We’re currently surviving our second bout of severe nappy rash with our 17 month old. I learnt a lot the first time round so I thought I’d share some approaches that have helped us and our little one. I’d love to hear about any other recommendations out there too!
Nappy rash is bad, severe nappy rash is just plain awful. Our first episode was in the first month of our little one starting nursery and he caught an upset tummy bug. The rash got so bad that the skin started bleeding and honestly, I don’t think either I or baby have cried so much in recent months. I consulted family, friends and healthcare professionals and these are the things that I found helped soothe the skin and eventually heal it. Although it’s worth noting that until the diarrhoea stopped, the skin didn’t really have a chance to heal.
So here are a few suggestions that might help:
Prompt nappy changes
Change nappies frequently and immediately after a dirty nappy. The aim is to keep the skin as clean as possible. This is much harder if your child is in group daycare but you can always ask your providers if they can keep a closer eye out for dirty nappies and explain why.
No wet wipes
Wet wipes will always have some chemicals in them. Even the ‘water wipes’ and fragrance free wipes will have a low percentage of something, so the best option for sore skin is cotton wool and water. This will still hurt but the skin needs to be cleaned properly, especially after a dirty nappy. Water is the purest option. It’s also worth avoiding all chemicals at bath time (just using water).
Drying the skin
After cleaning baby’s bottom, it’s important to dry the skin. Any nappy or treatment creams won’t stick to wet skin. I’ve patted dry (not rubbed) with a piece of kitchen roll or a dry, soft towel.
Apply nappy cream
Personally I use Sudocrem. It’s both an antiseptic and a barrier cream (the antiseptic element can help heal whilst the barrier element acts as a protective layer against further damage). Other creams I’ve heard recommended are Metanium, Bepanthen and Drapolene. I’m sure there are plenty of others out there. I would suggest applying a thin layer to the skin. The temptation is to lather it on but doing so means the skin can’t breathe and it may not heal as quickly. I tend to apply the cream after every nappy change.
If you have any concerns about which cream to apply or how much, do speak to your local pharmacist. Our pharmacist also recommended an anti-fungal cream to help the healing which was really useful.
Nappy free time
This airs the skin and keeps it dry so that there’s no moisture trapped between the skin and the nappy. We have been putting towels on the floor to catch accidents (as baby isn’t potty trained yet). We’ve found this really helps the healing process, however, it isn’t possible when little one is in nursery so we can only do it when he’s at home.
Reduce acidic food intake
Kiwis, strawberries and oranges are examples of foods which are naturally more acidic, therefore waste resulting from them could therefore irritate already sore skin (for weaned babies). You may know which foods result in more explosive/runny/smelly dirty nappies for your little one, so it may be best to avoid these until the skin is healed. For example, we are generally reducing fruit and removing all acidic fruit until our little one’s skin is better.
Patience and persistence
Last of all, patience and persistence will prevail! Baby will be sore and possibly more irritable as a result (understandably); and you will be upset because they are upset (again totally understandable). It will take time for the skin to heal and it might feel like you’re making such slow progress but it will get there, just keep going with keeping the skin as clean and dry as you can.
If you have any concerns at all, please speak to your pharmacist or GP at the earliest opportunity. Although I felt silly asking about a nappy rash, when we spoke to healthcare professionals, they were only too happy to advise and support.
Hope this is of some use and hope the skin heals really soon!
