Who likes to see their baby suffering with a diaper rash? We have been plagued with frequent diaper rashes on my little Karis’ bottom for a long time. I have been determined to find a natural solution to this issue. I have tried a lot of various natural cremes (Weleda, Burt’s Bees, etc) without too much success…
UPDATE: Why look for a natural alternative in the first place? Your traditional Desitin and other store brands (including dusting powders) contains methylparaben, talc and fragrance (which is a friendly alternative word for phthalates). Studies link these ingredients with bioaccumulation in humans and wildlife, cancer, endocrine disruption and hormone mimicry, allergies and skin toxicity, tissue irritation, and toxicity to various organs, to name a few. Talc especially is known for being commonly contaminated with asbestos, a known carcinogen.
Two keys I have found to avoiding and dealing with rashes is to change diapers frequently, and making sure the bottom is dry completely after changing. I recommend having a hair dryer near your changing table to speed up this process!
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil wins again! If you have been following my blog for any length of time, you will be aware of what a huge fan I am of coconut oil. This product fulfills so many of my needs in one single item (from a nutritional oil used in the majority of my cooking and baking, to various wonderful homemade body products). Just recently, we have discovered how wonderful this oil is for your baby’s bottom! It is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial, and thus a superior working agent against both yeast infections (in combination with shea butter) and regular diaper rashes. I simply rub some on the baby’s bottom after each diaper change to keep it away.
It may cost more up front to buy a large container of coconut oil, but with it’s multipurpose use, it covers many needs and thus will save you money ultimately. Find superior organic cold-pressed extra virgin coconut oil through Mountain Rose Herbs. They have the best price around for the highest quality!
Comfrey Root Ointment
Comfrey is a wonder at producing rapid regeneration of skin cells and is a reputable healer for all wounds, irritations, and rashes. Excellent solution for minor burns as well as it soothes, heals, and strengthens the skin so it is less susceptible to irritation. Comfrey leaves are less effective against diaper rash, so stick with the ointments made from the root or oil.
I have been applying a layer of both coconut oil and comfrey ointment with great results! These are perfectly safe for cloth diapers – no staining on my BumGenius!
I recommend: Country Comfort Herbal Savvy as a natural comfrey ointment, which is available through Azure Standard and Vitacost. Mountain Rose Herbs also sells a organic comfrey oil.
Plantain
Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year recommended the use of plantain oil to relieve the pain of diaper rashes. You can crush clean fresh leaves and put them next to your baby’s skin with each diaper change or apply plantain oil directly to their bottoms. Plantain oil is available through Mountain Rose Herbs as well. I have not tried this method yet, but it looks like another viable alternative.
For those dealing with yeast infections, try the coconut oil and raw shea butter combination! While participating in a discussion on this topic, I had several ladies share that this is the key to naturally solving yeast infections.
Further Reading on Coconut Oil
Natural Body Products on A Budget – Coconut Oil
The World of Oils – Using Coconut Oil in Cooking
Q & A: Coconut Oil
The absolute best thing that I have ever done for my kids was to make a batch of oatmeal but make it very thin and runny. Add about 3 times the water for a batch. put this is a baby bath tub that the little one can sit in. let them set it there for a bit and soak. I have seen my kids have broken skin patches and even open sores ( my son is very sensitive to certain foods) and this would heal those almost overnight. When they were older I just dumped oatmeal right in the tub with them, this works too!! This was ALWAYS soothing for their skin and you can’t get much more natural!
when my baby gets diaper rashes, i always use zinc oxide cream to treat it.`
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Can coconut oil be used with cloth diapers for diaper rash? Thanks!
When used with a liner to avoid contact with the diaper, otherwise it could affect absorbency.
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in reality used to be a amusement account it. Look advanced to more added agreeable from you! By the way, how can we be in contact?
do you put a barrier between your baby’s bottom and the cloth diaper? thanks!
Thank you for supplying some honest recommendations on this topic. I have sought out a good variety of honest information about natural health and some poor information. Do you have any more honest suggestions or places on the Web that I can find more detailed recommendations? This would be very much appreciated! So, continue the good work!
My Mum swears by comfrey. Good to know it’s not an old wives tale!
Hi, Lindsay. I am an overseas worker who has been trying to live without many of the so-called conveniences of American life and raise my children to do the same. My CD’d daughter who is now nearing 2 was also plagued for months and months by rashes. We’d get one cleared up only to have another one within a few weeks. I tried many different diaper remedies, but what really did the trick was local coconut oil. I started using it back in December, and aside from a few days where loose poop just irritated her more than usual, she hasn’t had any significant diaper rashes since them. I’ve told every mom here who CD’s that it’s the cheapest, best, multipurpose product you can find in the local market. I haven’t always been into doing things naturally, but finding your blog has even inspired me to test out that natural deodorant since my preferred brands aren’t available here. Thanks!
