Newborn babies can go through as many as 10 diapers each day. If, however, your infant sleeps through wetting or soiling a diaper, it increases the risk of diaper rash. Diaper rash is quite common in babies, but you can do several things to help reduce the risk that your baby will develop the painful, irritating condition.
What Is Diaper Rash
Diaper rash causes red, painful or itchy skin in the diaper area, including the abdomen where the top of the diaper rubs and the upper thigh folds where the legs of the diaper rest. One of the first signs of diaper rash are tiny red bumps. Without proper treatment, diaper rash can turn into painful blisters and irritated skin.
What Causes Diaper Rash
One of the most common causes of diaper rash is being left in a wet or soiled diaper for a prolonged amount of time. The warmth of a bowel movement or the moist environment that a wet diaper causes are the perfect conditions for diaper rash to develop. Diaper rash can also be caused by scented laundry soaps or scented baby wipes. Using plastic diaper covers also increases the risk because these also encourage a warm, moist environment in the diaper area. Introducing new foods into your baby's diet can also cause diaper rash because adding new foods tends to increase bowel movements, which raises the risk for diaper rash.
When Diaper Rash Appears
If your baby has a diaper rash, be extra diligent about changing diapers as soon as they are wet or soiled. Keeping your baby's diaper area dry and clean will help the rash clear up more quickly. Ask your baby's pediatrician about using a diaper rash cream as these can reduce the severity of symptoms and help the rash go away more quickly.
Preventing Diaper Rash
The best way to prevent diaper rash is to change your baby's diapers as soon as they are wet or soiled. This is fairly easy during the day, but caring for your newborn baby's diaper after a middle-of-the night feed or before you go to bed can also help cut down on how long your baby has to wear a dirty diaper. When you change soiled diapers, use unscented baby wipes or a soft cloth and warm water to thoroughly clean the diaper area. Using a diaper rash cream, even when a rash isn't present, can also help prevent irritation from contact with a dirty or wet diaper.
Share4 February 2015
As a child, I used to spend my days roaming through the woods. I climbed trees, smelled the flowers, and laid in the grass looking at the clouds. My love for nature continued through my teen years, but when I turned 23, I began to sneeze whenever I left my home. I could no longer enjoy my outdoor hikes and I started taking antihistamines so I could at least open my windows on warm days. My allergies got worse though and I met with an allergist who completed a variety of skin tests. I started receiving allergy shots and my allergist taught me about natural cleaning processes and sinus rinses. The injections and natural treatments improved my quality of life greatly. Even if you do not want to start allergy injections, you have a variety of options that can lessen your symptoms, and you should learn what these options are.
