Plus 3 bonus tips if your baby has nappy rash right now!
Have you come across those parents who say that their baby has never had nappy rash? Have you wondered how and why?
To avoid nappy rash, you need to keep babies bottoms dry and avoid friction that can cause a chafing rash around the bottom and leg area from skin and fabric rubbing together. This can happen in so many ways that you least expect. The good news is it is simple to avoid nappy rash if you know these tips.
We know lots of parents who say their baby never got nappy rash and this is what they did.
If your baby already has nappy rash while you are readying this, don’t worry, We also offer 3 BONUS tips below on what to do if your baby has Nappy Rash right now. Be sure to implement these Preventative tips strait away though as they are part of the solution as well.
Many parents rush to the chemist at the first sign of nappy rash but what’s in those creams? The complicated ingredient names is enough to put me off! We show you below how to avoid chemist products with just natural, old fashioned habits and cures.
1. CLEAN
This might sound obvious but using clean water or non-disposable baby wipes with no ingredients on them at all is the best way to keep your babies bottom clean. You can use a spray bottle of water to spray on a cloth wipe or you can use a good quality biodegradable disposable wipe as long as it has limited and only natural ingredients. If you have the opportunity to bathe your baby or put their sweet bottom under warm water then dry them with a fresh, organic cotton baby towel, this is the ultimate clean and it is ideal that this can happen at least once a day.
2. TALC FREE BABY POWDER.
Powder quite simply absorbs moisture like sweat and urine and prevents further moisture build up. The Silkiness of a powder such as Tapioca also allows a cloth or disposable nappy to glide more effortlessly against the skin. Sot it ticks the boxes for reducing moisture and friction. It is also quick and easy to use and very inexpensive. Organic Baby Powder is a vital part of any nappy change routine in my book. Just sprinkle a bit direct on to babies bottom. It takes 2 seconds to shake it all over their bottom and provides great relief and dryness for your baby.
Tapioca starch is a widely acknowledged alternative to talc, as it is highly absorbent of natural oils and perspiration. Kaolin clay compliments Tapioca nicely as it is a smooth, natural mineral in powder form, and is particularly effective on sensitive skin.
My Gym Friends use it for the same reason. It is why Australia’s Greatest Ninja competitor and my friend Lisa Parkes loves Nature’s Child Baby Powder when she is training in her gym. It keeps the sweat away when she is training.
Adults buy our Organic Baby Powder for themselves as well as their babies to prevent chafing between the legs, under arms or under large breasts. Any creases where there is sweat and moisture that can become uncomfortable and itchy unless powder is used.
There are lots of lovely Organic and Natural Baby Powder Choices. Talc free baby powder is available for all of us so don’t let the billion dollar lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson put you off powder altogether. They used Talc for years in their baby powders and anyone living a natural lifestyle has known for years to avoid talc in any kind of body powder due to research revealing its potential links to cancer.
3. NAPPY FREE TIME
Spring and Summer are easy months to give our babies some nappy free time. Their skin will love having access to fresh air and sunshine. Babies need time to have no nappy or clothing below their waste to allow air flow to keep them dry and fresh. Not having a nappy reduces chafing or friction and gives times for baby’s skin to breathe.
If you have a newborn or young baby, we recommend using one or two Flat Towelling Nappies for baby to lie on. Use more than one if they are 3 months or older as their wee will be heavier than a newborn. This ensures any accidents from wee or poo can be caught quickly with the towel can absorb any mess with ease. Towelling Nappies are easy to wash. Just pop them in a nappy bucket to soak before your next wash.
Be sure to always be out of direct sunlight of course and use sunscreen if you are outside for any extended periods of time. Babies get sunburnt even easier than adults! Inside the house is ideal.
Our skin is the largest organ in our bodies and it is particularly sensitive if you are a young baby so the first thing to keep in mind is the purity of any sunscreen product you use.
The main function of a nappy is to absorb the majority of moisture but there can be a residual amount remaining which sits against baby’s delicate skin and increases the chances of irritation. This is why we always give our babies nappy free time, even in a warm room on cool days.
4. BARRIER BALM
If you’re not a fan of using powder, an alternative to try is a barrier balm which deters moisture and irritants from reaching the skin. Note the word balm instead of cream. Barrier “creams” tend to have non organic ingredients as the main component so are not as desirable.
Applying bottom balm hydrates the area whilst adding an additional barrier layer to avert the rash. Bottom Balm provides a protective layer and nourishes the skin. Using quality natural ingredients, a balm will form a mild protective barrier against moisture, while still allowing little skin to breathe. It’s also a great topical treatment to soothe and cool baby’s bottom when a rash is already present.
Your baby’s skin is so sensitive that it is important to choose a product made with high quality, natural or organic ingredients to minimise any risk of irritation.
