Fast Fixes for Diaper Rash

Diaper rash is pretty much part of the baby package — and definitely not the cutest part. More than half of all babies sport a rash at least once every couple of months, and some sore little bottoms never seem to catch a break. Why? Blame the super sensitive skin around your baby’s diaper area. Combine with lots of trapped moisture, very little air circulation, and plenty of irritants from pee and poop — all the more irritating now that solids have been added to the digestive mix. Factor in the friction of baby’s diaper rubbing, rubbing, rubbing, and you’ve got yourself a diaper rash bulls-eye.

Most bottom breakouts clear up after a couple of days — and those that don’t are usually treated easily. Even better, of course, is preventing that rash from cropping up in the first place.

Change your baby often. Believe in change. If your baby is rash-prone, give her bum a fighting chance by changing diapers as soon as they’re wet or dirty.

Dry your baby’s bottom. Give that bottom a time out. After each change, make sure your baby’s little butt is as dry as can be. But pat dry gently — don’t rub. Better yet — let your little one air dry when you can — especially if she gets rashes regularly. Put her on a water-proof pad or a couple of old towels, and play with her while her bottom gets some much-needed air time.

Loosen up baby’s diaper. Loosen up. A too-tight diaper can chafe your baby’s tender tush. During changes, fasten the diaper as loosely as is practical — without risking major leakage.

Experiment with different diapers. Try a different diaper. Sometimes super absorbent disposables are a little too good at trapping moisture, which means you may be inclined to change them less often, resulting in more rashes. Sometimes there’s just something about a diaper that’s not a good fit for your little one’s sensitive skin. So experiment with different types or brands, or switch to cloth to see if that helps stash the rash.