Sad mama here- CDs causing a rash?

[MarisaSF]

We started cloth diapers a few days ago. Is it common for babies to break out in a diaper rash upon starting cloth?

I just freaked out and put her back in a pampers. This is the first rash she's had in a LONG time, so I'm fairly certain it has to do with out new diapering methods. The rash is all over her diaper area.

We've been using mostly FBs and HHs with a micro-terry insert. Hemp at night, some Motherease.

Perhaps it is because I need to change her even more often than I am? I think I need more liners for night? Could it be the materials? I thought it could be our detergent, but I use so very little. Jazzy loves how soft her new diapers are and doesn't seem bothered by the red welts, but I am!

[mudder17]

I know some of your diapers are used, so it's possible there's some build-up from before. The other thing is that you are in HOT Arizona and it could be that FBs and HHs (both are PUL) are just not breathable enough for the weather. How often are you changing her? For night time, are the diapers fleece-lined? Actually, are all your diapers fleece-lined? I do know that some babies don't do too well with fleece in the diaper area, although that's not as common as wool sensitivities.

And yes, it is possible that some babies end up with rashes in CDs and not in sposies. My pet theory is that they are either sensitive to the detergent being used (no matter how much or how little is used) OR they are sensitive to the materials being used OR the CDs are not keeping them dry enough...yes, I hate sposies, but I do have to admit they keep a baby feeling dry and it's harder, but not impossible, to find the combo in cloth that does the same. Oh, and what you said about needing to change more often--I think at Jazzy's age, I was changing her every 1-2 hours, depending on when Kaya peed. There were times when I could go 3 hours because she wouldn't pee during that time.

I know it can be frustrating, but I hope you're able to figure out how to help Jazzy sooner, rather than later. :) For now, give her a baking soda bath (actually all of Kaya's baths are baking soda baths because they help with rashes and reduce UTI's), make sure she's completely dry and then use something with Zinc Oxide (like Triple paste or similar--my mixture is TP, Aquaphor, and Mylanta) to help the rash go away. After that, you can try using Aquaphor as a barrier cream. I hope she feels better soon!

Eileen

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33734.gif 28 months...
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_-6_Kaya+is.png
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev317pp___.png
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33732.gif for Leah

[MarisaSF]

Thanks! I needed a little Eileen hug! :)
I just pulled out the creams and aquaphor that we haven't had to use in a while.
I figured the PUL would be more breathable than pampers. I've got some wool covers drying right now, so I'll get her into those and see if helps. Not everything is fleece (we have some hemp and I don't know what else honestly), but the FBs fit her well and are so easy to use that she's been in those mostly.
I've never given her a baking soda bath, but will start that.

[brittone2]

How frustrating!

DS is not sensitive to fleece, so FBs work well for us even in the hot NC summers. But...there are lots of kids with skin that doesn't get along with either wool, fleece, or both.

Eileen named all of the possibilities that came to my mind...build up on used dipes, sensitive to the detergent, sensitive to fleece, or a combo of a few things.

Maybe try something like just a hemp dipe, no cover if you can swing it while home, and frequent changes to see if that helps (either now or after you get it all cleared up...whatever you are comfortable with).

There is likely a solution that will work fine, it is just a matter of finding the right diaper (and possibly cover), the right detergent, etc. to make it work for your little one.

I hope it gets better soon for her!

[MarisaSF]

>Maybe try something like just a hemp dipe, no cover if you can
>swing it while home

We're on the same wavelength, Beth! I had just changed her into that and came back to the computer to ask a related question:

Is there anything special I need to do special to get zinc oxide out of dipes before or during washing?

[brittone2]

I wish I knew...I was scared to use it w/ my dipes and so for the rare rash DS experienced, Aquaphor did the trick and was easy to wash out.

I'm sure someone else will know though...where is the Queen of Butts??? We need her!!! :)

Crossing my fingers the current dipe will work better for her!!!

[MarisaSF]

>I'm sure someone else will know though...where is the Queen of
>Butts??? We need her!!! :)

LOL! If she's like me, I'd bet Kaya woke from her nap.
I've got a barrel of Aquaphor, but thought the zinc would help the immediate problem. I like the idea of sticking with the CDs and just doing more prevention with Aquaphor. Good to know it washes out easily.