Would i be OK to rub coconut oil on my baby’s bottom even after it is extremely red w/broken skin?
Is shea butter also safe for cloth diapers if I used the shea butter with the coconut oil for yeast?
I have not experienced any problems with my cloth diapers using shea butter and coconut oil. Check out the recipe here.
Uh oh…I was going to try this recipe and went to Sprouts today to get the ingredients, and came home to find I got cocoa butter vs. shea butter…will this still work? It’s quite a feat to get everyone back to the store just to return/exchange something like this, so I thought I’d ask your take on whether cocoa butter will work for my first batch (will buy shea next time). Input?
Well, cocoa powder is a moisturizer but it does not have the same antifungal properties as Shea butter. If you are not dealing with a yeast infection then it should work fine for normal bottom protection with the coconut oil.
How many parts Shea butter to Coconut Oil for the yeast rash? Does it matter?
Check out the recipe here: http:/2009/09/homemade-natural-diaper-cream-lotion.html
Wow who would have known coconut oil is good for this too. It is based upon 92% saturated fat, which *IS* healthy for us despite what conventional wisdom says — go read about it at Mark’s Daily Apple (there’s an article on saturated fats there and how the stigma started).
I personally use coconut oil for cooking and even dump a touch in my smoothies in the morning. Running low so I’ll need some more, especially if the diapers get upset.
Which of these do you put in your diaper bag…1 gallon of coconut oil would be really heavy, lol! I was thinking that it might work to rinse out and refill an old deodorant applicator with coconut oil.
I just keep a 4 oz plastic container for coconut oil in my diaper bag as needed. It is an old lotion container.
Does the coconut oil ever cause your pocket cloth diapers to not soak in moisture? I’m thinking it would rinse out fine but want to be extra careful. (We have bumGenius & Fuzzi Bunz AIOs.)
I have not had any problem with using the coconut oil on our diapers. It does not repel in the least, but with further thought it may be wise to use a doubler to protect your diaper warranties.
Thanks anyway! I found my answer! We used it last night and this morning I couldn’t believe how much better it looked. (We were using Colloidal Silver, a non-talc powder and then Oregano oil…I think it killed the yeast but his skin needed some healing.) I’m using an anti-fungal lotion for two diaper changes per day. And then the Shea butter combo for all other diaper changes.
I know you are still recovering… I wasn’t really expecting a response but I thought I’d try.
) I still have yet to experience having a second baby with a toddler! I am looking forward to it already! 
)
God bless you & your family!
Hi Lindsay,
Do you know how long it takes for the yeast infection to go away after applying the Coconut oil & Shea butter? And what are some signs that it is healing?
Thanks!
Joanna
Congrats on the new baby boy!! What a joy!
I have found that using comercial wipes have caused rashes for my daughter’s bottom.We use kissaluvs diaper lotion potion and flannel pieces to wipe her bottom. It has tea tree oil in it which is anti bacterial and antifungal. We also use Bum Genius diapers. Using a piece of flannel or the bummis liners when using diaper creams helps to prevent the film accumulating on the diapers. (stripping diapers is no fun). ALSO if your baby does have a nasty rash and it looks like yeast be sure to treat the cloth diapers so they don’t reinfect your babe…wash with BAC-out, tea tree oil or boil them…I don’t know if you can boil bum genius dipes so check with them first.) I try to alternate plain fitted diapers with out a cover and have diaper free time too. Anything to get air on the bottom. Using leg warmers to keep the legs warm works well for diaper free time. I usually do this after a BM. We have also started Elimination Communication http://www.diaperfreebaby.org. This has also helped to decrease wetness against her skin.
I have 3 boys and we started having bad diaper rash with the first. Nothing we tried would work but the nurse suggested the following and not only did it work in less than 24 hours, it was very inexpensive!
Add 1/4 c. skim milk and 1/4 c. water to a bowl of ice (typically 10-15 pieces of ice, but I never really count). Fold a paper towel in fourths and soak it in the milk solution. Wring it out until it’s still wet but not dripping. Place it between baby’s bottom and a clean diaper. Leave it there until it is body temperature. Repeat this for a total of 4 times (using the same diaper). After the fourth time, allow baby to air dry for a few minutes, then cover rash in either A & D or vaseline and then put on a clean diaper. The rash will be gone in 24 hours.
