5 Natural Remedies for Diaper Rash that Actually Work

When your baby has diaper rash, it can be a miserable time for you both.  Coming up with ways to treat your baby's diaper rash that are safe and natural might seem a bit difficult, as you don't want to use harsh chemicals that can hurt your baby, make the diaper rash worse, or even cause other skin problems. 

It doesn't matter if you are using cloth diapers or if you are using disposable diapers - diaper rash happens.   Some babies tend to get diaper rash more often than others, and while it can be a stressful time, there are plenty of things that you can safely do to help your baby get through this tough time.  The first thing is understanding exactly what causes diaper rash.

What is Diaper Rash, and What Causes it?

Diaper rash can be caused by a variety of things, although for the most part, diaper rash is caused by a baby being exposed to urine in a wet diaper, and that wet diaper chafing against the skin of your baby's diaper area, legs, and back.  The rash itself is a red, bumpy rash that can itch and be painful, causing a lot of discomfort for baby while he or she is dealing with it.

One of the main causes for a baby being exposed to diaper rash is when the baby isn't changed as frequently as he or she should be.  Even the smallest amount of urine left in a diaper can cause diaper rash, so it is important to change your baby as soon as possible.  Diarrhea is another cause of diaper rash - if baby spends a lot of time being moist or wet from waste or from wipes, it can lead to the skin becoming irritated. 

Another popular cause of diaper rash that many parents come across is from perfumes, dyes, and chemicals in laundry detergents, baby washes, and diaper creams.  These products can easily irritate the thin, sensitive skin of your baby, causing a rash.  Not only can laundry detergent and baby washes have chemicals that can cause irritation, but even disposable diapers can have fragrances and chemicals, as well, so it is important to check to be sure you are using unscented and diapers free of dyes and other chemicals.

5 Natural Remedies to Clear Up Diaper Rash

Since nearly all babies will deal with having diaper rash at some point, it is important for parents to know the proper way of caring for it.  While you could purchase creams that are full of chemicals that are not at all gentle on baby's skin, it's always better to stick to something more natural and easy for your baby to handle.

If you are using a fragranced laundry detergent, powder, or baby wash, it could be contributing to your baby's frequent diaper rash.  If you switch the products to more natural, unscented, and gentle formulas, your baby's skin might clear up quickly and not get quite as many rashes.

Coconut Oil and Olive Oil

Many parents swear by coconut oil or olive oil when their baby has diaper rash.  To use the coconut oil or olive oil, make sure that your baby's diaper area is clean and dry, and then add a thin layer of coconut oil or olive oil to the area.  Coconut oil, which has natural antibiotic properties, will help your baby's rash by soothing the area and giving a small barrier between moisture and your baby's skin, keeping him or her drier.  Another plus side to coconut oil and olive oil is that they can be used with cloth and disposable diapers, so you can use them with your regular diapering methods.

Corn Starch

Corn starch (particularly organic corn starch) is something you more than likely already have in your kitchen.  Corn starch, especially when mixed with a tablespoon or two of coconut oil to form a paste, is perfect for absorbing moisture and keeping the area dry, and doesn't have any harmful chemicals in it like some baby powders do.  Corn starch, when applied to a dry diaper area, can help keep moisture away from the baby's bottom, and is also perfect to prevent chafing from occurring.

 Oatmeal Bath

The oatmeal is a natural moisturizer and skin protector, so you can rest assured that you are using a natural remedy to keep your baby's skin feeling fresh and protected.

Tea Tree Oil

Mix a little bit of tea tree oil with some coconut oil to create a soothing solution to diaper rash.  Since tea tree oil is an anti-fungal oil, it can also be used for diaper rash that is associated with a yeast infection.  Be sure to remember that you should never apply the tea tree oil to skin directly without first adding some coconut oil to dilute it, or it can sting skin.

Breast Milk

If you are breastfeeding your baby, you might have already heard of the benefits of breast milk for your baby.  Did you know that due to breast milk's soothing properties, using it to help with diaper rash can really help your baby to feel better?  Simply express or rub a small amount of breast milk onto the diaper area, and your baby will feel the soothing effects of the milk immediately.  It is important to note that you shouldn't use this remedy if you are sure that the rash is due to a yeast overgrowth, however, as the sugars in your breast milk can aggravate the yeast and cause the rash to get worse.

Try Making Homemade Diaper Rash Cream

There are a lot of different diaper rash creams on the market, but many of them, if not most, tend to include a lot of unnecessary and skin irritating ingredients that can be harsh on your baby's delicate skin.  Instead of using a store bought cream that isn't natural, you can choose to create your very own diaper rash cream from scratch, using 1/4 cup of beeswax, 1/4 cup of coconut oil, and 1/4 cup of zinc oxide powder, or similar, natural ingredients.  By choosing a natural remedy for diaper rash such as homemade diaper rash cream, you are choosing a healthy alternative for your baby!

Avoid Harsh Chemical 

As you can see, there are a lot of natural remedies out there for your baby's diaper rash.  While mostly all babies will have to deal with diaper rash at least once or twice, so coming up with natural ways to help take care of your baby's diaper rash without harming their skin even further is necessary.  Whether you are taking simple steps, such as switching laundry detergents or using breast milk to sooth diaper rash, or if you are mixing natural ingredients in order to create your own diaper rash cream, finding natural remedies to help your baby feel better is important!