Cloth Diaper Wearers, What Do You Use For Diaper Rash?

[Nat]

Diaper rash cream is bad for the cloth diapers, it leaves the yellowness inside them, makes the area stiff so I was wondering what so you use for your diaper rash for your cloth diapers?

I want to write this all down what you guys use so I know what to get when I got shopping net time. Tell me what aisle you find it in.

[pax87]

News to me! I've always made sure baby oil has been used along with baby powder.

[redneck diaper boy]

I have been wearing cloth diapers for most of my life and have never seen what you deescribed.

How are you washing them?

Diaper rash cream is bad for the cloth diapers, it leaves the yellowness inside them, makes the area stiff so I was wondering what so you use for your diaper rash for your cloth diapers?

I want to write this all down what you guys use so I know what to get when I got shopping net time. Tell me what aisle you find it in.

[Lil_Miss_Ruffles]

Desitin

http://www.desitin.com/

Works great!

When I first started using it, I would apply it to a rash and it would clear up overnight. Later, I started using it when getting diapered and from that day forward, it is extremely rare when I get a rash.

I have never had it stain my cloth diapers in any way and it doesn't appear to have any effect on plastic pants either; if so, it is almost indetectable.

The stuff also works great for clearing up razor burn and other heat-type rashes. Doesn't do a thing for poison ivy though.

Good luck!

***HUGS***

Ruffles

[ABoy]

Well Spokane Girl, I don't know what magic plastic pants these other people are buying, but I'm in the same boat as you. When I get diaper rash I treat it with rash creams like Desitin or A&D, and over a sadly short amount of time (2-3 months if them using it regularly) the plastic pants become brittle and start to crack, after which they are obviously useless and I'm forced to buy more. I've learned that no amount of padding or lining between your sore bum and the plastic pants will stop the petroleum from leaching through. Unfortunately, I haven't seen anyone suggest a diaper rash cream that doesn't have petrolatum products. Let me know if you find one

[Guest LOSTinDiapers]

This is coming from an actual parent with a toddler who has been in cloth since he was born. You want to avoid any diaper rash cream with cod liver oil or any other fish oil. That is what causes the staining of the cloth.

We use California Baby diaper cream. They also have a spray that makes cleaning up messes really good, plus it protects and treats diaper rashes. Another thing you can try is soaking in a warm baking soda bath.

Also, you are going to want to limit the use of corn starch, since the sugars in the corn can cause yeast to grow.

Check this SITE for other ointments and creams you can try.

[ABoy]

helpful info

TY so much! I'll check those out and wow, was I shocked to read about the cornstarch, I used it every night till now.

[babykeiff]

Diaper rash cream is bad for the cloth diapers, it leaves the yellowness inside them, makes the area stiff so I was wondering what so you use for your diaper rash for your cloth diapers?

I want to write this all down what you guys use so I know what to get when I got shopping net time. Tell me what aisle you find it in.

Diaper rash cream is an oil based cream. As a result, cold water and zero detergent will not remove it, nor the bacteria from a soiled diaper either. What I strongly suggest to you is that you :-

1- Soak your diapers in a cold water solution - no it will not remover the stains, but it will dilute the contents prior to wash

2- Wash your diapers in a mild soap and luke-warm water wash - to remove all the dirt from them - It is not important to return diapers to pristine white condition, just get all the dirt off them.

3- Well rinse them, and then place them in a high temperature wash. This is to sterilize them. The reason you don't place soiled cloth diapers in a high temp wash first cause the high temp tends to open up all the fibers, and the soiling can get in between the fibers. When the temp of the diaper returns to normal, the fibers try to re close - and dirt caught within them will tear and shred the diaper.

4- Rinse in luke-warm water and spin dry. White vinegar is an excellent softener that can penetrate the fibers. Normal fabric softeners tend to bind to the top fibers which will reduce the absorbency of the diaper.

5- Line dry. Machine / tumble drying tends to remove the fluff from the surface of the diaper.

Mild soap is the non biological or baby soap kind, ie without any additives, whiteners etc. Also, over time, pristine white diapers as well as other white clothes WILL turn yellow. This is NOT that the clothes are wearing out, it is that the artificial bleaching agent that all clothes manufacturers use is slowly coming out of the cloth.

Curing Rash and protecting a diaper/ plastic pants

This is surprisingly easy - and it shocks me that so many adult diaper wearers in today's age still get rashes so sever that they have to coat themselves with a diaper rash cream.