Obviously, if the coconut oil is working as a preventative or even once a rash has appeared, stick with that. But if your child already has a rash–and my son’s would go from nothing to lightly bleeding in a matter of hours–then you might wanna try this, especially since it’s so inexpensive. Some how, the milk is able to neutralize the acid in the urine to keep it from further breaking down the skin and the ointment then creates a barrier to protect from future messes doing the same.
Hope that helps!
Burt’s Bees ResQOintment is the best I ever found. It’s in a green pot that I always, always have with me. One day I just tried it on diaper rash and voila…perfect and quick healing.
My other favorite is Weleda Calendual cream…more for prevention, though.
ResQOintment is my ‘go to’ for bruises, bumps, rashes, bites…various owies.
Does it cause a build up on cloth diapers though?
I have not experienced any build up personally, but then again I don’t use it all the time. It probably gets two washings between any new application.
I love your blog. It’s not easy to find someone into natural diaper rash treatments. I didn’t read all of your comments, but I have a natural solution for a fungal diaper rash. White oak bark. My kids don’t tend toward rashes, but my son got a rash so terrible I couldn’t figure it out. The doc told me it was a fungal rash and then I knew what I needed to do. I’d rather avoid Hydrogen peroxide as it strips the body’s immunity instead of aiding the body’s immune system to fight infection on its own. You can buy it at http://www.liquidherbs.net. It works great at fighting infections too- inside and outside the body.
I’m not related to this site in any way, other than having ordered Green Salve from there and being pleased with how it helped a skin irritation. I saw they also have an ointment for diaper rash.
http://motherlove.com/products_baby.php
My mother in law (born in 1899) swore by scorched rags for sore bottoms. She would scorch a cloth in front of the fire and apply that to the poor child’s bottom.
I don’t know if it worked or not. My son never got a sore bottom. I put it down to super rinsing of his nappies.
We use coconut oil on our son’s bum to prevent diaper rash. On the rare occasion when he does get a rash, we add oatmeal to his bathwater. A 20 minute soak, and the rash is GONE. It’s amazing!
I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your blog. You offer such a wide array of suggestions and advice. I especially appreciate all your suggestions for natural alternatives for different items. We try to eat a whole foods diet and use some natural alternatives for things such as cleaner, diaper rash ointment, etc. Your blog is one I check daily! Thanks for all you do here on your blog. Keep up the wonderful work!
Hope you have a great weekend!
Karen
Ok lindsay, it works! I use cumfry and coconut oil today! our baby’s must be rockin’ and rollin’ on the same teething and diaper rash schedule cause i have tried everything! so thanks, a homeopathic pro also told me to put some baby acidopholis (sp?) on her bootie and make a paste with my breast milk when I feed her, cause it helps with yeast infections etc. thanks again.
I know this is about dealing with the rash. But just something from my observations with my children….I stopped using store bought wipes. I made my own using papertowels, baby oil, baby shampoo, and a little tea tree oil with 2 cups water. Since I started doing this 10 months ago no more diaper rash.
Yep, we never use store bough wipes either. We didn’t use paper towels either. They are too rough, at least the ones we use in our home. So we went w/baby wash cloths. And laundered them separately. I would just have a stack in the nursery, or wherever I might change the baby, in an enclosed baggie. I usually did this by the day. I just used water, and baby soap.
I used corn starch when my kids got a really bad break out on there bottom.It works pretty quickly.My Mom & Grandma used it for there kids too.It will take a couple days but it takes the soreness away right away for them!
Thanks for the great information! I just posted a recipe for easy homemade baby balm on my blog that uses coconut oil as well as comfrey and plantain. ( listed under “natural health and wellness” ). Would love for you to stop by if you get the time. Blessings. >
A few years ago, my son had such severe diaper rash that I called his doctor about it. The doctor prescribed cholestyramine powder. It is a medication for high cholesterol! The powder is mixed with Aquaphor. I guess it neutralizes any urine or feces so that they cannot further irritate the skin. It really helped.
I have used Lansinoh with great results. Its just plain old lanolin, of course people who have or may have a wool allergy cannot use it, but slathering it on thick was a lifesaver for me.
If you haven’t heard of Elimination Communication I encourage you to research it. Prevents diaper rash to begin with!
anything that is emaluent (not sure on the spelling) based will work better than a cream as creams tend to rub off with the diaper and the ointment will stay better and create a barrier against moisture. Hope it helps
candida IS a yeast infection…thrush is a yeast infection in the mouth.
