5 Ways to Prevent Diaper Rash
Diaper rash is one of the most common skin conditions in the United States and most children experience it at some time during the first three years of life. I still remember the very first time my oldest daughter (whom is 9 now) experienced her first diaper rash. My youngest baby girl had her first diaper rash just a few weeks ago and I was reminded that even as an experienced mother, these things still happen! So what are some simple ways to prevent diaper rash? I have put together five ways to prevent diaper rash and hopefully your little one will never experience this awful skin irritation.
Change Your Baby’s Diaper Often
Diaper rash generally happens when the skin covered by the diaper is wet or soiled for too long. The easiest way to prevent it is to make sure you are changing your baby’s diaper right away. Now I know diapers are expensive, but you really should be changing your baby’s diaper every time it becomes soiled. That way there will won’t be wetness to rub up against your baby’s skin and irritate it. Newborns will need to be changed more often than older babies. Just make sure to be diligent about checking your baby for wetness and changing the diaper as soon as it’s dirty. At night you should consider overnight diapers that are designed to absorb the extra wetness over longer periods of time. When you put your baby’s diaper on, make sure that it’s not too tight. If a diaper is too tight then air can’t flow through it, which creates the perfect environment for moisture getting trapped and irritating the skin.
Keep It Clean
It is very important to make sure you keep the skin around the diaper area clean to prevent any bacteria from spreading. You should make sure to clean your baby with every single diaper change. I recommend not using wipes that contain alcohol, especially if a rash is present. Fragrances in wipes can also irritate your baby’s skin.
Keep It Dry
After cleaning your baby’s skin, you should make sure to dry it as well. Pat your baby’s skin dry with cloth because rubbing it can cause irritations. Diaper rash happens when your baby is exposed to prolonged wetness, it’s really important to keep the diaper area dry. I always love letting my babies go diaper-free! I would always think to myself how great it must be for them to just air out their bottoms for awhile after being stuck in diapers all day.
Avoid Irritation
The perfume in scented wipes could irritate your baby’s skin, so try using unscented wipes if possible. I have always used disposable diapers and am aware that they may be the culprit in causing skin irritations! If you experience any sort of skin irritation with your current diapers, then it’s time to try something new. Different brands may contain different chemicals that don’t act the same way. You may also want to consider switching to cloth diapers if disposables prove to be too irritating. If you are already using cloth diapers but find they’re causing diaper rash, consider how you wash them. Pre-soak heavily soiled diapers, and wash them in hot water with a mild detergent. You may have to rinse them twice to make sure they’re thoroughly clean, and you might want to use a half-cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle. Also try changing the type of detergent you use, and be sure to skip the fabric softener to avoid fragrances that might irritate the skin (dryer balls and EO are best!)
Use A Barrier Ointment
Diaper ointments are especially helpful in protecting your baby;s skin against diaper rashes. Diaper ointments are the best option because using regular lotion or a liquid can be irritating on your baby’s skin. DESITIN® products create a protective barrier on contact. Applying a barrier ointment or paste protects the skin from further injury while creating a more optimal environment to allow the skin to heal. It will also help prevent friction from the diaper. Desitin creates a barrier on top of the skin so that nothing can get through, especially bacteria. But it also prevents air from getting through to the skin. Make sure to apply a thick layer of a zinc oxide product, such as DESITIN® Maximum Strength Original Paste or DESITIN® Rapid Relief Cream, at each diaper change to soothe and protect your baby’s irritated skin.
I hope these five tips have been helpful to you! Have you downloaded the Target Cartwheel app yet? AMAZING! There is a great Target Cartwheel offer going on right now that will get you 25% off Desitin products from 10/25 through 11/21.