Diaper rash is cased by only ONE thing - a breakdown in the skin from extended irritation of a highly caustic nature. The most simple cure is to avoid it by YES, it is this simple, drink more water. Higher water content makes more dilute urine and feces. Also, properly cleaning after EVERY diaper change. In reality, a shower is needed at every diaper change, and if that is not possible - a good cleaning with baby wipes - and take a shower when it is possible. Baby powder does NOTHING but make the wearer smell nice. With both male and females, diaper rash will form in the center of the butt crack and follow up toward the vagina/penis. This area needs special cleaning and special care. If you find it at all itchy, put diaper cream there after well cleaning the area.

One type of rash, which is often confused as diaper rash is friction rash - and this occurs on the inside of the thighs and/or at the elastic marks from a tight pair of plastic pants. The inside thigh friction rash can be avoided by wearing cloth between the diaper and the thighs (some sort of underwear etc) - and the rash from the elastic can be avoided by wearing looser plastic pants.

Another type of rash is an allergic reaction to soap / fabric conditioners etc, and can show as a rash all over the diaper area. This can be avoided by the hot wash and cool rinse process to eliminate all the soap from the diaper.

In simple terms, it is easier to avoid the rashes rather than to treat them, and if you spend a lot of time in diapers, rash avoidance should be your priority.

[Angela Bauer]

Excuse me, but there are many skin conditions collectively known as "diaper rash" Telling one from another is why physicians go through long training.

Generally stains on cloth diapers are to be expected and are not a problem. Generally the use of any fabric softener will reduce absorption. Some fabrics just do not remain soft after use as a diaper. Cotton flannel is like that. It also stains more than cotton gauze/Birdseye, which almost always gets softer with use and appropriate washing.

It surprises me to read the suggestion of using cold or warm water to wash cotton diapers. All the recognized experts say and my own experience confirms that cotton diapers should be washed in the hottest available water using detergents that cause the least irritation to the person wearing the diapers. I use DREFT, which is designed for washing diapers. It contains borax plus a detergent. Often this is ideal, but experiment until you find a technique that works for you.

I also use Desitin, but when I do use it, I only use a little and I rub it into my skin before replacing my diaper. I do not suggest always using any similar product, only use as needed and always rub in well.

Only your own experience will tell you if cornstarch or talc baby powders are best for you.

Should you be new to using cloth diapers or if you change brands, I strongly suggest getting current information from your vendor. For generations my extended family has used gauze diapers. I have limited personal experience washing flannel, but I have in-person friends who do wear flannel diapers.

[Sissy Tami]

I use Desitin as well and have had good luck with it.

Corn starch works really well for me too.

Where do you find the gauze diapers? or even the fabric? I could make my own if I found the right fabric.

I use disposables most of the time but I prefer the cloth.

I do like the way the disposables with the gel in them swell and get tight when they get wet though.

If anyone has any info on the gauze please let me know.

Thanks, Tami

[babykeiff]

Excuse me, but there are many skin conditions collectively known as "diaper rash" Telling one from another is why physicians go through long training.

Thank you Angela, yes, you are correct in that there are numerous skin complaints. Now, with your imense wisdom in this subject, can you tell how to solve them?

It surprises me to read the suggestion of using cold or warm water to wash cotton diapers. All the recognized experts say and my own experience confirms that cotton diapers should be washed in the hottest available water using detergents that cause the least irritation to the person wearing the diapers.

As I stated earlier, and since you are now questioning me,

1 - cotton is a natural fabric

2 - heat expands some fibers and shrinks others = micro tears.

3 - dirt and heat cause dirt to enter fibers, not leave them.

4 - detergent is only useful in removing surface stains.

5- urine is water and salts, Poop is oil based. Oil requires luke-warm water to release grip on cloth, NOT HOT!.

This is BASIC physics! If you don't believe me, wash one of your natural fibre suits in a very hot water and see if it fits you after that. BTW, I am not your client, so I am not footing that bill

I am bladder and bowel incontinent, and I wear, and have been wearing 24/7/365 for the past 40 years. I chose to wear cloth overnight, and if I could get away with it, cloth during the day. I don't have the luxury of sending my diapers out to get washed by industrial processes, and I need my diapers to last longer than the average 2-3 years of baby diapers. I, unlike you, can not get away with wearing a light pad during the day. I need to wear something similar to the Tena MAXI full pad diaper - otherwise I leak. Yes, I've read the manufacturers blurb, followed their instructions, and destroyed diapers to MY cost, the manufactures profit. Do you really think that I am foolish enough to believe that a company would inform it's customers how to put the company out of business, or at best, reduce their sales? This, I thought that you would know - companies are in business to MAKE MONEY.