't use any fluffy fabrics in her diapers, no fleece, no microfleece, velour, or anyother staydry out there, and we can't use pul covers other then gdiapers for more then 1 change without alternating with wool or fleece, Also we can only use tide, I know so many people will tell you not to but it is the only thing we can use without DD and DH having a reaction.

Do you have any old receiving blankets you could fold and pin/snappi? if so try using them with no cover and see if that helps. If there is no reaction to the blanket then you know it's a problem with your dipes, not cloth in general. Also if you haven't already I would clean the washer and dryer out to make sure you are not transfering any residue onto the diapers, a woman on the yahoo gdiapers group just had a similar problem and it turned out dryer sheet residue left in the dryer from her pre cloth diapering days was the culprit.

Emma - posted on 02/10/2010

Hello.. I had the same problem with my boy xavier... did all the above as well and it came down to he had sensitive skin, i tried cloth and huggies and it was exactly the same .. the is a great cream that i used on xave ummm.. i will get the pot if i can't find it i will post back to you.. i slathered it all over the redness and it eventually went away, i tried everythign and can only understand how frustrating it is/ was... Ok so i had a good look and cant find it.. but i can describe it to you....
It has a white lid the label has yellow and purple on it. it is for skin rashes and so forth it stinks but works wonders its a light brown kinda colour... you can get it from the chemist.. rub it in give her some air time and them see if that helps.. i really hope you have either found some help or this works. We even tried a mixture of a very low dose steriod and mixed in the brown goop and that helped heaps....

hope all is well x x x

Wendy - posted on 02/10/2010

You really have been so dedicated!! A few other thoughts to add: you could try using flushable liners (they allow moisture through but not back), and a diaper cream meant for cloth diapering that has calendula in it (healing -- bumbum balm is one). Also the bumGenius Flip might be a possibility because you can switch between disposable liners and stay-dry liners. Good luck!

Alison - posted on 02/08/2010

Thank you for all the advice ladies!
Since my post, I've gotten rid of the liners (possible allergy), boiled my diapers (kill any bacteria), increased the detergent amount (get them cleaner), and added another rinse to the cycle. All this has helped some; she is no longer blistering, but she still gets red all over the diaper area after 2 changes.

I use prefolds and PUL covers (gDiaper), AIOs (Bottom Bumpers), and fitteds with fleece covers (Sugar Peas). I am really considering getting a pocekt diaper or two to see if that makes a difference. Also, I will try the napping naked idea this week and see if that helps. The naked time during the day has left me cleaning a lot of carpet (she's walking)! :)

Shanda - posted on 02/06/2010

What kind of diapers are you using? Some babies are allergic to suedecloth so if you are using, for example Bum Genius, or something else with a suedecloth inner, try switching to a cotton diaper and see if that helps.

Colleen - posted on 02/05/2010

My guys got worse rashes when I used fleece liners. We used only cotton against their skin, lots of time without diapers (lay out towels), and made sure they were 100% dry before putting on a new diaper. I figured out that our rashes were mostly heat-rash because it was always worse in summer. Solved this by using disposables if we were going out in the heat for a long time. I get heat rashes too so it's not surprising.

Jenny - posted on 02/05/2010

Since the rash immediately gets better with a disposable, it's probably something with the cloth diaper (I know, duh!). So, if you've tried stripping the diapers and all that, maybe you need to switch kinds. We had to switch from prefolds to pocket diapers cause my son would get bleeding rashes from one diaper change to the next (no rash, then poop, he's bleeding and raw). The new diapers have a microfleece liner and it keeps him dry enough that he doesn't rash up nearly as much. That's the only help I can offer, sorry if it doesn't work. :) Good luck.

Tara - posted on 02/05/2010

Did you get your cloth used? my son got rashes from the diapers that I bought used, until I bleached them. He was fine with the ones I bought new. I normally don't condone bleaching diapers but if they are used you never really know what bacteria lurk.

Lisa - posted on 02/05/2010

I just posted in another thread, but I put olive oil on my son's bottom after a diaper change when I noticed that his diapers are causing him to have a red bottom, and it really helps to keep it from 'getting worse' as it has happened a time or too..

I'm kinda wondering if you have some water issues going on that's making it hard to rinse.. We've had that problem.... I know you've said that you have switched detergents, but have you tried one that is specifically for cloth diapers?

I have Rockin' Green Samples if you want to try it!

Good luck!

Sabrina - posted on 02/05/2010

hey I dont cloth daiper (yet?) I have a 3 yr old that is potty trained & a 2 yr old that is potty training(no accidents in a week!!) But I'm due in August & we are planning on CDing this one :) So the only opinion I have on diaper rashes is that of a disposable mom's point of view. but I'm going to share my opinions on it, b/c I feel like it:) lol

First of all I have no idea what a Magic Stick is but it SOUNDS cool & I'm definatly going to look into it :) With my children I always (rash or not) make sure their whole diaper area is dry. I try not to look so obvious in public but in the privacy of my home I sit there waving their legs in the air, blowing(from a resonable distance) on their little areas to make sure they are completly dry b4 diapering. They think its fun (or maybe they just think im funny) either way it gets the job done & once I started doing that I noticed they actually got rashes less often :) When they did have rashes though I would alternate changes between diaper rash cream & just putting baby powder on(just watch their little noses. lol) it worked for us. It never took longer than 2 days (even for the worst rashes) and they where cleared up. I know there is a difference between cloth & disposable diapers, but that's what I did on disposable diaper rashes.

