The sight of diaper rash on your baby is one of the most disheartening sights. Diaper rashes are quite common especially when you start to use them initially as you really do not know which brand and kind of diaper will suit the sensitive skin of your little one. Diapers are a necessity in today’s world and can not be dispensed with. Redness, lesions, dryness and flakiness of the skin indicate existence of diaper rash and they cause considerable discomfort to the baby as well.
There are many ointments available with the medical stores but we all tend to think twice before using any kind of chemicals on our baby’s skin. To rescue you from this situation there are simple natural treatments that can help in relieving the baby. We will discuss these treatments at length in this feature.
Natural Treatments For Diaper Rash
Oil And Aloe Vera
Coconut oil is a traditional Indian remedy for rashes, lesions and blemishes. You may use coconut oil after mixing an equal part of Aloe Vera gel. Both Aloe Vera and oil will moisturize the skin reducing the stretch and dryness of the lesions caused by the rash. Aloe Vera is an anti-microbial gel and therefore, it will also prevent occurrence of any further infection.
Rashes and lesions can promote infections rapidly in wet and closed environment, both of which are common inside a diaper. However, it is recommended to keep the baby without a diaper for at least an hour after this application. If you do not have this much of time then just apply Aloe Vera profusely as it dries within minutes and you can apply it multiple times as and when there is a chance. Vitamin E oil is also considered good for application on babies.
Vitamin E compound helps in expeditious regeneration of the skin healing the lesions and rashes faster. Almond oil is rich source of vitamin E. Olive oil is another popular remedy for treating diaper rashes in middle eastern countries.However, make sure that this oil suits the baby. There are minimal chances of coconut oil reacting with the skin but vitamin E and olive oil may not suit some babies.
Dust It Naturally
Using flour for dusting the rash is a well known ancient remedy. Take some flour and put it on a heated pan until the colour changes to light brown. Apply it on baby’s butt and front profusely before putting him or her in the diaper. Corn starch is also a popular remedy for treating this condition. Dust it on the rash and the baby is good to go.
Though use of other baby powders is to be avoided for application on rash but these natural dusting options are recommended. Commercial powders will more likely increase the dryness by soaking up the moisture. But Corn starch and roasted flour do not have this property of absorbing moisture which keeps the actual baby skin moistened. These natural agents also ensure that the wetness of excretion has a very limited contact or no contact with the baby’s skin.
Home Remedies For Diaper Rash
Herbal Remedies For Diaper rash
Top 6 Home Remedies for Diaper Rash
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea is an excellent anti-oxidant and it has skin soothing properties as well. Infuse some boiling water with chamomile and strain it. Dilute this tea with equal part of water. Soak a cotton swab and dab it on the rashes. Let it dry for about 10 minutes.
Alternatively, add a big pan of this water in baby’s bathtub and dilute with equal quantity of water. Let the baby sit in this water for about 15 minutes with his or her rash affected area completely submerged in the water. You will find that your baby is happier and has lesser discomfort owing to the rashes.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is recommended in cases of allergies. The reason is that soothes the skin and reduces the itchiness. Grind some oatmeal to make a fine powder and then add some Aloe Vera to it so that it has a paste like consistency.
Apply it in a thin layer on baby’s rashes and let it rest for about 15 minutes. Adding this powder to baby’s bathing water is also a great idea. It will reduce the itchiness and inflammation around the diaper rash.
Wash It Right
Diapers are available in disposable and reusable options. If using the disposable ones make sure that you change the diapers frequently. Different brands have different saturation points and this is why either buy the ones that have some kind of wetness indicator or just keep a regular check on the diaper when you are using that particular brand or size for the first time.
This will give you a fair idea about the time taken for the diaper to become wet. The re-usable diapers need a lot of attention. Do not keep them soaked in detergent infused water for long. Avoid washing them with other clothes. Use natural agents or mild sanitizers to sterilize the baby’s diapers. It is important that you dry these diapers in direct sunlight which kills the bacteria, fungus and other microbes. Sunlight also dries the clothes thoroughly.
Cleaning The Baby
Cleaning the baby is a routine that keeps repeating itself every hour. And therefore, becoming a little careless or just not being that attentive is a super common lapse. However, this small lapse is not affordable when your baby is suffering from diaper rashes. Whenever cleaning never rub the skin. Dab it or just run some warm water which will soothe the baby’s skin and also make it easy for you to clean her.
Avoid wet wipes completely especially for cleaning the stools. Always dry the baby thoroughly before you put on any diaper. As mentioned earlier do not use commercial baby powders but corn starch or roasted flour.
Change the diaper often. Always iron the baby clothes especially the nappies and nickers as the heat kills the harmful microbes. Let the baby be without diaper at least for 2-3 hours in a day. If you can, then only use diapers when the baby is going to sleep. During sleep, due to inactivity the diaper does not cause friction by rubbing on the skin and is less likely to cause rashes.
Caution: Please use Remedies after Proper Research and Guidance. You accept that you are following any advice at your own risk and will properly research or consult healthcare professional.