We used Arbonne brand diaper cream. Sometimes our little guy would wake up in the morning and be super red! So we would put the cream on him and the rash would be gone within 2 hours. It works wonders!
The best thing is that Arbonne uses only natural fragrances and nothing is based in Mineral Oil. The cream is supposed to be good enough to cure any rash, including rashes that adults may have. We never tried it though.
I will use Arbonne Brand Baby products for all of my children.
Luckily my daughter has not had much of a problem with diaper rash. The few times that she has, Burt’s Bee’s has worked beautifully. She is allergic to coconut, so I have avoided using coconut oil for anything thus far. It sounds like such a great product – do you happen to know if someone who has an allergic reaction to eating coconut would aslo have a reaction to using it topically?
Hi,
I just discovered your site a couple of days ago when I was looking for homemade bread making tips. Thanks for your tips! I hope that now my homemade whole wheat bread will turn out and not be hard, heavy, and dry anymore. It was pretty hard to swallow!
I have 2 kids, and both have had bad diaper rash. I have been battling diaper rash with my 16 month old daughter for over 2 months now. It flares up when she’s teething, so that is part of the problem right now.
For her, Burt’s Bee’s didn’t work at all. I’ve had good luck with triple paste diaper rash cream, but that quit working for her too. So I got out my shea butter, and in 2 days the shea butter cleared up her diaper rash.
I also wanted to let you know about bubbleandbee.com. They make organic lotions, soaps, shampoos, deodorant, etc. Her products have few ingredients, which make them safer than many others. The owner, Stephanie, gives very personal service. I have had many questions, and she’s personally answered them all within 1 day! Her site is worth checking out.
Thank you for all the information you have on your site. I’ve enjoyed exploring it. I can’t wait to try some of your recipes. I bought a bag of lentils a while ago because I heard they’re good for you, but I didn’t really know how to cook with them. I can’t wait to try your spicy lentil soup!
Thank you!
Jill
Hi! So much wonderful advice! We’ve had very few diaper rashes, but the ones we’ve had have been BAD. I found dropping Colloidal Silver on her bottom and patting it in after diaper change was very helpful in healing her skin fast. It is a natural anti-biotic, killing bacteria fast, with no adverse effects that I’ve experienced or read about.
Love the idea of coconut oil.
And for anyone thinking of using vaseline, just remember it is petroleum based, and you should do some research on that before putting anything made of petroleum on your baby’s skin. Just a word of caution.
Blessings!
Shannon
My mother used Vaseline on all 3 of us. and used it on her face cheeks in the winter, when we’d get wind burn. We never had any problems. I still use it on my children.
There are MANY more serious problems w/the stuff we use like carpeting, exhaust fumes etc! So I don’t sweat the small stuff.
I don’t know if you are still nursing, but it is truly amazing how God makes our bodies. Breast milk on a rash is the absolute best! Whenever my son starts getting a little rashy, I just express some milk onto my fingers and smoothe it over the rash, and it rarely takes longer than 24 hours for it to go away. In the first few months, we used the usual diaper rash creams for the occassional flare up before I read about using breast milk. One day, he developed a terrible rash out of nowhere, and for days, nothing worked. Our doctor even prescribed something for him and it wasn’t working. I read about using breast milk somewhere and figured we had nothing to lose. By the next day, it was gone!
My daughter is almost 2, wore cloth diapers (no disposables) and had a terrible diaper rash that was mostly on her butt cheeks last Dec/Jan/Feb and now is totally potty trained and just this last week we are dealing with itchy cheeks again…I am positive that the cold weather has much to do with it. I use olive oil but need to look into coconut oil…thanks for the info!
Here is a website that is great when looking at baby products (and adult!)…you would be surprised about products like burt’s bees etc: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/browse.php?maincat=babycare
Also, here is a great website for baby skin care products that are good to use with cloth diapers: http://www.northernessence.com/
I have ordered from here and loved everything we have used.
Hope this helps someone!!
My little one(now 3!) also was plagued with diaper rash. Come to find out it was gluten(wheat) and casein(dairy) intolerances. Once we cleared out her diet her little bottom cleared right up! But she never made it in diapers past 2, so I’m not sure about older kiddos
My daugther’s doctor is really all about finding the root problem of the symptoms…that diaper rash and yeast issues have got to be symptoms of something else…maybe even Candida. Don’t want to step on any toes–just want to offer up what we’ve been through!
Hi Lindsay. I have recently discovered your site, and I love it! Thanks for the wealth of information and inspiration on your site.
