Help Keep Diaper Rash Away

At some point, your adorable child is going to suffer from diaper rash, causing you to listen to earsplitting cries and endure frustrating diaper changes. There are a couple things you can do to help ease the potential of a diaper rash with your baby. This way, by putting a little effort in now, you might eliminate some of the pain - for both you and your baby - later.

Babies get diaper rash for many reasons. Some babies have more sensitive skin than others, making diaper rash a bigger concern. With my baby, I found she was more responsive to some things than others. I received a multitude of other's ideas of solution creams, and found most of them to create a rash instead of getting rid of it.

After a brief period of experimentation, I found what worked best for my baby - good old A+D Diaper Ointment (without zinc oxide). I bought the tube for about $5, and it did a fantastic job! When I see ANY sign of redness on my little one's bottom, I slather on a good amount and put on a diaper. Within a day or so, all bumps and redness have receded, and we are back to a happy bottom!

Along with finding a good ointment that works with your baby's skin, there are a couple other ways to help keep diaper rash at bay. Make sure to change your baby's diaper often, especially newborns. Newborn's skin is super sensitive and hasn't been in the world very long so will be more prone to diaper rash. You might go through a lot of diapers the first couple weeks, but it will help ensure your baby's bottom will stay rash free.

Use warm water to clean baby's bottom. I was given a set of small washcloths as a baby shower gift for this reason, but didn't really ever plan on using them. After the first sign of red bumps, I got the wash clothes out and found they really do make a difference. I don't use them all the time, only when there seems to be some irritation starting. Don't have small washcloths? Cut up an old t-shirt into small squares and this will work great also. Make sure to use a clean cloth each time.

Let your baby's bottom dry before diapering! This can be challenging - but is an essential step to keep diaper rash away. Understand there will be potty accidents and boys are more sensitive to being left to dry for a couple minutes, but a dry bottom is a happy bottom! After changing your baby's diaper, let your clean baby's bottom dry for a couple minutes before slapping on the new diaper. It's also a good idea to let your baby's bottom dry before putting on any ointment.

Understand your baby will get a diaper rash, so don't panic when one rears its ugly head. Make sure you are prepared and things will go better. Your baby will survive, and you will too!