5 – Nappy Liners
There are 2 types of nappy liners. Cloth and disposable.
The two major benefits of Cloth Nappy Liners are:
1. They keep your babies bottom dry if you use the right cloth fabric which is essential for heavy wetting babies like my son.
2. They collect the poo, making it easy to dispose and flush, leaving you to only be washing a wet cloth nappy. You then wash your dri liners and reuse them along with your nappies without creating waste all the time. They work well in conjunction with disposable nappy liners. We suggest 80% cloth and 20% disposable so you get the benefit of both. Our cloth nappy liners are called Dri Liners and our Disposable Nappy Liners are called Bio Liners.
Dri Liners or any other cloth nappy liners have the benefits of disposable nappy liners without the cost and waste of a throw away item. The EXTRA BONUS IS THAT THEY CAN HELP KEEP BABIES SKIN DRY IF WETNESS IS A BIG PROBLEM FOR YOU. You can use a variety of products such as silk, hemp, or fleece to create your own nappy liners. At Nature’s Child, we sell our own version called Dri Liners which are inspired by a very old fashioned products that were simply known as Nappy Liners by a company called Bo Babies back in the 80’s and 90’s which was the company name. The company closed down but everyone has been looking for this product ever since. They are so soft you will think they are cotton but they are actually made from the softest 100% polyester for cloth nappy babies. This is the only non-organic product we produce because it really works! I personally don’t know how I could have stayed using cloth nappies at all due to the heavy wee and poo that came from my son! He would have 3 hour sleeps and his cloth nappy would be soaking wet at the end of that time. I could literally ring it out! but his skin was dry as long as I had a dri liner on him. This makes them ideal for overnight as well.
Disposable Nappy Liners. Depending on the brand you use, they don’t always contribute to dryness but they will make removing poo easy, allowing you to wash your cloth nappies easily, especially if you are using a dry bucket system with no soaking. Be sensible and only flush wet poo nappy liners in the toilet. Never overload your system and ideally flush nappy liners no more than once or twice a day maximum. Our bioliners when wet are great in your compost as the will biodegrade if you have an efficient aerated composting system. They can go in recycling if you hang them to dry first.
3 BONUS TIPS for you if Nappy Rash Right Now!
1 – Eliminate the basic causes by following all 4 steps above.
2 – If rash still persists, you need to experiment by eliminating each of the following until you get a rash free result.
- Change your laundry powder to a Natural Brand
- Change your disposable nappy brand or stop using them for a few days to see if the rash goes
- Use Cloth Nappies only while you don’t use disposables
- Done all of the above? Maybe it’s the cloth nappy fabric, check you are using a reputable brand and focus on hemp or organic cotton for a few days to see if it’s the fabric
3 – If you have done all of the above, then its time to see a doctor or naturopath that has a good understanding of gut health. It could be an issue in your babies stomach.
If your babies nappy rash is blistering or has broken skin. Do not use any products as this will create potential pain for your baby. Stop using all nappies and use fresh air and clean water only, no baby wipes, no ingredients and start from scratch.
Always seek medical advice if you are concerned.
EXTRA NAPPY CHANGING TIPS –nappy-change hacks all new parents need to know
As mentioned before, I have always found the nappy change table to be a place of delight, communication and joy with my baby. Most parents agree with this. So I was shocked when I found this article on line recently. I only agreed with 2 of the 10 tips! One being to keep your nails trimmed so you don’t accidentally scratch baby and the second was to roll up your sleeves. The other “hacks” as they called it seem extremely impersonal to me. Have a quick look and I would love to know if you find this useful or if you agree with me.
Here are my 3 NAPPY CHANGE HACKS that may resonate more with natural parenting.
Firstly, you may wish to read my article THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CLOTH NAPPIES where cloth nappies and modern cloth nappies (MCNs) are explained. There are loads of tips in that article which explain the basics of using cloth nappies in a health way.
1. Create a change table area that is easy to use, at the right height for your body so you don’t get back ache and that you basically enjoy going to! After all, you will be there multiple times a day so organise it how you like, make it look how you like and make it easy to access water and all the other practical things you will need. Many new parents have a nappy change area in the bathroom for this reason.
2. A beautiful play gym or toy nearby is ideal for a baby that is 4 months or older. They may start to move around which can make the nappy change challenging so a toy will keep them distracted long enough for you to change and clean them with ease.
3. Take your time! Your baby will LOVE having no nappy on and will enjoy your direct eye contact, singing, talking. It is a time of joy and there is no need to rush as this is a a special time to connect with your baby. If they are really happy lying on the nappy change table for a while, use this time to fold their nappies, check the supplies in your change area like nappy rash cream, nappy wipes, clean nappies folded. When you blend parenting and chores with joy, life gets a lot simpler and you can enjoy the job of nappy chasing instead off thinking of it as a chore.
