8 Natural Remedies to Treat Diaper Rashes at Home

Diaper Rash is a nightmare that every parent dread appearing on their sweet baby’ s bum. A good quality natural diaper cream ( free of yucky petroleum jelly) can save your baby’s bum from the wrath of diaper rashes.

Sometimes, even after taking all preventive measures your babies end up with a red, itchy skin around the bum. My son got a severe diaper rash when he got a stomach bug, and it was awful to watch him scream at every diaper change.

In most cases, diaper rashes can be treated with these handy home remedies. Before you think of running to the doctor or tempted to try an over the counter strong diaper cream, do try these tips to see if it works.

Diaper Rashes – Common Causes :

Diaper rashes can occur due to many reasons, but the common triggers are

1. Delayed Diaper Changes :

There are so many things to keep track of when you have a new baby. It is entirely possible to miss a diaper change time. Don’t feel bad; It happens to the best of us.

To make it easier to remember have a diaper change schedule that you follow. In earlier days, I would change the diaper after every nursing session.

Always remember to change as soon as you can when there is poop. Leaving poopy diaper for a long time can immediately cause redness in the diaper area.

2. Chemical Irritants :

Sometimes your baby may be allergic to a particular material touching their skin. If you are using cloth diapers, try switching to a natural fabric to avoid chemicals. If you are using regular disposables, turn to using natural diapers or try cloth diapers.

In many cases, the disposable wipes that you are using can cause skin irritations. I highly recommend using cloth wipes for wiping as they are so easy to use, works much better and void of all the nasty chemicals.

If you are already doing all of this but your baby is having skin reactions, check your laundry detergent. Fragrances and other chemicals in detergent can be the issue.

3. Food allergies:

Diaper rashes may peak right after introducing solids to your baby. Solid foods change the composition of the poop, or sometimes our babies little tummies are not mature to fully digest the food.

Keep a note of what food item you are giving to your baby so that you can identify which food triggers the rash and avoid giving it to your baby. You can introduce that food later after your child’s gut system matures. Adding probiotics to your baby’s diet can prove useful.

4. Yeast Infection:

The Candida fungi cause yeast diaper rashes. The yeast rashes are peculiar in appearance and have raised red bumps. Yeast rashes appear at the creases of the skin where it dark and moisture gets trapped.

Babies you have thrush (yeast infection in the mouth) are more likely to get yeast diaper rashes.

The important thing to note about yeast diaper rashes is they are reoccurring. Therefore, you should be careful to strip anything that touches the diaper area and disinfect the yeast fungi. If you are using cloth diapers, a strip is mandatory to prevent future infection.

Natural Home Remedies for Diaper Rashes :

1.Diaper Free Time:

Letting your baby run naked can prevent diaper rashes and can even treat mild rashes. Exposure to air keeps the skin dry, free of moisture and healthy.
Practicing diaper free time even for 15- 20 minutes a day can make a huge difference.

2.Coconut Oil :

Coconut Oil is a must-have in your baby’s natural medical kit. From treating baby acne to diaper rashes, coconut oil has myriad of uses.

Applying coconut oil after every diaper change can immediately cure any redness and mild rashes. Be sure to choose good quality organic virgin coconut oil for best results. I use this one and love it.

3. Organic Corn Starch or Arrow Root powder :

Moisture trapped in the skin is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria or fungi. Baby powder was the go-to in the past to keep the butt dry. But, I don’t recommend any baby powder as their fragrances can contain chemicals.

Instead, you can use organic corn starch or arrowroot powder. Just sprinkle some powder over your baby’s bum after applying diaper cream.

If you suspect a yeast infection, steer clear from using either of these, because they both contain starch and it might actually worsen the yeast infection.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar :

There is a reason why your Grand Ma used ACV for pretty much all your ailments. That stuff works. Choose a raw vinegar with the mother as this works the best.

Dilute Apple Cider Vinegar, mix 1 TB spoon vinegar in 1 cup water and use this water to rinse baby’s bum. You can make a bath and let your baby soak in the bathtub.

5. Oatmeal :

I love Oatmeal for its soothing properties. It calms irritated skin, retains moisture and prevents inflammation. My son has eczema, and I have seen how an oatmeal bath helps clear his itchy skin.

Here is an oatmeal bath recipe that I used to treat my son’s eczema. I have used it with breastmilk, but you can use the same method with water too.

If you don’t have time for a bath, you can mix oats powder with water, make it a paste, apply on your baby’s bum as a pack. Let it sit for 10 – 15 minutes and wash it off with lukewarm water.

6.Breastmilk:

Did you know that there are so many other uses of breastmilk? Yes! Breast milk is packed with antibacterial properties that it is known to treat diaper rashes and other skin issues very effectively.

Squirt some breast milk over baby’s bum and watch those rashes go away just like that!

Step back on using breast milk if your baby has yeast infection though. The fungi will thrive on the sugars in breast milk and can spread the infection more.

Home Remedies for Yeast Infection:

Yeast diaper rashes need a little extra effort to treat. They also take some time to be gone entirely. Here are some effective home remedies that are worth trying.

7. Probiotics :

Sometimes a yeast infection can occur because of an antibacterial medication. An anti-bacterial medicine not only kills the bad bacteria but also destroys all the good bacteria that are required for healthy skin.

Probiotics can help restore the good bacterial culture in the skin. Take some yogurt and apply a thick layer over the skin. I recommend using homemade yogurt, if not just make sure that it doesn’t contain added sugars or artificial flavors.

You can even mix a TB spoon of organic probiotic powder with coconut oil and apply it over the skin. If your baby is taking solids, it is a good idea to boost the probiotic intake through foods.

8. Tea Tree Oil :

Tea Tree oil has well known antibacterial and antifungal properties( Source). Mix one or two drops of tea tree essential oil with a TB spoon of any carrier oil like coconut oil or olive oil and apply over the diaper area.

Conclusion:

Diaper rashes are not a huge concern and can be treated at home within a few days. However, if the rashes don’t go away or keep spreading to other body areas, oozing pus or if your baby is showing other abnormal symptoms, be sure to check with your pediatrician.

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