No one likes to see their baby suffering from diaper rash. Seeing those ugly red marks on a baby’s soft skin can be too much for some parents to bear! However, when trying to find out how to eliminate diaper rash, it seems like there is no hard and fast solution. Rather, it’s more a process of trial and error. Keeping that in mind, there are a number of things you can do to try to minimize diaper rash on your baby.

Find the Cause

Finding the cause of diaper rash is an important first step for parents to take. There are many possibilities to consider and determining what could be factoring into your baby’s irritation may remain unknown, but here are some possibilities.

Not Changing the Diaper Often Enough

Your baby’s rash could be caused by exposure to moisture for prolonged periods of time. This could be even more likely to happen if your baby is cloth diapered since these diapers tend to be less absorbent.

Food Allergies

The most common culprits are wheat and dairy. Rashes could be caused by the foods your baby is eating or by the foods mommy is eating if the baby is breastfeeding.

Laundry Detergent

If you are cloth diapering, your baby’s diaper rash may be caused by sensitivity to the perfumes or dyes in the detergent.

Diaper Brand

Your baby’s skin may also be sensitive to the brand of diaper you are using. If you feel this might be the case, try switching brands and see if the rash clears up.

Yeast Overgrowth

Some diaper rash may be caused by yeast overgrowth. These types of rashes will have red bumps and might bleed when you use a wipe.

Yeast overgrowth could be caused by too much sugar in your baby’s diet or if the baby or mom (if nursing) had an antibiotic that killed good bacteria in the body.

If you feel your baby’s diaper rash may be caused by yeast overgrowth caused by sugar, it is best to eliminate all sugar from your baby’s diet. This will include natural sugars that come from fruit or fruit juice.

If you feel the rash was caused by antibiotics, eating more yogurt and taking a probiotic will help.

If your baby is suffering from diaper rash, here are some things you can do to help minimize and even eliminate this painful irritation:

• Try changing diaper brands.
• Try changing detergent brands.
• Avoid putting your baby’s diaper on too tightly. The circulating air will help to heal the rash.
• Rinse baby’s bottom before putting on the next diaper. This will ensure there is no excess moisture left on the skin.
• Leave the diaper off for a while. Your baby’s butt may just need some air. Be sure to leave a changing pad under your baby should any accidents occur.
• Wash your hands after changing your baby. If the rash is caused by yeast, this will reduce the chances of it spreading.
• Use a good diaper rash ointment to try and clear up the irritation.

The causes of diaper rash can be hard to trace making finding a solution difficult. However, with a bit of troubleshooting and care, you may be able to reduce diaper rash or eliminate it completely. Good luck keeping your baby’s skin soft, smooth and irritation free.

Inspired by https://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/diaper-rash-treatment/