Diapers are an integral part of your baby for the initial years until the baby is potty trained. If you were among the ones who had a bad experience with disposable diapers and shifted to cloth diapers, the first thing that always comes to your mind is how better you could prevent diaper rash from cloth diapers. Though disposable diapers are more breathable, the chances of developing a diaper rash are much less on a cloth diaper.
So now that you have used a cloth diaper and you find the baby developing a cloth diaper rash around the thigh all you feel is lost! However, the fact is that all babies develop rashes irrespective of their diaper type. Rashes can be due to various reasons such as teething, sensitivities, or even food intolerances.
Before you think cloth diapers are bad and throw them away, we give you tips and insights on why cloth diapers are best and what you need to do to prevent diaper rash from cloth diapers.
Can Cloth Diapers Cause Rashes In Babies?
Babies in cloth diapers tend to get fewer rashes than the babies in disposable diapers and this is one of the reasons why one should choose cloth diapers over the disposable ones. The skin in that area is pretty sensitive for babies. Hence, utmost care needs to be given to ensure that the area remains clean and healthy. These rashes are skin irritations in babies and can appear as blisters, redness, or as pimples on your baby’s bottoms.
A few common reasons for the baby to develop diaper rashes due to cloth are:
- The baby is allergic to the detergent that is used in the cloth diaper
- The baby’s diaper is not changed often
- The cloth diapers aren’t cleaned properly
Also, many reasons could cause rashes in babies. Before you could sum up cloth diapers as their culprits, check out for things such as foods, formulas, allergic reactions to washing powders or wipes, and not using good diaper cream.
11 Tips To Prevent Diaper Rash From Cloth Diapers
If you find your little ones’ bottom red and painful, it could be a sign of cloth diaper rash which could cause irritations in babies. Diaper rashes occur when the baby is in contact with a wet diaper for a long time or the cloth diaper isn’t cleaned properly. Changing the diaper frequently is one of the remedies for baby diaper rash.
Since cloth diapers are less absorbent than disposable diapers, it is better to keep checking them and changing them frequently to prevent diaper rash from cloth diapers. Using 100% cotton is the safest option for a baby’s bum as they are free of chemicals and unnatural products.
The best way to prevent diaper rash from cloth diapers is to check for the cause of the rash. While there is no rule of the right diaper for the child, you may choose from either of them or both — cloth and disposable diaper for your baby.
Below we give you tips on how to prevent diaper rash from cloth diapers.
1. Change diapers often
Diaper rashes are common when the baby is in contact with wet or dirty diapers for a very long time. The easiest and most effective way to prevent diaper rash from cloth diapers is to keep changing them frequently.
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For young healthy children, keep changing the diaper for around 60-90 minutes. For older babies, you may feel the cloth diaper be wet after 2 to 4 hours after wearing a cloth diaper.
2. Avoid irritants
The baby’s skin can be easily irritated with the use of soap, fragranced wipes, detergents, and other baby products. To prevent diaper rash from cloth diapers, it is suggested to wash the cloth diaper using a mild soap or just with plain warm water. Make sure the baby’s skin is completely dry before you could put on those cloth diapers. Also, since chemicals can affect the baby’s skin, it is better to avoid scented soaps or wipes that contain alcohol. We recommend you these best baby products for your baby’s sensitive skin.
3. Keep note of the detergents
Though there are many baby-friendly detergents, keep in mind that each detergent and each baby are different. If you think the detergent, you are using is contributing to your baby’s diaper rashes, it is suggested you try a different brand. Also, do not use fabric softener and dryer sheets as these contain chemicals that could affect your baby’s skin. The best way to disinfect a baby’s cloth diaper is to bleach them once in a while to kill deep germs.
4. Cleanse baby’s diaper area
Hygiene plays a major part to prevent diaper rash from cloth diapers. It is suggested to clean the baby’s diaper area thoroughly before he gets into another diaper. This doesn’t mean you need to bathe the baby every time. A gentle rub using a wet cloth will work.
