Blisters on tender bottoms in red patches were gaping at my face when I lifted two tiny legs delicately clutched between my fingers, to change the diaper. Poo and pee shamelessly blended together were trying to immerse in an over soaked diaper. My poor little 9 month old girl was howling inconsolably, and worst of all, I along with a dozing husband was being pulled by the slowest train on Earth. I poked my husband to have a look at it and provide me an instant solution to put the poor little baby at ease but the poor big baby looked even more helpless than me. It happened with me and I am sure you are also facing it now and then, those nasty patches on tender bums if your child is not yet fully toilet trained. Never mind, it comes free with the package of motherhood – nappy rashes! You cannot let the poo flow without a decent diaper and technology will take its own sweet time to produce ‘well ventilated’, ‘no chemical absorbent’ diapers. If you think (I used to think the same) that frequent changing of diapers can curb this problem, I am equally sad to tell you that it’s not so. You cannot avoid nappy rashes completely but the good news is you can control them. We all know what nappy rash is and how it looks like. Supermoms, let’s delve a little deeper to explore more about this “monster” because ‘there is always more than we know’. (Scooby doo moment!)

Some anatomical “gyan” about nappy rash

Stephen Kownacki, chair of the Primary Care Dermatology Society said, “It happens mainly because a baby’s poo contains digesting enzymes, which can start breaking her skin down if she’s left sitting in a dirty nappy too long. But nappy rash can also be aggravated by ammonia, which is made when your baby’s wee is broken down by bacteria from her poo, and in turn irritates her skin.”

What is causing nappy rash? Two pointers

  1. Acerbic poo: When the baby is teething or a new addition is made to the diet which is throwing tantrums in the abdominal vicinity, babies are likely to open up a free flow from the poo factory (pardon me for my bad humor! I know how miserable it makes moms and babies and how acidic that is for fragile skin.) Fragile skin that comes constantly in contact with abominable output is likely to get red (perhaps with anger?).
  2. Dangerous chemicals: Diapers are made of synthetic disposable material and contain absorbent chemicals which are not so good for the skin. A wet diaper provides just the right environment for yeast infections to grow.

Baby Wipes and rash creams are often more problems themselves than the solution. You should know what they contain and if they have harmful chemicals like petrolatum, talc and fragrance, avoid them. Read more on : 10 chemicals to strictly avoid in your baby products

If it’s not nappy rash, then what could it possibly be?

Often Impetigo, seborrhoeic dermatitis and prickly heat are mistaken for nappy rash. A quick review of these three conditions will help you to identify if it is not nappy rash.

Impetigo:

Pimples like honey colored sores that itch. They’re highly likely to spread to other parts of the body quickly.

Seborrhoeic Dermatitis:

Raised, rough red patches covered with thick white or yellow scales on your baby’s groin, genitals and lower abdomen. They are contagious too.

Prickly Heat:

Looks like acne with small pinkish bumps and appears especially where the plastic lining of nappy touches the skin. In the above mentioned three conditions, a pediatricians help is required. Nappy rash is absolutely preventable and curable. As I mentioned earlier you cannot avoid it but surely you can control it. There are some home remedies to provide relief, a few smart ways to avert them and also safe products available in the market to tackle them. To know all of these and a little more read Useful tips to keep diaper rashes at bay.