The health of our baby always brings joy to us parents. When we first brought our little one home, we’d check on him/her for what seemed like every 15 seconds. Just to make sure our angel was doing okay.
It’s normal, though!
You want what’s best for your baby, and you want him or her to be as healthy as possible. Then there are the little things. The things that don’t mean your baby is unhealthy, but maybe just uncomfortable. Or unhappy.
One of those things is diaper rash.
No parent likes to deal with it, it makes you feel horrible for your kid. And let’s be honest, it’s no fun for the baby either.
Diaper rash refers to any skin irritation occurring on the area covered by a diaper. Many people confuse diaper rash to be a sign of poor parenting skills.
Not always the case.
So it’s important for parents to know the real causes of diaper rash before treating it. Diaper rash can happen when the baby’s poop or pee sits against them for long periods of time. The skin is sensitive down there!
As a result, a ‘burning effect’ is usually created on the skin. As gross as it sounds, it offers a breeding ground for fungi, yeast and bacteria. Nasty!
Other causes can be irritation, friction, fungal or yeast infections, and allergic reactions. Diaper rash can be quite a menace.
There are plenty of over the counter creams and medicines to help clear it up. But personally, I don’t like using chemicals or things I don’t know the ingredients of on my baby.
Here are some of the natural ways you can help clear up your baby’s diaper rash:
1. Change Diapers Often
And the best way to get rid of diaper rash is to prevent it from evening happening by changing diapers often.
Prolonged exposure of your baby’s sensitive skin to soiled diapers can result in severe cases of diapers rash. So it’s important to always change the baby’s diapers often.
Many parents view frequent changing of diapers as common sense. But there are some parents who take long before changing diapers.
Research shows that you should always check the diapers every 3 hours at the most. Even better, always change them immediately they are wet or soiled.
Related to this is to allow your bundle of joy to air dry several times a day. Just put down a waterproof tablecloth or mattress cover and cover with a soft washable blanket and allow your child to hang out au natural!
2. Coconut Oil
To help prevent future effects of diapers rash, coconut oil can be an essential element in the diaper rash battle. And since coconut oil is fairly solid at room temperature it is also easy to apply with little mess.
Coconut oil contains antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral components. These play a vital role in getting rid of bacteria, yeast and virus.
For example, diaper rash caused by Candida yeast can be eliminated by coconut oil.
Lauric and Capric acids in coconut oil kill bacteria and provide moisture. The medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) in coconut oil, meanwhile, energize the healing process for skin cells by fueling their mitochondria.
Before using coconut oil, wash and dry your child’s bum very good–specifically the buttocks and groin areas. Once your baby’s butt is dry, apply the coconut oil on their skin. Always use cold-pressed or virgin coconut oil.
It helps provide a soothing effect on the irritated skin.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar
Now I’m going to go all Bill Nye on you. So, when your baby pees in his or her diaper, it gets soaked with urine. Duh!
But what happens after some time is the urine becomes extremely alkaline. It then starts to burn your baby’s skin.
So to reduce this burning effect, you can apply apple cider vinegar as a natural remedy. Vinegar helps in balancing the high pH of the pee (and poo too).
First, make a weak vinegar solution by adding a teaspoon of vinegar to a cup of water.
Next, Remove the soiled diaper then gently wipe the baby’s bottom with this solution.
If it’s working, repeat it each time you change your baby’s diaper.
If you use reusable or cloth diapers, rinse them in a vinegar solution after washing them. Just add a half cup of vinegar to half full bucket of water then rinse the diaper. Besides removing soap, the solution also gets rid of the urine smell! BONUS!
4. Oatmeal
Oatmeal contains a high amount of protein that’s vital in providing a soothing effect on the baby’s sensitive, soft skin. Additionally, it offers a natural skin protective barrier that helps reduce effects of the alkalinity of pee.
Research also shows that oatmeal contains saponin, a chemical compound essential in removing unwanted oils and dirt from the skin pores.
Using oatmeal to treat diaper rash involves the use of a blender. Blend the oatmeal by mixing it on the highest setting then blend until it turns into a fine powder.
Add a tablespoon of the dried oatmeal powder to the baby’s bath water. Then mix the water until it has a silky feel.
Let the baby stay in the water for 15 minutes. The water offers a soothing effect.
To get rid of diaper rash, bathe the baby in the solution twice daily.
Other natural ways of getting rid of diapers rash that are similar to oatmeal include applying any of the following:
- Breast milk
- Cornstarch
- Baking soda
5. Aloe Vera Juice
Aloe vera juice is a natural alkalizing, cooling and healing ointment you can use to help relieve a painful rash.
This is not the type of aloe vera gel you put on after a sunburn, but rather, the drinkable aloe vera juice in its 100% pure form, with no added ingredients.
Since it is a liquid, it is a little runny to apply but we do it the same way you would apply breast milk, by dabbing the aloe vera juice on with your fingers or a soft cloth or cotton ball.
Aloe vera juice is antibacterial, moisturizing and nourishing, with antioxidants that promote healing.
It also has anti-inflammatory properties, so it can take the pain and burning sensation out of a bad diaper rash.
In order to turbo boost the benefits of aloe vera juice, add just 1 drop of lavender essential oil to one teaspoon of aloe vera juice and mix well before applying to the rash.
Final Thoughts on How to Get Rid of Diaper Rash the Natural Way
You can also try using cloth diapers or just expose your baby to fresh air. Be careful of getting peed on, though. Yes, I speak from experience!
So the next time your little angel gets a red butt from diaper rash, consider trying to get rid of diaper rash the natural way.
More than likely you’ll have the ingredients on-hand. Not to mention they’ll be soothing for your baby!
What other methods have you tried to get rid of diaper rash the natural way? Please drop us a contact email and we can’t share your method here.
As a reminder (and in case you’ve forgotten by now) I’m not a doctor. These are simply some natural remedies you can try for diaper rash. If you’re concerned about your baby’s health, make sure you see a doctor or medical professional immediately.
