Natural Ointment for Diaper Rash

Diaper rash is something nearly every baby gets at one time or another. There are many ointments on the market to treat diaper rash, but you want something special for your baby. Something natural. Lots of parents are seeking natural products for their children. Why pay high prices for boutique "naturals" when you can make your own natural baby products right at home? What a fantastic way to ensure that what you use on your baby has nothing but the most pure and natural ingredients.

Causes of Diaper Rash

• The most common cause of diaper rash is wet or soiled diapers, combined with diaper chafing. Components of urine are broken down by baby's stool, which creates ammonia. When baby moves, diapers do too, causing chafing. The chafing breaks down baby's skin just enough to allow ammonia and bacteria to cause inflammation.

  Believe it or not, those so-called mild ointments, lotions, soaps, baby wipes, and even our laundry detergent can irritate sweet baby's skin. Most commercial products contain perfumes, dyes, detergents and other chemicals. Fact: Commercial soaps and cleansers contain solvents. Not good for anyone!

  Another common cause of diaper rash is yeast. Babies can get yeast infections in the diaper area. Yeast thrives in warm, moist environments.

Treatment

• Diaper rash can be treated more easily than you think. Taking your cues from Mother Nature may be the best course of treatment. First off, think about what products you use on your baby's bottom. Changing the way you change you baby's diaper can make all the difference.

  Use natural products on your baby whenever possible. Natural baby products are widely available. You can also learn to make your own natural diaper rash ointments and other remedies. The natural ointment, salve, and balm recipes included in this article are easy to make.

  Switch from disposable diapers to cloth diapers.Use a diaper service or buy your own. When you launder cloth diapers, be sure to double rinse. Add a half cup of white vinegar to the laundry to break down ammonia and other irritants.

  Use a milder soap for baby. Check your local health food store, co-op or farmer's market for natural goat's milk soap. Goat's milk has a pH nearly identical to human skin and has soothing properties. Goat's milk soap with oatmeal is even better.

  Stop using commercial baby wipes. Use warm water and a soft cloth, or make your own natural wipes.

Fresh Air

• Air bath

  Since diaper rash and yeast thrive in a warm, moist diaper, let's eliminate that, at least for a little while. Each time you change your baby, leave the diaper off for 10 to 15 minutes if you have time. Let baby's sore bottom air dry. Even Ben Franklin believed in air baths.

  Let baby lie on towels or a few cloth diapers without a diaper on for 20 minutes two or three times a day. Baby will love the freedom of being sans clothes, and the air on baby's skin is one of the best remedies for clearing up moisture-related rashes. Don't let baby get chilled.

Get Ready

• Measure carefully.

  Creating natural baby products is fairly simple. If you can follow a recipe, you can make your own diaper rash treatments in your own kitchen. All ingredients can be found at your local health food store, farmer's market, co-op or online. You will need a double boiler, a glass or stainless steel mixing bowl, measuring cups and measuring spoons, a mixing spoon, clean baby food jars with lids, a clean marshmallow container, large, or an empty baby wipe container, zip lock baggies, and finally, a food scale that has ounce measurements. To correctly calibrate the scale, be sure to weigh an empty cup or bowl that you will use for weighing ingredients. Simply place the empty cup or bowl on the scale and set the scale to zero. When you add ingredients to it you will have the weight of the ingredient only. Not the cup or bowl.

Recipes

• Lavender is a natural antibacterial.

  Lavender Diaper Balm

  1 oz. shea butter
  1/2 oz.virgin olive oil
  1/2 oz. sweet almond oil
  2 drops lavender essential oil

  Combine shea butter, olive oil and sweet almond oil in a double boiler. Stir till well mixed and melted but not boiling. Cool slightly and add lavender oil. Pour into a clean glass baby food jar.

  None of Your Beeswax Diaper Ointment

  1 oz. beeswax
  3 1/2 oz. virgin olive oil
  1/2 oz. zinc oxide

  Melt beeswax in a double boiler. Add olive oil and stir well. Remove from heat. Either whisk or use a hand mixer to blend in zinc oxide. Allow to cool and put in glass jar.

  Herbal Baby Salve

  1/2 cup sweet almond oil or virgin olive oil
  2 or 3 drops lavender oil
  2 or 3 drops melaleuca oil (also called tea tree oil)
  4 tbsp. distilled water

  Mix all ingredients well in a mixing bowl. Pour into a glass jar.

  Natural Baby Wipes

  1/4 cup virgin olive oil
  2 cups distilled water
  3 or 4 drops lavender oil
  1 roll of soft paper towels, cut in half with cardboard core removed
  Clean marshmallow container with lid, or empty baby wipe container

  Pour olive oil and distilled water into the marshmallow container or baby wipe container. Add lavender oil. Mix well. Submerge the half roll of paper towels in the container with the mixture. Cover tightly. For diaper bag use, tear off several moist towels and place them in zip lock baggies.

Healing Properties of Natural Ingredients

• Each of the natural ingredients used in these recipes is beneficial. Distilled water is preferred because it has been purified to remove any metals or trace ingredients. Shea butter has vitamins A, E, and F and has anti-inflammatory properties, and it is highly moisturizing and skin protective. Olive oil has antioxidants. It is readily absorbed into the skin and helps skin keep its own moisture balance. Like olive oil, sweet almond oil is easily absorbed into the skin. It softens skin and soothes irritation. Both olive oil and sweet almond oil are carriers for essential oils, allowing for dilution of stronger essential oils. Regarding essential oils: A little goes a long way, so be sure to only use the amounts stated. Melaleuca essential oil, also known as tea tree essential oil, is a natural antimicrobial, antibacterial and germicidal. Lavender essential oil is a natural antibacterial, is soothing and adds a clean fresh scent.