I think the biggest thing is to keep an open mind, babies get rashes, no matter what. Until they potty train there are going to be rashes, whether they use cloth diapers or disposable. It's a universal thing that every child will have at some point no matter how good the diaper or how good the mommy. I would try some of the ideas on this page & if you're still have rashes THAT bad all the time, I would go to the doctor, they can find out IF/what she has an allergy to. That could be all it is.
GOOD LUCK!!!!

Rebecca - posted on 02/05/2010

What kind of cloth diapers are you using? Is it possible they contain latex and your daughter is allergic to latex? Also, by fleece do you mean microfleece? Bleeding rashes are usually either staph or yeast. I agree that a yeast rash wouldn't clear up on a switch to a disposable; if anything, they get worse. My twin toddlers have really sensitive skin and they rash up easily no matter what they are wearing. At one point, they developed a horrendeous diaper rash that lasted for weeks --- they had diarrehea, which created broken skin, which allowed a staph infection to set in. We had to get a prescription cream to clear it up and we had to wash our diapers in near-boiling water to kill the staph on the diapers -- otherwise, we would just re-infect him with every diaper change. Couple of suggestions: first, make sure she is drinking plenty of fluids -- less fluids = more concentrated pee, which is more likely to irritate her skin. Second, go back to the regular detergent amount. I highly doubt you are effectively cleaning a load of diaps with that small an amount of detergent. Throw in a little OxiClean -- it contains hydrogen peroxide, is gentle on the diapers, and kills kill bacteria. Make sure you are washing your diapers by giving them an initial rinse, then a regular wash cycle in HOT water, then another extra rinse. Stop using the fleece liners unless they are cotton, wool or hemp. Buy a wool diaper cover, like an Aristocrats, and put her in that plus a COTTON diaper (prefold, contour, fitted, etc.) for as much of the day as possible. If you don't want to buy one (they are about $35, but well worth it, you can sew one from an old wool sweater). Or, skip the entire cover and let her just wear a prefold around the house. It will be a little damp but it will breathe better. At night, put her in two prefolds plus the Aristocrat. She will sleep through the night in it and her bum will be able to get some air. Naked time is great; if she doesn't normally poop during her naps, I would line her bed with towels and let her nap with a bare bum. When she has a bad rash, don't use wipes or wipe solution on it -- take her straight the the bathroom, put her butt under the faucet, and rinse her bum with lukewarm water. Use a little mild soap - like plain glyercin soap or Dr. Bonner's Castile -- if she is poopy. PAT dry. DO NOT RUB. Then, before re-diapering her, use a blower dryer to dry her butt off (DON"T USE A HIGH HEAT SETTING -- just an air setting is fine -- you just want to make the area as dry as possible). I know this seems like a lot, but these steps will help you kick the rash and be able to go back to cloth. ALSO, DON'T use corn starch or any creams containing cornstarch. I know it doesn't sound like yeast, but in the event there is any yeast, it will just feed it. That includes Desitin and Triple Paste if you are using disposables - both contain cornstarch. Lastly, once the rash has cleared up, you should be able to go back to your "regular" cloth diapers, however, I would use a home-made wipe solution (1TB liquid almond Castile, 7 drops lavendar, 2 drops Tea tea oil, and 1 c. water works great), wipe her down good with every change (even just pee) and then apply some Magic Stick at every diaper change. The Magic Stick is gentle and will create a barrier between her and the pee, which it sounds like she needs. One I went through all the steps above, my boys rash cleared and we haven't had a problem since. We still use the Aristocrats at night with two prefolds and the Magic Stick at every change.

Rose - posted on 02/05/2010

We can't use disposable or our little one's rashes are at the worst! Look outside the box-could be something else and not the cloth diapers causing the issue. We use Biokleen liquid (any of them as scent free is good and the other just has herbs and not perfume)-first full strength on cold with shorter wash, then flip to hot longest cycle with no extra detergent and a vinegar rinse. We use dryer in winter (MN) and line in Summer after a 15 minute dry to soften (as everyone says and I'm sure you know and are gritting your teeth, no softeners). For wipes, use plain water, not disposable kind. For her rashes we alternate plain water bath and baking soda bath-if any soap we use Dr Bronner's (tiny amount!) or California Baby, but typically no soap, for rash we've used Bacitracin if spots and zinc if raw from poop. I'm sure this all seems familiar, so sorry if it is. We found soap makes our dd worse as we have to watch her diet as well. The best of luck! Maybe try microfiber combo inserts? I love the Gdiaper cloth inserts (not the fake ones on ebay), they have hemp and microfiber and are hard to tell when wet-great for bedtime!

Winter - posted on 02/02/2010

Have you tried stripping with peroxide? It's worth a shot!

Dawn - posted on 02/02/2010

it might be the type of nappy you are using. it sounds like ur cloth nappy isn't keeping the 'wee' away from her skin. i tried bambino mio first but found my daughter was always wet, even with a fleece liner. I now use bumgenius and blueberry minky's pocket nappies that have a fleece inner and her bum stays nice and dry. the only time she seems to get nappy rash now is if she's had a wet poo and i've not caught it in time. I also use pampers baby dry at night and 1 lasts her all night. i'm not sure how people use the cloth nappies at night without using tons of inserts or night changing.