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Momma said there’d be days like this…And sometimes days like this are days that our sweet little babes have a flair up of diaper rash. Well, I (mom of six) have got a quick fix for you using only three supplies that you already have in your home – no special, expensive, or fancy stuff to buy!
We are the disposable diaper kind of a family, I know some of you are ready to come for me – but it’s what works for us and we try to offset our awful contribution to landfills with finding other ways to be environmentally friendly. Believe me, no one gives me more grief about the diaper waste I have contributed to the Earth more than me – so save your breath.
All of our kids have done well with disposable diapers and we even have an Amazon subscribe & save set up to ship them right to our house every month because there isn’t many things more defeating than going to change a diaper at 3am and realizing that you’re out….anyone else do the ‘ole diaper bag panic raid? Hah, good times, good times.
Despite our kids’ great track record with disposable diapers, occasionally one of our babies will get a flair up of diaper rash that needs tended. Often this coincides with a change to their bowel movements – either more frequent or change in consistency (thank you teething and earaches!)
Diaper rash looks miserable and although the kids are pretty tough and usually just want to play through it – I want to get it cleared up as quickly as possible because I hate to know that their little bum is all chafed and hurting.
At about our third child, we figured out this Diaper Rash Quick Fix and we’ve been using it ever since. It works super quick and there is a noticeable difference in only one diaper change! I promise – it’s a life saver and we’ve even seen vast improvement when the diaper rash is really inflamed and/or broken the skin.
Supplies:
- diaper
- butt cream of your choice (we always choose Aquaphor!)
- a pair of cotton underwear (like an older siblings, or the smallest pair you own)
Directions:
- remove your baby’s dirty diaper and clean the area as gently as possible (using water is a better option than wipes, especially if the skin is broken open)
- apply an obnoxious amount of butt cream and make sure to cover all of the rash
- put the cotton underwear on the baby and try to make as comfortable as possible (nothing twisted or bunched up if possible)
- put on a clean disposable diaper on top of the underwear
Yes, the underwear are going to be soiled and will contribute to more laundry that contains bodily fluids, but don’t pretend you don’t have nearly a load already of peed, pooped, or spit up laundry. And what’s more, you’ll be able to give your baby some quick relief, so it’s worth it!
I am not in any way a medical professional, just a mom of six who has seen her fair share of dirty diapers and figured out through trial and error what seems to work. In this case, the cotton underwear seems to create a soft (chemical free) barrier between your baby’s skin and the diaper to give it space to heal from the diaper rash. Meanwhile the butt cream does it’s best to heal up that rash. Honestly, you will see a difference in one diaper change!
If you have the time and space to let your little one go diaper free for awhile when they are experiencing diaper rash, that is always a great option too. Giving the rash some fresh air is a big help to healing it and giving your babe some relief. A nice warm bath and letting your baby splash and play for awhile is another activity that will allow healing and happiness. Although both of these can get a little tricky if you are not at home. So I suggest always packing a spare pair of undies in the diaper bag in case you need to use the Quick Fix while you are out and about, visiting with friends, or traveling.
If you have the patience, time, and environmentally conscious heart to manage cloth diapers full time, you will probably find that cloth diapers generally tend to keep your baby’s bum healthy and diaper rash free (or just about free). If you aren’t ready to go full cloth-diapering, perhaps you can keep some on hand for just these kinds of moments. There are so many great options now that you won’t have any difficulty finding full-cloth or even cloth with flushable liners!
Our Diaper Rash Quick Fix should only have to be done infrequently if/when diaper rash flairs up. If your baby is having regular diaper rash that is persistent, you should definitely bring it up with your pediatrician to see if you should consider changing diaper brands, diapering options, or seek other ways to promote healthy baby bum maintenance.
Becky says
We always found straight up Vaseline or Aquaphor to be the quickest healing as well!