Cloth Diaper Advice - Mailbox Mondays 3/28/11 - Diaper Rash/Creams

If you have cloth diaper questions, every Monday I will answer reader submitted questions, and ask you to add your opinions.

Questions don't have to be cloth diaper related, just email maria at change-diapers.com with "Mailbox Mondays" in the subject, or Fill out my contact form for readers, which you will always be able to find on my Contact Page.

Madeline says:

Hey Maria,

I have a friend with a newborn who has horrible diaper rash (even in sposies) and has to have medicated diaper cream and A and D ointment on her bottom (the doc wants only the A and D to come off with diaper changes, so the medicated stays on all the time). I suggested fleece liners, but wondered (1) if you have any other suggestions and (2) if you know of any diaper cream that is as thick as Desitin, but is CD safe.

Madeline

Hi Madeline.  Even "cloth safe" creams have to be put on very, very thin in order to not damage the diapers. If she had to use a medicated cream, I'd recommend using a fleece liner for sure. You're really not going to find anything that thick or medicated that is cloth safe. I never had luck with Desitin, but I think Boudreax's Butt Paste is an awesome non-cloth safe rash cream. It always worked wonders on my daughter (who was disposable diapered.)

Does she know what the rash is? Thrush etc.? My son actually got terrible rashes from disposables, but it cleared up with cloth. If he gets a bit red, I put a thin layer of a cloth safe cream like Grandma El's, Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm, or Motherlove Diaper Rash and Thrush Salve, and it clears up.

Once her baby's rash has cleared up, she might want to consider using a very, very thin layer of cloth safe cream at every change as a barrier.

For now, I'd also recommend letting the baby have some naked time. Do tummy time on a few blankets or a waterproof pad, and leave the diaper off whenever possible. I know it can be a messy prospect, but air does seem to help rashes!
 
How about you lovely readers?  Have you battled a diaper rash that required medicated cream?

Motherlove Herbal Diaper Rash & Thrush Salve Review & Giveaway - 2 Winners (CLOSED 12/21)

Motherlove Herbal Company makes fantastic products for pregnant and breastfeeding moms, as well as for baby.  They have everything from pregnant belly salve to sitz bath spray.  I seriously wish I had known about the belly salve when I was pregnant!  I was up half the night trying to claw my skin off to stop the itchiness during my pregnancies!

Motherlove sent me a jar of their diaper rash and thrush salve to try.

It is cloth safe, and is rated zero (zero toxins) on EWG's Skin Deep Database.

The simple ingredients are 96% certified organic.

The salve is fairly solid in the jar (I'd expect it to become softer in warmer weather, as a similar product I have does.)  The 1 oz. jar seems fairly small, but a little goes a very, very long way.
 

Lightly rub your fingers on the surface, and the salve melts onto your skin.  It doesn't really have a smell.  I practically stuck my nose in it, and it just smells very lightly of the ingredients.
 
I get terrible eczema in the winter, where my knuckles, the joints of my fingers and the backs of my hands crack and bleed.  It's not bad yet, since winter weather is really just beginning here.  For giggles, I thought I'd try the Motherlove salve on one such spot.
 

 
It did not sting or burn, so I wouldn't hesitate to apply it to a sore baby bottom.
 

The next day, there was a noticeable difference! 

We're lucky that we don't deal much with rashes since switching to cloth.  However, my son does get a bit red sometimes after he dirties a diaper.  The other day he pulled what I call "the stealth poop maneuver."  He hates having his diaper changed, and sometimes he manages to hide all evidence that he needs to be changed.  I didn't see, hear or smell anything that made me think he needed a change, and I was surprised with a stealth poop the next time I changed him.  I do change diapers about every two hours, but he might have been sitting in it for a while.  I applied a thin layer of Motherlove salve, and by the next change, the redness was gone.  You could also apply it at every change as a preventative barrier.

The 1 ounce jar Diaper Rash and Thrush salve retails for $9.50.

Motherlove also sent me a sample packet of nipple cream.  Breastfeeding my first child was anything but sunshine and roses for sure.  Fortunately, nursing my son was far easier (maybe because only one of us was a noob!) but I still had some soreness for a few days.  Luckily, he's a champion nurser now at 18 months old!
 

Motherlove nipple cream is made with 100% certified organic ingredients, contains no lanolin, and does not need to be washed off prior to nursing.  Like the diaper salve, it's also rated zero (zero toxins) in the EWG database.
 

Yep, you're getting nipple cream action shots, tee hee!  It has a nice texture, that melts easily into skin, and very little is needed.
 

 
Don't worry, this is my wrist, LOL!  A 1 ounce jar retails for $9.95, and would probably last a long time!

Be sure to check out the Motherlove Blog for great articles on herbs, breastfeeding and more.

