Almost every baby who is in diapers will experience diaper rash at least once. If you want to avoid harmful ingredients that are in many conventional diaper rash treatments, try these tips.

The old saying goes “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. You can minimize your baby’s chances of getting diaper rash in the first place by using cloth diapers with a breathable cover (wool or cotton for example). Cloth diapered babies, as a rule, experience less rash. Changing your baby as soon as he or she wets or soils the diaper is also a good habit. You can also experiment with Elimination Communication (E.C.). Doing E.C. even part time will have many benefits, such as reduced diaper usage.

If your baby is using disposable diapers, try switching to cloth for awhile and see if the rash improves. If you’re already using cloth diapers, remove the cover and let him wear pinned on prefolds so lots of air gets to his bottom. Try changing laundry detergents and double rinsing your diapers, adding a half cup vinegar to the first rinse, and see if that helps.

Removing the diaper completely for as long as possible during the day will help the rash heal more quickly. Again, you can try Elimination Communication part time when your baby gets a rash. Take off the diaper and watch baby closely for signs that he needs to eliminate. Sit him on a potty or hold him over a toilet or sink, make a “pssss” sound and see what happens.

Sometimes diaper rash is caused by an overgrowth of candida (yeast). Suspect yeast if the rash is bright red and shiny, especially if you’re nursing and also have signs of candida overgrowth (pain during nursing, vaginal yeast). Giving your baby acidophilus powder can help. Read package labels for dosage instructions. If you’re nursing, take the powder yourself also. Acidophilus is safe for young babies. Older babies who are on solids can also eat yogurt with live cultures. Remove sugar and white flour from the baby’s diet to help starve the yeast. You can also make a rinse for your baby’s bottom from one cup of water mixed with one teaspoon baking soda to help kill candida.

Don’t use baby wipes when your baby has a rash, as the skin is sensitive and wipes can dry out the skin and make it worse. Instead, rinse your baby after each diaper change with water.

If the rash is dry and scaly, open a capsule of Vitamin E and apply it to the rash. Calendula is also healing and is available as a topical ointment. Kaolin powder, made from a clay, can help if the rash is weepy.

If you’ve just started baby on solid foods, he may have a temporary rash as his skin adjusts to the ph changes of his urine and stool. If your baby has a rash around his anus (like a bull’s eye) every time he eats a certain food, take it out of his diet for awhile, as he may be sensitive to it. You can try reintroducing it in a few months to see if his digestive system reacts differently.

If your baby has severe or chronic diaper rash, suspect food allergies. Talk with your baby’s health care provider about an elimination diet. The typical suspects are dairy, wheat, corn, eggs and soy. Keeping a food diary can provide some clues, but the most effective way to figure out if your child has food sensitivities is to take the common allergens out of his diet. Then introduce them back one at a time, watching for reactions.

If your baby develops other symptoms along with his rash, like fever or irritability, or if the rash looks infected and doesn’t respond to care at home, check with a health care provider.

Technorati Tags: diaper rash, baby, natural treatment, food allergies, Calendula, candida, yeast

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More and more we see parents refer to their parenting style as natural. They take great pride in having natural family values, perhaps even calling themselves hippie, crunchy, or granola in the next breath.  What exactly does this mean though? What is important to a natural family?

Since all families are comprised of unique and different individuals with different values sets and motivations there is no standard definition that will fit for every natural family. In general though, natural families are concerned with one or more of the following things:

Natural Childbirth – Natural moms feel that giving birth is a natural and beautiful process that is not meant to be painless, sterile, or treated like a medical condition. They trust in their bodies to be able to birth children as nature intended without medical interventions or drugs that just increase the chances for unwanted c-sections, infection, and an inability to be present mentally when their child is born.

Breastfeeding – Natural parents believe that breast milk is the perfect source of food and nourishment for their baby. It is a waste free, economical, and easy access solution. Breast milk is also the perfect temperature for baby and it contains vital antibodies that will help babies to develop strong immune systems and avoid illness. Perhaps one of the best benefits of breastfeeding is its ability to help mom and baby bond with each other skin to skin.

Cloth Diapers – Many natural parents want natural, chemical free fibers next to their baby’s skin. Disposable diapers are filled with chemicals and other unsavory ingredients like petroleum. Cloth diapers on the other hand are usually much more natural, gentle, and comfortable. If wearing paper and plastic underwear is not an option for them then it is not an option for their babies.

Babywearing – Natural families often practice some method of attachment parenting and wearing your baby close to you in a sling, wrap or other baby carrier is often a big part of that. In ancient days women wore their babies to keep them close and safe while they traveled, hunted, or gardened. Natural moms of today also carry their babies close to them while they work and play. Even breastfeeding is made easier when your baby is cuddled against you in a sling or wrap.

Vaccinations and Homeopathic Remedies – Just as most natural parents want to avoid drugs and chemicals in childbirth they also like to keep these to a minimum in later years. Vaccines are often viewed as chemical cocktails with dangerous ingredients like Mercury and MSG and since they are not proven to be safe even within mainstream society, natural parents often avoid them or adopt an alternative vaccination schedule. Alternative medicine is also widely accepted in natural families with homeopathic and natural remedies being turned to before conventional treatments and pharmaceutical drugs.

Green Living – Natural families generally feel that what nature provides is better in the long run so they seek to protect their environment and their connection to the natural world. They often seek to reduce the amount of needless stuff in their lives, reuse whenever they can, and recycle things they can’t reuse. Taking care of our planet is important to them.

There are many more ideals and practices held my society’s more natural minded parents but these are a few of the common ones.

Do these issues matter greatly to you?

Technorati Tags: natural living, green living, breastfeeding, babywearing, vaccinations, homeopathic