Preventing Diaper Rash with Your Infant

One of the most common ailments among young children is diaper rash. Most if not all kids have suffered from this problem at some time. The key to preventing diaper rash is to understand what causes it, and then eliminate those causes. Let's consider how you can prevent diaper rash with your children. Many of these can certainly be a challenge, but diligence can certainly make your child more comfortable. Here are some things that you can do to prevent diaper rash with your child.

1. Remove Irritants. Some things may irritate one infant, and not irritate another. For example, one brand of disposable diaper may cause a slight allergy or irritation for your child, when another does not. Other things may have chemicals in them that irritate your infant's skin. To help eliminate the problem caused by these chemicals, make sure you clean your infant's diaper area with warm water, and a very mild soap when soap is needed. Ivory soap is one of the best possible, because it is very mild and very few people have any kind of allergic reaction to it.

2. Make sure to keep your infant's diaper area clean. All parents try to do this, but when you have a young one that is susceptible to diaper rash, it is even more of a concern. Make sure and change your infant's diaper regularly, even if it does not seem to be very wet. Most disposable diapers today are very absorbent, so they may feel dry, even when there is a small amount of urine in the diaper. Even that small amount of urine can cause a diaper rash if it stays in contact with baby's skin for too long. Adding a little corn starch or talc to your baby's diaper can also help prevent diaper rash by keeping him dry.

3. Don't wipe baby's bottom with the "clean" part of the diaper. Even though part of the diaper looks clean, and it is convenient to use, don't wipe with it! Wiping with the diaper spreads bacteria throughout the whole diaper area. Instead, use baby wipes specially made for cleaning your infant's diaper area. If you already know that your baby has problems with rashes, make sure to buy the hypoallergenic, unscented wipes. These have fewer chemicals, and no perfumes, which are often the culprit when it comes to these rashes.

4. Use cloth diapers. I know that this is a taboo statement in today's world of convenience. But, it has been shown that babies who wear cloth diapers are five times less likely to suffer from diaper rash. Keep in mind that you must care for the diapers in the right way, keeping them laundered. You also will need to avoid using harsh soaps with perfumes and chemicals.

5. Make sure your baby's tush gets plenty of air. Most diaper rashes are caused by moisture irritation. That is why you must make sure you keep a dry diaper on your baby. Many pediatricians recommend allowing your baby's bottom to dry out for a few minutes between diaper changes. This can be very impractical, and most parents don't have time to let their baby lay on a dry towel for long, but try to allow some time occasionally for his little bottom to air out. Moderate sunlight on the diaper area can also be beneficial for both preventing diaper rash, and helping to clear it up when present.

6. Avoid food allergies. Sometimes, it is difficult to identify food allergies before they cause problems in baby's diaper area. But, once you identify a connection between some food that your infant is eating, and a diaper rash, you can avoid the problem. This is one good reason to add one kind of food at a time when introducing your baby to solid foods. It is much easier to identify any kind of allergy that your baby may have.

7. Use a diaper cream. Ask your doctor to recommend a diaper cream for your baby. These creams are designed to create a barrier between your baby's skin and the urine and feces in his diaper. This will help keep the irritation down, so that your baby will not break out in a rash. These creams can also help if your child already has a diaper rash.

8. Make sure the rash is not just a heat rash. Especially in summer, or in warm environments in the house, your baby can get a slight heat rash in the diaper area. Typically, this will show up as small red spots only a few millimeters wide. A true diaper rash will cover much more area than that, and so you will be able to distinguish between the two. This heat rash can typically be cleared up by exposing the affected area to the air, and allowing it to dry out and cool off.

Diaper rashes can range from a very minor irritation to a severe problem. With these suggestions, you can prevent diaper rash with your baby, or help to clear it up if your baby already has broken out with the rash.