Diaper Rash Treatment Recipes

Diaper rash is so common among infants it’s practically a rite of passage, along with adolescent acne and menstrual cramps. That said, the condition deserves care to prevent it from becoming severe and uncomfortable. The appearance varies from a few red, irritated spots to redness over the entire diaper area. Inflammation can make the skin look puffy and feel warm.

What causes the rash is prolonged contact between diaper contents and an infant’s sensitive skin. Wastes in urine can break down to ammonia, which is very irritating. Redness can also occur in areas where the diaper chafes the skin. Another possibility is contact allergy to chemicals in commercial diaper wipes or detergents used to wash cloth diapers. There are, however, things you can do to control it.

Recipes to prevent and treat diaper rash

The Big Change
Warm water
Castile or other mild, nonscented soap (Use soap only if the area is soiled.)
Commercially prepared ointment or herbal salve
Preparation and use:
Remove the wet or dirty diaper. Wash the diaper area with a cotton ball moistened in warm water. If the area is dirty, bathe with mild soap (avoid commercially prepared fragranced wipes). Gently pat dry. Apply a commercially prepared ointment or an herbal salve to the diaper area.
Yield:1 application
How it works:
Immediate cleansing, drying, and lubricating of the diaper area with mild, natural ingredients helps keep the baby’s skin fresh and supple. Warning: Do not use powders, especially talcum powder. Inhaled talcum particles can cause lung disease. Cornstarch can worsen a yeast infection.

Fresh and Fluffy 
This safe, easy wash for cloth diapers is gentle enough for baby’s skin. Hypoallergenic detergent ½ cup (120 ml) vinegar
Preparation and use:
Place soiled cloth diapers in the washing machine and add hypoallergenic detergent. Run the diapers through a full cycle, adding the vinegar to the rinse cycle. Dry as usual.
Yield: 1 load of laundry
How it works:
A hypoallergenic detergent minimizes allergic reactions. Such reactions will manifest as a rash limited to the areas the diaper contacts the skin. Vinegar is an antibacterial.

Baby Sitz Soother 
Soaking will help soothe the diaper area, especially if the skin is very raw. 2 tablespoons (28 g) baking soda
Preparation and use:
Pour warm water into a basin large enough to soak the baby’s bottom. Mix in the baking soda. Soak the infant in the bath for 10 to 15 minutes. Pat your infant dry, paying attention to the diapered area. Repeat once or twice more as needed throughout the day.
Yield: 1 application
How it works:
Sitting in a warm bath is therapeutic for many babies. Cleansing the area with soothing warm water and baking soda will help counter the acidity of the affected area. Warning: Be sure to stay with your baby constantly while he or she is in the tub.

Baking Soda Sponge Bath
1 tablespoon (14 g) baking soda 1 cup (235 ml) water
Preparation and use:
Place the baking soda and water in a sterilized jar and stir or shake until the baking soda is dissolved. Soak a clean washcloth with the solution. Thoroughly, yet gently, cleanse the affected area. Pat the area dry with a second clean washcloth. Use the solution throughout the day with a clean washcloth each time to avoid contamination.
Yield: 1 to 3 applications
How it works:
Baking soda cleanses soiled areas and helps to neutralize the acidity of the urine. Air Time Your baby A clean towel pRepaRation and Use: Remove the diaper from your baby. Clean and dry baby’s bottom, but don’t apply ointment. Lay the baby on a clean towel, leaving his or her bottom bare. Let the air do its handiwork for several hours, if possible. Feel free to apply ointment before diapering your baby again. YieLd: 1 session How it works: An occasional break from diapers and ointment gives your baby’s skin a chance to breathe. Air contact dispels the moisture and the friction of wet skin against the diaper that precipitates a rash.

Skin-Healing
Calendula Oil You’ll find dried calendula in herb stores, some natural food stores, and through online retailers. Calendula is an easy-to-grow annual. Plant it in pots or your garden. (Make sure you’re planting Calendula officinalis, not garden marigold, Tagetes erecta, or T. patula). 1 cup (25.5 g) dried calendula flowers 1½ cups (355 ml) oil (e.g., almond, apricot, or olive), plus more as needed
Preparation and use:
If the flower heads are whole, grind in a clean coffee grinder or food processor. Pour the flowers into a clean jar (pint-size [475 ml] should work well). Pour in the oil until you’ve covered the flowers. Stir with a wooden spoon or chopstick. Add another ½ to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) of oil atop the herb and tightly screw on the lid. Place the jar inside a paper sack or box (to protect from ultraviolet rays). Set near a window or other warm area. Shake daily for one to two weeks. The oil will now be tinged a deep yellow. Line a strainer with cheesecloth or muslin. Strain. With clean, dry hands, wring as much oil as you can from the cloth-wrapped herbs. Feel free to massage the oil on your hands into your skin. It feels and smells wonderful! Pour the oil into a clean, dry bottle and cap tightly. Store in the refrigerator. Apply to clean skin as needed. Discard or compost the herbal matter.
Yield: multiple applications
How it works:
Calendula has antiinflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and wound-healing properties. One study showed that calendula cream improved diaper rash better than an aloe-based cream did. The oil protects the skin. However, even though calendula is antifungal, do not apply it if your baby develops a fungal infection. You don’t want to apply oils, salves, and ointments that could trap in moisture, which promotes fungal growth. Warning: Calendula is in the same plant family as ragweed, which means some people are also allergic to it. If you have a family history of allergies, apply calendula to a small patch of your baby’s skin (an area that isn’t already affected by diaper rash). It can take up to fortyeight hours for a skin rash to appear.