Giveaway: Motherlove is offering a full size, 1 ounce jar of Diaper Rash & Thrush salve to two winners!  I'm offering bonus entries, so in the unlikely event that I choose the same winner twice, I'll choose again.


Here's how to enter: All entries go in the form below.  I love comments, but comments don't count as entries.  Mandatory entries are name, email address and what other Motherlove product interests you.  You may receive a bonus entry if you "like" Motherlove Herbal on Facebook.  Receive another bonus entry if you follow Motherlove on Twitter.

I will accept entries until Tuesday, December 21st, 2010 at 9:00 P.M. Eastern. I will select a winner using random.org's true random number generator and notify him/her by email. Winner has 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is chosen. View my giveaway rules page for complete details. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S.

# of entries received as of December 21st at giveaway close: 107



FTC compliance: The pictured products were received at no charge for review purposes.  I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own.

Mailbox Mondays 11/29/10 Nighttime cloth undies for big kids / Special needs Diapers

 

It's Monday, so today I will answer user submitted questions!  If you have a question, email maria at change-diapers.com and put "Mailbox Mondays" in the subject.  Questions don't have to be about cloth, as long as you're nice.  (e.g. don't ask me why I'm so dumb or why my nose is so big!)

Carrie says:

Hi Maria!

I have a question for you about older kids. I have an almost-4-year-old who is potty-trained, but still has occasional accidents at night. We limit the drinks before bedtime and make sure he goes to the bathroom one more time before getting in bed, but still there are accidents. I know all the disposable diaper companies make nighttime "underwear" for big kids, but I was wondering if you could recommend any cloth versions. I didn't start cloth diapering until my third who is 12-months-old now so I don't really know what to do about big kids.

Thanks!

Carrie

Good question Carrie!  Though I'm not there yet myself, I've been keeping a look out for these.  It doesn't sound like you really need the absorbency (or want the look) of a diaper.  For those who do, Fuzzibunz mediums are huge, so I don't doubt for a second that their larges will fit a 45 pound child, as they estimate!  They also sell an extra-large, to fit children over 45 pounds.  They seem to be harder to find though.  I believe they may actually be made to order.

Mother-Ease has some specialty products that include training pants for kids up to 60 pounds (the largest size holds only 6 ounces, so not diaper absorbency.  Their bedwetter pants fit up to 65 pounds, and hold 21 ounces!

Bumbledoo sells cloth training pants that look more like undies, can be ordered in custom sizes, and are quite absorbent.

Super Undies makes night time undies look like underwear, are quite absorbent, and can be used with step-up inserts for extra absorbency.  These look best to me for a big kid!

Happy Heinys sells Pocket Trainers that come in larger sizes (up to XL/55+ lbs) and of course, are stuffable to customize absorbency.  Snap-EZ has a pocket trainer too, but they are going out of business!

I haven't personally tried any of these, since my son isn't quite there yet, but they are what I've found and been interested in thus far.

Hannah says:

Hi Maria,

I'm using cloth diapers for my special needs little brother. Due to some medical issues, he is really susceptible to diaper rashes and when he does get a rash it means his entire diaper area is fiery red, raw and bleeding. I'm also thinking that some pull-ups we used during a recent hospital stay may have helped to cause the rash.

I'm wondering if you have any suggestions for diaper rash creams that would be strong enough to actually do something to help heal his bottom and keep the rash away.

My second question, in your cloth diaper search, have you come across diapers for Special Needs kiddos other than the two big diaper companies, FuzziBunz and Happy Heinys? I'm always interested in finding more companies that support cloth diapering for Special Needs children.

Thanks!
Hannah

Well, I actually got this submission after I had typed the answer to the first one, and had it ready to publish.  Since I found myself wandering from night time potty training to special needs kids, I thought I may as well combine them! 

Hannah, I am thinking the mother-ease "bedwetter" pants or even the super undies with some additional inserts would be nice.  I will definitely be keeping my eye out for others!

You can use any diaper rash cream as long as you use a fleece liner to protect the cloth diaper.  I had great luck with Boudreaux Butt Paste when my daughter was little, and I have heard many, many Moms say that Triple Paste is excellent for the really bad rashes.  Luckily, my son has a little redness from a dirty diaper at the worst, and a little Grandma El's or EMAB bottom balm clears it right up.  His rashes from disposables never actually bled, but they sure were close.  I'm not sure Grandma El's or EMAB would work for a  bad rash, but once you get it cleared up, a thin, preventative layer at each change would likely work wonders.

Sorry I wasn't more help, I will definitely be on the lookout for any larger, absorbent diapers!

How about you, readers?  Have you found a night-time trainer that you love?  Anyone found great special needs diapers?  Have you ever battled bath rash with cloth?  What worked for you?

Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm

I had heard of Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics in the past, and when someone suggested that I review their products, I decided to look into it.

I ended up having a phone conversation with Tracey at EMAB.  I hate talking on the phone; I get nervous.  I think I always sound like a doofus and end up saying something stupid!  Despite that, Tracey and I chatted like old friends.  We talked about everything from tear-free shampoo to teething babies. 

Tracey directed me to EMAB's reading room, and I ended up spending quite a bit of time there and learned a lot.  I highly recommend you take a peek if you're at all interested in natural and organic products.

To try to keep this post from becoming a novel, I'll get to the point!  I emailed with Julie at EMAB and they so generously sent me a 2 oz jar of Angel Baby Bottom Balm.



Since switching to cloth, we rarely, if ever, see any diaper rash, but my son usually gets red after he has a dirty diaper.  It doesn't matter how quickly I change him, I suppose it's the acidity that bothers his skin.

He made a dirty diaper while in his exersaucer and wearing the one cheapie diaper we have, which doesn't do much to contain messes!  Between the diaper and the pressure from the exersaucer, we ended up with an explosion ( or a "poo-nami" if you will).  Up his back, on his legs, everywhere!  It was the perfect chance to try the Angel Baby Bottom Balm.

I was initially worried about it being in a jar; I don't like having to dig my fingers in stuff, like lip balms or creams in a jar.  However, I didn't have to.  I just lightly rubbed my fingers on the surface and it melted onto my skin.

The balm glided easily onto my son's skin, and covered well without being thick or gloppy.  The product I had been using was in a tube, rather waxy, and difficult to spread without using a little too much.  Any "cloth safe" diaper cream really isn't if you glop it on too thick.  I was not at all worried about the bottom balm damaging my diapers.

After I applied it, my fingers weren't all goopy.  I just rubbed it into my hands and used a little hand sanitizer as usual.  Even after the sanitizer, my hands were soft and smelled wonderful. 

Angel Baby Bottom Balm contains organic olive oil, shea butter, candelilla wax, organic jojoba oil, organic calendula extract, tea tree leaf oil, lavender oil, organic St. John's wort flower extract, organic chickweed extract, organic plantain extract and myrrh oil.  It has a pleasant, lavender scent.  There's no zinc and it's vegan (no beeswax).

I tend to shy away from products with tea tree oil or lavender due to a study linking their use to gynomastica in boys.  As far as I know, it was just a single study and I haven't done much research into the matter.  Until now, there really weren't any products I needed or wanted to use which contained TTO or lavender, so I didn't worry about it.  The ingredients didn't stop me from using it, but I do wish it had a different oil used for anti-fungal properties, such as grapefruit seed extract.

Back to the subject at hand.  At the next diaper change, there was no redness.  Zero.  Zilch.  None.  This stuff is great!  It was a nice change to open up a wet diaper and get a whiff of lavender!

A 2 oz. jar retails for $14.95.  I think that's quite a good deal considering how little you need to use to get the job done.

The 1.67 oz. bottle of Happy Mama Body Wash they sent along was a nice surprise!  While I don't have a problem investing in natural and organic products and foods for my kids, I tend to put myself last!  I use whatever I get for free at CVS (I'm a coupon/bargain shopper).

Like many moms I'm sure, my showers aren't exactly relaxing.  I can't count on one every day, and the ones I do get are usually hurried and accompanied by an audience and questions of "when are you going to be done" before I manage to get both feet in the shower!  So, the ginger grapefruit body wash was quite a treat!

The wash contains organic coconut oil, organic olive oil, organic aloe leaf juice, Kosher vegetable glycerin, organic shea butter, Potassium citrate, organic ginger oil, organic grapefruit peel oil, organic lime oil, organic vanilla bean extract, and organic calendula extract.  It smelled fabulous, like ginger and citrus.  It did take some getting used to; it smelled more like something tasty from the kitchen, since I'm used to stinky, perfumed, chemical filled body washes!

The foaming bottle dispensed just the right amount, and it lathered nicely.  It smelled so fabulous, and rinsed off my skin easily (quite a feat in our soft water!)  It left my skin feeling clean and soft.

A 5.3 oz bottle retails for $10.95. 

Earth Mama Angel Baby has a wide array of products for pregnancy, labor ease, postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, baby and baby loss comfort as well as gifts and teas.  I'm highly impressed with the company, as well as the people who run it.  I look forward to trying more of their products in the future!

Want it?  You can get 20% off your order during April (that's tomorrow as of the date I'm writing this) by entering coupon code CLOTH20 at checkout!  Earth Mama Angel Baby also shares some great specials and discounts on their Facebook fan page.

Lastly, if you twitter, mark your calendar for the April 21 #ecowed Twitter party.  If you have questions, contact EMAB.  I don't Twitter, so that's Greek to me, LOL.

