by Linda L Kinyon

Created on: February 19, 2009

Diaper rash can be excruciatingly painful for babies to endure. With some easy tricks you can avoid diaper rash and have a clean and happy healthy baby.

When I was a new mom my grandmother came to visit. At one point in time she changed my son while I was busy doing something else. When I went to get him later he was not wearing plastic pants. When I asked why she told me that the plastic actually holds the moisture in on baby's skin and can actually cause diaper rash. I invested in some great felt padding for his crib and did not use plastic pants again except when I had to take him into a public place and then I watched him carefully.

Change your baby's diaper as soon as you notice it is wet or soiled. If you are using cloth diapers then this is very easy to tell. Even if this means changing him or her several times in an hour be sure to change him or her immediately. Baby's skin is tender and fragile. Leaving a wet or soiled diaper on a baby's bottom can cause a rash within a few short minutes.

Always clean your baby's bottom when you are changing baby, even if the diaper is only wet. Urine left on the skin can burn and cause other medical conditions. Clean baby with either non scented baby wipes (alcohol free) or use warm water and a soft cloth.

If you must use soap, only use mild soaps on baby's skin. Baby's are susceptible to many soap allergies. Be sure the soaps you use are gentle enough for baby.

Gently pat baby's skin dry after cleaning baby, never rub. You might wish to use a soft powder after drying baby. Cornstarch is a great alternative to those heavily scented powders that you can buy at most stores. Baby's skin is tender so you don't want anything too heavily scented. Never use baking soda as this can sting horribly.

If an ointment is needed try a zinc oxide ointment spread liberally over the diaper area. Even plain old petroleum jelly will work if you don't have zinc oxide on hand. In a desperate situation once I even used bag balm to give a protective barrier against moisture. Keeping baby's skin dry and protected is very important to avoid diaper rash.

Remember that babies are only little once and these days will pass more quickly than you realize. Then you will be on to scraped knees and bumped heads when they fall off of their tricycles. These tips should help keep your little one fresh and clean and free from any diaper rashes until then.

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