Thank you for calming my troubled mind. :)

[mudder17]

LOL, the "Queen of Butts" was taking a nap. ;) In fact, I woke up BEFORE Kaya. We had to wake her at 5:15 (really late for her) after she slept for almost 3 hours! I guess she really was tired! Last night she was totally hyper so I guess she must be on the sleep-deprived side.

I don't have a problem with Zinc oxide and cloth diapers. It's fish oil (like Desitin) that you want to worry about. And Boudreaux's Butt Paste also tends to stain.

If you have a barrelful of Aquaphor and TP, and your DD's bum is red or looking irritated, you could mix about 50:50 A and TP and then add a drizzle of Mylanta or a similar antacid. Mix to form a nice smooth paste and you can put that on. Usually when Kaya hits a rash stage (and she has always been rash prone--PUL is horrible for her because it's not breathable. I hate to think what sposies would do to her!), this mixture makes a marked improvement by the next change. And yes, the BS baths really do seem to make a difference. The key with putting on these ointments is to make sure the skin is completely dry before putting them on. IME, Aquaphor by itself makes a great barrier cream, but for a bad rash, Zinc Oxide (i.e. TP or some similar thing) is needed to actually heal it.


Eileen

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33734.gif 28 months...
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_-6_Kaya+is.png
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev317pp___.png
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33732.gif for Leah

[MarisaSF]

<<bowing>>

You are a font of great info. Many thanks!

ETA: I'm glad you got a nap. Jazz and Kaya must have conferenced and agreed that today was long-nap day. I had a friend and her baby over and she slept through the entire playdate. Yay for no toddler territory fights though!

[mudder17]

You're welcome! Kaya is not too bad with sleep, but she definitely has skipped her share of naps and it's wonderful when she suddenly decides she needs a 3 hour nap. :) My nap was a much needed one!


Eileen

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33734.gif 28 months...
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_-6_Kaya+is.png
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev317pp___.png
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33732.gif for Leah

[dhano923]

My son had the same problem. I tried CDing him when he was an infant (like 3-4 months old?) and he broke out into a terrible rash. The pediatrician said it was possible his urine was too acidic for his skin (he has sensitive skin). When I switched back to Pampers, he was fine. The disposables work better on him because they whisk the wetness away from his skin.

[mudder17]

It's true that some babies just do better in dispoables than in cloth--it just depends on the reason for the rash. It is possible that if you had something like fleece or suedecloth in all your diapers to wick away the wetness, the cloth could have worked fine. Many of Kaya's diapers, when she was younger, were lined with microfleece, and when I changed her, even if the diaper was pretty wet, she was nice and dry.

But the fact is, the Pampers worked fine for him, so yay! :)


Eileen

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33734.gif 28 months...
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_-6_Kaya+is.png
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev317pp___.png
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33732.gif for Leah

[MarisaSF]

Rash seems to clear up some. Hopefully it was not the diapers, but it's hard to pin down what it was. Now she's been slathered in Aquaphor (seems better than the zinc, always has for her) and bathed in baking soda. All the diapers went through a long hot wash with no detergent. She seems to do best with hemp right next to her body, so I'll be getting some more of that magical fabric soon.
Thanks for your help and compassion! :)

[mommyoftwo]

Some kids can't tolerate suedecloth or fleece. Maybe that's your problem. It would make sense if the fuzzibunz were causing problems but hemp isn't. I hope you can figure things out soon. It would be so sad to have to give up cloth diapering. :( Aquaphor has always worked better for us than zinc too. Zinc is too drying I think. Keep us updated.

[brittone2]

That's great...I hope the rash stays away so you'll stay with cloth! That's a hard way to start out, but hopefully it will be smooth sailing w/ hemp and/or other natural fibers.

[MarisaSF]

It's just strange because she slept in microfleece pjs all winter. My diaper guru, Shannon, at wildflowerdiapers.com is coming over in a few minutes and I'm gonna get some more hemp. I'm so lucky that she lives very close to me!

[MarisaSF]

Thanks, Beth. I got lots of hemp and a raw silk "soother" today too. We'll see.