Thank you so much to Earth Mama Angel Baby for sending me these awesome freebies!  Though I was given these samples, the freebies did not affect my review in any way.  :-)

Edit August 2010: We don't often need diaper cream since switching to cloth, but this jar is lasting forever!  I think we have nearly half left, and it knocks out redness like nobody's business!

Free Sample of Grandma El's Diaper Rash Remedy & Prevention

Click here to request your sample of Grandma El's Diaper Rash Remedy & Prevention.

This stuff is miraculous, zinc free and cloth diaper safe!

Grandma El's + Happy Heiny's=Happy Heiny

My kiddo usually ends up in sposies in the evenings & overnight, but I had a clean one at bedtime last night & put him in it. 

Before I did, I used a tiny, tiny, tiny bit of the cloth safe diaper cream I'd bought.  It had a very mild but pleasant scent that reminded me of something I couldn't put my finger on.  It warmed up and spread very easily and didn't leave a disgusting, gloppy mess on my hands.  In fact, my hands felt soft after.

Usually my son is very red in the morning.  This morning was the first time in a long time I have seen him look completely normal.  Not a trace of redness.  I am sure part of that was from being in a cloth diaper all night, but that cream is a miracle!  Huge, huge difference.  I'm planning to keep it right by the diapers & just put a tiny bit on at each change.

His second diaper of the day was the Happy Heiny's.  I did look on their site and the 4th snap is a newborn/extra small setting.  However, the medium setting seemed much larger than the medium setting on the bumgenius.  Even my daughter commented that the diaper looked big.  Not a problem, it still fit him great.  I imagine that it would fit him longer than the BGs if it is a bit bigger.

The diaper is soft, flexible and really easy to put on.  It has large, overlapping velcro tabs.  The insert was really easy to put in, though I had to be sure not to put it too close to the front or back of the diaper so it wouldn't wick onto his clothing.

Overall it is trimmer than the BG.  The print is flipping adorable! 

When it was time to change it, we had no poop blowout and no leaks.  Usually after a poopy diaper, even if I change it within seconds of the poop actually occurring, he has redness where it touched his skin.  The breathable barrier of the diaper cream certainly works because there was no redness at all.

Edit August 2010: We still love Grandma El's but I'm just not able to get a good fit with my Happy Heiny's.  They always end up leaking, so they've been relegated to the "laundry day" drawer.  I'm hoping they might work in the future when my son is older.

I've got the Magic Stick

So diaper rash with disposables is a vicious cycle.  At least for us.  The sposies cause it but we use them in order to slather diaper cream on him to clear it up.  I'm well aware that most diaper creams cause repelling and staining and generally ruin cloth diapers.

I'll tell you from experience that tissues do not work as an effective cloth diaper liner and that diaper creams do in fact stain cloth.

I tried cutting up an old flannel receiving blanket to use as liners and cloth wipes when using diaper cream (also so I easily knew which items to wash separately) but even that wasn't 100% effective.

I also read that the zinc in these creams was drying & probably not the best thing for me to be using.

What I needed was a cloth safe diaper cream.  While I got the low down I found several contenders.  A few had similarly chuckle inducing names, reminiscent of butt baste.  These were rump rub and magic stick.  Please tell me I'm not the only one who thought more lil kim than lil bums.

I decided on the breathable barrier Grandma El's and added it to the trusty wish list.  I'm writing out of order, so if you've read in order, you already know that I ordered it.

I did receive it, and while I will write my full review later, it rocks.

Chugging along

We've been using 6 bumgenius per day, which means we have to use 2-4 disposables per day.  Sometimes more.

I've got a good system & washing routine down and I'm loving them.  I do wish I had enough for at least a day and a half though.  I end up having to stay up late waiting for the washing machine so i can hang them to dry in order to be able to use them in the morning.

It's very apparent that the cloth is helping his rash, though he is always red after a night in sposies, even when slathered with diaper cream.

Take Two

So my daughter never really got a "diaper rash" to speak of.  A handful of times, she got a tiny bit red, we put some butt paste (which my Mom got as a joke but turned out to be awesome) on it & she was good as new.  So, arrogant first time mother that I was, I assumed that if a baby had diaper rash issues, it must be (diaper) operator error (i.e. the parents).

Well, I sure got my comeuppance with my son.  His pediatrician has commented that he is "rashy," and it's true.  He has had baby acne, bumps and redness galore, and his bottom is no exception.  That combined with a rasp he's had since birth makes him suspect eczema.

That gave me a renewed determination to make cloth work for us.  I found another detergent chart that had other detergents listed, and we were able to find two of them at a local organic market.

Satisfied that I'd be able to safely wash them, I ordered three Bumgenius 3.0 one size pocket diapers and eagerly awaited their arrival.