Mom Hack: Diaper Rash Kit

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This simple diaper rash kit is what every mom needs! Unfortunately, diaper rashes are part of life for most little ones. When I was a first time mom, I was confused about all the different kinds of creams and what I would actually need. I also didn’t know how to prevent diaper rashes! Now I feel so much more prepared and we experience WAY less of them. Sorry to my first son who was basically a learning experience through a lot of trial and error😊 When a diaper rash starts to flare up, I just grab my handy dandy diaper rash kit and I’m ready to spring into action.

Sidenote: This would also make a super useful gift basket for a baby shower or new mom!

Diaper Rash Prevention

• To prevent diaper rashes, put Vaseline, Aquaphor or any kind of protective cream on your baby’s bum every night, regardless of if they have a rash or not. And not just a little. The doctor once told me to put it on thick like I was icing a cake!
• This is fairly obvious, but it’s also important to change diapers regularly throughout the day (every couple hours) and as soon as you can if they go #2.
• After you wipe, blow on it or let it airdry for a few seconds so that you are not trapping moisture in the diaper.

Different Kinds of Diaper Rashes

There are several different kinds of diapers rashes. The one that is the most common is dermatitis (which is basically a fancy name for skin irritation). Sometimes it is just red and angry, and sometimes there are also open wounds.

Another (less common) kind of diaper rash is yeast. Yeast rashes have some defining characteristics so if you notice that none of standard creams seem to be helping, you can send a picture to your doctor and they can prescribe an antifungal which should kill off the yeast.

These are the only kinds I have ever experienced over the past few years, but if you have experience with other kinds please add your experience in the comments to help other moms!

How to Make your Diaper Rash Kit

1. Water Wipes: Even the purest baby wipes have some chemicals in them that could aggravate a diaper rash. These water wipes are easier on the skin and will help promote healing rather than aggravating it. Pat, don’t wipe. If you do not have water wipes on hand, you can wet paper towels and squeeze out the excess water. You can also use a warm wet towel (although you may not want to use this if they go #2).
2. A & D Ointment: This is a trusted ointment with clean ingredients and vitamins A & D. It helps protect and heal the skin.
3. Zinc Oxide Cream: Desitin is probably the most popular zinc oxide cream. It is another trusted cream with clean ingredients that helps to seal out moisture and protect and heal diaper rashes.
4. Hydrocortisone Cream (1%): Rashes can be itchy. I can’t imagine how uncomfortable that would be in the diaper area! My doctor has recommended mixing in a little hydrocortisone cream to the diaper rash cream to help provide some relief while it heals.
5. Antibiotic Cream: If there are open wounds, we want to heal those up and prevent infection so this sometimes requires a slightly different approach. My doctor has recommended mixing a little antibiotic cream in with the diaper rash cream so it is good to have this on hand.

Put in a basket and safely store somewhere in baby’s room or bathroom! Your simple diaper rash kit is complete.

*Disclaimer: We are not doctors. Please ask your doctor before using these and if your baby is younger than 3 months old.

Diaper Rash Tips/Tricks

• As we mentioned above, we recommend taking a picture of the rash and sending to your Doctor. If it is yeast or a different type of rash, they may want to prescribe an antifungal cream.
• Air out the area throughout the day as much as possible. Try not to put a diaper back on a moist or wet bum.
• You could try a warm bath with a little sprinkle of baking soda diluted in the water. This is an old school at-home remedy for diaper rash and I do think it helps.
• Change diapers right away throughout the day.
• Ice the area like a cake – THICK – with a protective cream at night.
• You can mix creams together to attack the rash from all angles. The most common mixture I’ve used is A & D ointment, Zinc Oxide, and a little hydrocortisone to help with itching. I’ve also mixed those 3 + antifungal cream for a yeast rash (ONLY at my doctor’s recommendation – which is why it is so important to consult with them!)

If you catch it early and stay on top of it, you will usually see a significant difference in their comfort level and the way the rash looks in about 2 days. You got this, Mama!