Recently, I was overcome with extreme mom guilt. You know how as a mom you try everything you can to prevent your baby from hurting. But then they end up with an awful diaper rash that lasts over a week. And try as you might, the rash won’t go away.
That was me a couple of weeks ago. My daughter had, what I thought, was a normal diaper rash. However, turns out, it was a yeast rash.
Now I am a nurse, but skin conditions are not my area of expertise. So I sought out to gather helpful information regarding all things diaper rash related. Hopefully this information can help you diagnose and treat your baby’s diaper rash if it doesn’t seem to be healing.
There are several types of diaper rashes that you can read about in this article. But, I will be focusing on diaper rashes caused by irritation and yeast rashes.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you buy something I link below I get a small commission. But don’t worry, you won’t pay a penny more!
What is a diaper rash?
A diaper rash, also called irritant diaper dermatitis, is a skin condition that results in a red, inflamed and sometimes painful area around the buttocks.
These rashes can range from mild to severe, with severe sometimes leading to infection and fever.
Causes of irritant diaper rash
There are several sources that can result in a diaper rash including:
- infrequent diaper changes
- reaction to new foods
- reaction to new products/soaps
- antibiotics
You can read more detailed causes in this Mayo Clinic article.
Treatment of irritant diaper rash
There are many over the counter ointments that can help treat and prevent diaper rashes. A few of our favorites include:
- Aquaphor
- Deep Steep A+E ointment
- Burts Bees multipurpose ointment
- Bourdeaux Butt Paste (the green bottle has aloe in it, which is very soothing)
These natural remedies also gave my daughter some healing and relief:
- coconut oil
- oatmeal bath (grind the oatmeal in food processor, add to warm bath water and mix thoroughly)
What is a yeast rash?
A yeast rash is an area of the skin with the overgrowth of the fungus called, Candida.
You can differentiate an irritation diaper rash with yeast rash because yeast rashes will present with:
- raised, red bumps with raised borders
- beefy red area
- is scaly
- doesn’t heal within a few days
There are plenty of pictures on google if you aren’t sure if your baby’s rash is yeast.
Causes of yeast rash
A yeast rash is a secondary infection from a diaper rash that already exists. Yeast is naturally on the skin, but overgrowth can occur in warm, moist areas, which causes the rash (healthline).
Treatment of a yeast rash
When my daughter was diagnosed with her yeast rash, our pediatrician prescribed Nystatin, which is an antibiotic cream.
You can also purchase Lotrimin , which is an over the counter antifungal cream that works well.
Related post: Diaper Bag Essentials
Other tips to treat + prevent rashes
The following list includes strategies we used to help soothe and heal her rash quicker, as well as steps we take to prevent future rashes:
- use diapers that a free of chemicals that could irritate your baby’s skin. We really like these Made Of diapers.
- change diapers frequently
- let your babe walk around without a diaper – we would let her walk around naked outside for a while in the evening before bath time!
- use a wet, warm wash cloth when changing diapers – wipes don’t always clean thoroughly
- use soaps and lotions that are organic and don’t irritate your baby’s skin – we really like these Deep Steep products: aloe baby wash, unscented A&E ointment
The most important thing to remember is that this happens ALL the time, and it doesn’t make you a bad mom if it happens to your baby.
I know I struggled with extreme mom guilt and feeling like I was a horrible parent, but sometimes these things just happen! You are a GOOD MOM. Say it 10 times over again!
What are some of your tips to prevent diaper rashes?
I read awesome stuff here and I would say you are doing a great job. Keep it up!