MIL is in town and I told her about the rash. Interestingly she had to switch from cloth to disposables with DH as a baby because *he* had horrible rashes. I am telling myself those "olden day" diapers weren't as good as today's. Fingers crossed because I really like using the cloth ones.

[eapoosmama]

Your child is responding better to the hemp because it is an all natural fiber.

Mico Fleece, Suedecloth, Micro-Fiber Cloths are not a natural but synthetic fabric.

Your problem sounds as if it is with the fabric of the diaper. Many children cannot tolerate it cause it is far less breathable.

My son could not wear it either.

Stick with your 100% cottons or hemp combo's and your baby should do just fine.

[MarisaSF]

I am a bit relieved that it seems that she's okay with micro-terry or other synthetic as an absorption layer and she seems okay with PUL as an outer layer. She just needs the hemp right next to her body.

Thanks for the encouragement!

[american_mama]

Marisa:

My DD got a rash when a first started CDing too. I think the first culprit was leaving her in a cloth diaper too long and second, a poop that really bothered her. Frankly, I think she gets more rashes in cloth (although still not many) and that disposables clear it up BETTER, so that's what I put on her more often during a rash, especially for overnight.

Also, what is the silk liner like in terms of texture, color, etc.? Is it like the silk in a silk shirt? I know how cool and fast-drying silk is, so I've often wondered if I could cut up an old silk shirt (yes, I have one that is very dated and might as well go for this purpose) and make it into liners, would that fuction the same as the raw silk?

[MarisaSF]

Thanks, Karen. I think/hope her body just needed some time to get used to it. She had rashes with disposables as a newborn too. She just really likes the softness of cloth and they have been easier than we anticipated so I'm glad we found something that works for her (hemp).

These are the silk liners I have: http://www.wildflowerdiapers.com/catalog.php?item=307&catid=33&ret=catalog.php%3Fpage%3D2%26category%3D33

They are raw silk, so the tiniest bit "scratchy." The link above describes the reasons why the raw silk might be healing. I don't know if your shirt would work the same, but it could probably be put to use anyway. Might depend on how and how often it was washed? Give Shannon at Wildflower Diapers a call. She's very knowledgeable about fibers and has been a very valuable resource in keeping me going in cloth (she lives near me).

Ahh... I'll just post the blurb here:
"Made By Better for Babiesâ„¢, we love this natural alternative to fleece! Raw silk (also called Silk Noil) retains some of the silk's natural sericin (a creamy wax given off by the silkworms) which is both soothing and antibacterial! Great at pulling moisture away from your baby's skin and keeping their bottom healthy and dry. Our serged rectangular shaped liners are 2 layers and come in two sizes.

Sizes:
Size 1: 4.5 x 10 inches
Size 2: 5 x 12 inches

I just have to put in a comment here because these silk liners are AMAZING! They are made by the creator of Little Beetleâ„¢ Diapers, Leah. She included one with my second Little Beetleâ„¢ order and I loved it! Any time Ella has a little redness, we pull out the silk liners and by the next day, no trace of a rash is left."

[almostamom]

Yep, Shannon is wonderful. Sometimes she drops the dipes off to me and sometimes I pick them up from her house. It's a nice added bonus for those of us who live close by.
~Linda~
http://lilypie.com/pic/060427/fDdc.jpg http://b2.lilypie.com/qW3mm7.png

[MarisaSF]

Hey Linda!
I just emailed you.

[mudder17]

I have one of those, but I haven't used them yet because I couldn't figure out how to wash them. I mean, do they just go in the wash with the diapers?


Eileen

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33734.gif 28 months...
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_-6_Kaya+is.png
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev317pp___.png
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33732.gif for Leah

[MarisaSF]

I was told to handwash and line dry. You don't want to strip off all the natural "healing properties"? I'll let you know if I hear any different. I messed up and forgot that DD had zinc on her bum and it got all over the silk. Ick. Not easy to handwash off.

[mudder17]

Thanks, Marisa! Actually, it's the poop I'm concerned about trying to handwash off! But yes, I could see trying to get zinc off of it being a pain. So do you use just liquid soap or woolite, or what?



Eileen

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33734.gif 28 months...
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_-6_Kaya+is.png
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev317pp___.png
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33732.gif for Leah