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5. Use gentle baby wipes
Not all baby wipes are safely designed. Some wipes may contain fragrance or might come with alcohol for a better clean. These can hurt the baby’s skin, especially when the baby is going through a diaper rash. It is therefore suggested to use a gentle and less irritant product that will not aggregate the rash.
Alternatively, using warm water and a good cotton washcloth works better for the baby’s tender skin. Even if you overuse it, the chances of getting rashes are less, as it is just plain water.
6. Avoid baby powder and talcum powder
Many moms prefer to use cloth diaper-safe rash cream, talcums, and baby powder to deal with the diaper rash. Though talcums and powders help to keep the diaper area dry, it does come with their side effects. If your child is too young, the chance that the baby may exhale the powder and get into breathing issues persists.
It is suggested not to use any cream or powder to treat it. Rather, provide free diaper time for quick healing.
7. Let your baby go diaper-free
The best way to prevent diaper rash from cloth diapers is to give the baby some diaper-free time. Diapers trap moisture making your baby’s skin in the diaper area more tender. This makes the skin vulnerable to more rashes. Allow your child to sit without diapers for 10-15 minutes before you could change the next diaper. This helps to dry skin as well as provides the necessary free time.
Make sure not to lay the baby on a bed or couch. You can lay the baby on the floor with a towel or waterproof mat. You can also use a mattress pad underneath them. In case the weather is right, you can take the baby out and lay them on a towel. Doing this will also ease heat rash from cloth diapers.
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8. Limit baby bathing to one per day
Though bathing your baby daily is important, giving them baths too many times a day could dry their skin easily. This could be irritating for the baby. Hence, make sure to limit the baby bath to once a day. While you bathe, use warm water instead of too hot /cold water. Know here all about bathing a baby.
When you are trying to get away with diaper rash, make sure to avoid harsh soaps or lotions. Instead, give an oatmeal bath which will soothe the baby’s skin.
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9. Pat baby skin dry
After giving bath time, gently pat the baby’s skin to keep it dry. Keep in mind not to rub the skin harshly which might cause more skin irritation. Use a soft towel to dry the baby’s skin.
10. Switch to disposable diapers
When you find the baby developing rashes because of cloth diapers, the best way is to switch to disposable diapers until the baby’s rashes are healed. Since the disposable diapers are wet absorbent, it helps to keep the diaper area dry as much as possible. These are the best baby diaper brands in India for your baby.
11. Make use of sunlight
To keep cloth diapers safe for use, it is suggested to dry them completely under the sun. Since these diapers are thicker than the normal super bottoms, it requires more time to dry. Drying them in sunlight is a natural disinfectant as it helps to kill bacteria.
Drying them indoors is also an option but it may not work effectively to kill the bacteria in the cloth diapers. Put them in sunlight which is a safer option for the baby to prevent diaper rash from cloth diapers.
Why Can’t You Use Diaper Rash Cream With Cloth Diapers?
There are presumptions that while you are cloth diapering your child, you can not apply a diaper rash cream. This is mainly due to the presence of zinc oxide content in it. While traditional creams and ointment can cause the diapers to repel, many cloth diaper rash creams are safe for use. When the baby’s bottoms are irritated, all moms do is depend on creams and ointments that help to deal with it.
Diaper creams used for babies must be easily rinsed out completely during a hot wash cycle. Many diaper creams are made based on petroleum jelly which makes it difficult to wash leaving behind a greasy residue. Hence it is always best to look at the labels before you could finalize them.
Conclusion
While everyone wants a happy and healthy baby, the discomfort caused by diaper rashes could exhaust the baby as well as you. Since babies have delicate skin, sometimes despite the best efforts, diaper rashes do occur. However, in many cases, diaper rashes could be avoided.
The main key to avoiding diaper rash is to keep the genital area as clean, dry, and cool as possible. Also, try to avoid plastic pants above the diaper which may increase heat and moisture in the diaper area making it easy for germs and rashes to occur.