C-Salve
1 cup (235 ml) calendula oil (page 228) ¼ cup (55 g) grated beeswax
Preparation and use:
Make the oil as instructed in the previous recipe. Pour the oil into a saucepan over low heat. Add the beeswax. Stir continuously until the beeswax melts, taking care not to burn the oil. Spoon a little of the mixture onto a clean plate and pop it in the freezer for a minute or two. If you like the consistency, you’re ready to jar. If you want a firmer consistency, add more beeswax and melt. If you desire a less solid consistency, add more calendula oil. While the mixture is still warm, pour it into a clean glass jar or tin. Screw on the cap. The salve will soon solidify. Store in a cool place. Apply the salve as needed.
Yield: multiple applications
How it works:
Beeswax adds a soothing, protective factor. It also turns the oil into a consistency that’s less messy to apply. Do not apply if your baby has developed a fungal infection.

Calendula Butter
If you can’t wait to make an herbal oil as in the calendula recipe on page 228, here’s a faster method. ½ cup (120 g) virgin coconut oil ½ cup (120 g) shea butter 1 cup (25.5 g) dried calendula flowers
Preparation and use:
Fill the bottom of a double boiler with about 2 inches (5 cm) of water. Place the coconut oil and shea butter in the top of the double boiler. Heat the water below until the oils melt. Lower the heat to low. Add the calendula flowers and stir. Add more coconut oil if necessary so that the flowers are saturated and swimming in oil. Wait at least 1 hour (4 hours, if you have time), stirring frequently. You don’t want to burn the oil. Remove the pot from the heat and carefully dry any water that has condensed on the bottom of the pan. (You want to avoid getting water in the oil.) Line a strainer with the muslin or cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Strain the warm oil. Fold the cloth around the herbs and with clean, dry hands, wring out as much oil as possible. Pour the liquid into a clean, dry jar and cap tightly. Discard or compost the herbal matter. Store in the refrigerator or cool cabinet. The oils will become solid again. Apply as needed.
Yield: multiple applications
How it works:
Like calendula, coconut oil is anti-inflammatory. It also absorbs easily and protects the skin. Do not apply if your baby has developed a fungal infection.
Note: If you can’t easily find shea butter, you can use only coconut oil. The end product will be less solid, but still excellent.

Aloe-ha
If you don’t have an ointment on hand, aloe can bring soothing relief. 1 Aloe vera plant
Preparation and use:
Break off a leaf from the aloe plant. Cut a small wedge in the leaf to access the gel. Squeeze the gel into a bowl. Cleanse the baby’s bottom with warm water or a mixture of baking soda and water. Allow it to dry thoroughly. Spread a thin layer of aloe gel across the diaper area. Apply a diaper.
Yield: 1 application
How it works:
Topical Aloe vera gel is anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, antibacterial, and discourages the growth of yeast. One study found that an aloe cream helped heal diaper rash, though calendula cream was found to be even more effective. Note: Alternatively, you can buy aloe creams and gels over the counter at a pharmacy or health food store.

When simple Doesn’t Work 
Not everyone has time to whip up an herbal salve. You can find a number of over -thecounter creams and ointments at the drugstore: calendula cream, zinc oxide cream, A + D (lanolin, petrolatum, mineral oil, cod liver oil, and beeswax), and Boudreaux’s Butt Paste (which contains zinc oxide, a proprietary blend of Peruvian balsam, mineral oil, petrolatum, and paraffin). For more severe cases, your baby’s doctor may recommend a mild over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream. Ask the doctor which strength to purchase. Strong steroid creams are not appropriate for infants. Also, make sure an infection isn’t present that requires instead an antifungal or antibacterial cream.

When to call the Doctor 
• Two days of home treatment haven’t improved the rash.
• The rash is getting worse. Signs can include blisters, pus, or other discharge from the skin, and extension of the rash beyond the diaper area.
• Your infant seems ill—has a fever, is excessively irritable, lethargic (won’t easily awaken), refuses to eat. Call right away. If your pediatrician’s office is closed, proceed to the emergency room.
• If the rash is concentrated in a ring around the anus, your baby may be allergic to something in his or her diet. Try discontinuing any recent new foods. It might also be something you’re eating, if you are still breast-feeding your baby. Ask your doctor’s advice.
• The combination of warmth, wetness, and vulnerable skin promotes yeast infections. Yeast infections are particularly common—even more so when a breastfeeding mother or her infant takes antibiotics. It often starts in the skin folds and spreads. Topical antifungal creams usually clear the problem. Get a diagnosis first. Bacteria can also infect the diaper area.