Welcome to the first entry from Nurse Mommy!
I don’t know any mom that hasn’t had to deal with diaper rash. I know I have and only have a 4 month old. It can be brutal to get rid of and drive parents crazy and be very costly buying the "greatest and newest" treatments out there. Don't spend too much money yet! Don't waste a trip to you doctor until read this!
Disclosure: There are several different types and causes of diaper rash so if treatments don’t work you may need to see your doctor b/c it could be yeast or some other type of infection causing the rash.
When M got her first diaper rash I began using Desitin with every diaper change and it just wasn’t getting any better. I was so frustrated! I thought Desitin was like gold and cured diaper rash in and intance. . .So naive!
So I asked the nurses at work what they tell people on the phone. This is what one nurse told me she swears by and will cure the worst of diaper rashes (even the really gross ulcerated ones).
Step one: Use soap and water with gentle washcloths to wipe and clean the area. (Commercial wipes can be really costic and aggravating to the skin-although I find that Pampers sensitive work well for M but any other wipes leave her red). If the rash is really bad stick with mild (unscented) soap and water.
You Tube video on making and storing your own diaper wipes ( I am soooo doing it this weekend). There are many different variations out there on the interweb and well, just google it! But what a cost and skin saver!
Step two: part of the problem is not allowing the babies bottom to dry completely before applying the ointment/powder (the goal is to keep the moisture out with use of these products not keep it in by applying it to wet skin which will worsen the rash and breakdown of skin).
You can allow the area to air dry but make sure the crevices and folds in the groin dry completely as well. The nurses I work with recommend using a small hairdryer on cool to dry the area completely.
Step three: Apply a good layer of Desitin or whatever cream you prefer to use.
Step four: Over top the desitin apply Gold Bond baby Powder (it’s the best out there and not too expensive). The Powder over the cream makes for a great moisture barrier. It creates a thick paste and may take some effort to get off, but it’s worth it.
Step five: Diaper that toosh!
Repeat steps each time you change the diaper, which may be frequently until better usually 24-48 hours but may be longer.
**The longer you leave a baby in a wet or poopy diaper the more likely the moisture will break through the barrier and worsen the skin breakdown. It is very important that you dry thoroughly and apply a good layer of cream and powder if your baby doesn’t wake up for changes at night. I only change M’s diaper once usually until the morning so I lather her up good before putting her to bed and take the time to dry and lather well in the middle of the night.
The nurse I was talking to swears that if you do this for 24-48 hours meticulously the worst of rashes will begin to improve. (See previous disclosure)
OK So the rash is better (M’s cleared up completely in a couple of days). NOW WHAT!? Do you have to keep doing that whole routine forever??? I certainly don’t think so! But DRYING (via air or hair dryer) is a very important step no matter what!
My PCP says better to prevent the rash than have to cure even the mildest form.
This is what I found works for M.
I use the sensitive wipes, let her air dry, and apply the Gold Bond Powder. I LOVE this stuff and your hands don’t get messy like when you use the creams or pastes.
I hope this helps someone! I also recommend trying the make your own wipes. It is so much cheaper and better for the babies skin.
ENJOY YOUR DAY! And stay tuned for the next entry of NURSE MOMMY!