The best thing I have found for diaper rash is to give the child acidophilus. Is has worked wonders for my two girls. My younger girl is still in diapers, and whenever she has a diaper rash starting, I give her an acidophilus tablet or a spoonful of the liquid acidophilus, and within 24 hours the diaper rash is gone. This is something my Mom did with all 7 of her babies, and it always cleared up the diaper rash. I believe this is because diaper rash is often caused by yeast (or yeast overgrowth) in the gastrointestinal system. You can’t overdose on acidophilus, it is relatively cheap, and it is so good for us. It works for us!!
I started using the Kissaluvs Diaper Lotion Potion at diaper changes a few months ago and I think that it has also helped (although not completely prevented) with keeping some diaper rashes at bay for us. It is made with all natural ingredients (jojoba oil infused with chamomile, lavender essential oil, tea tree essential oil). I buy the concentrate and then mix with witch hazel or water. I also only use 1 teaspoon per 4 ounces of witch hazel or water instead of 1 tablespoon that the directions call for and it still works great (thanks to the tip from Green Mountain Diapers).
A warm bath in plain water seems to help my daughter too.
I recently invested in a couple wool covers to use with prefolds so extra air can get to her bottom on days where we’re fighting rashes. So far it has seemed to help. (Along with the frequent changes and airing out time you mentioned.)
Thanks for the coconut oil tip. I’ll have to give it a try!
A friend told me she always sprinkled pure cornstarch on her babies bum after each change…never had a diaper rash. Now I do the same thing and very rarely do we have diaper rashes any more. I must confess though, before this tip I used Boudreaux’s Butt Paste and LOVED how it goes on, cleans off, smells nice, and works fast! But yes, it does contain zinc oxide. Sometimes it’s worth it to give them fast relief. To me, prevention is the key to healthy buns! You’ll soon figure out what foods your baby reacts to, or if teething causes more acidic diapers. Anyway, cornstarch works quite well for preventative measure and is VERY cheap!
Have you considered that it might be a food allergy or sensitivity that’s causing the diaper rash? Also, have you looked into grapefruit seed extract? It’s a potent anti-fungal (meaning only use a drop or two mixed into the coconut oil). Coconut oil is fantastic even by itself! I use it on my growing belly when it gets itchy…unfortunately, my son has a high sensitivity to coconut so I can’t use it on him.
I’ve used Vaseline for both of my babies, and neither have ever had diaper rash.
Hi, no one here has mentioned this and not sure if it’s something you’d be interested in trying, but my now 22 yo son (yes…THAT old! LOL!), I needed to stop his diaper rash and the absolute best thing, nothing worked as good, out of this world cheap price that I found…do you want to know? it’s plain old cornstarch. Dump on the babys bottom at each diaper change, make sure to clean it off every time you change the diaper as it soaks up the pee and clumps with the #2. but I’m telling ya, it’s not just cheap, but it cured and kept away the rash. He had thrush (oral) and that affected diaper rash too, so have your baby checked for that if it’s a real bad diaper rash…that’s what started me on my journey for my sons’ rash. Oh, and ps regarding thrush…it’s a yeast infection in the babys’ mouth…I never knew my son had it, it’s suppose to be painful, but he never let me know his mouth hurt or anything…I found out he had it when I tried to clean what looked like milk in his mouth…it wasn’t milk. So just to give you the heads up to always have the doc check that out if you are having a severe diaper rash problem.
Oh yeah, baby powder! Good stuff. I did forget about that stuff lol.
Careful when using cornstarch on yeast rashes as the sugars in it actually feed the yeast and cause it to multiply.
I wanted to also reccomend “maizena”, basically it is cornstarch, that is the name brand in the hispanic market. As with cornstarch it is used in cooking. It is an old-time remedy, many a grandmother used it. I like it because it doesn’t burn my little boys bottom when it is already red, as do the various creams made of zinc oxide. I have also tried many different things since my little one gets red instantly. This seems to work, but I am also very excited to hear about the coconut oil! Thanks for the info.
I’ve found that A&D ointment works great as well.
I was going to post on my blog about how good coconut oil is for diaper rash but you beat me too it!
I also love to rub the oil all over our dd after a bath- keeps her skin smooth & moisturized!
Okay, I know zinc oxide is bad but I do not know why. Can you share? Thanks!
- Heather
You may be interested in what the Cosmetic Database has to say about zinc oxide here.
A quick question about using coconut oil as a moisturizer: It might sound like a silly question, but do you apply the coconut oil in its solid form, or melt it first? I just started using coconut oil in baking/cooking, and am so excited to try it for personal uses as well. Thought I’d start out right by having some info first, like using solid or melted.
Thank you for letting me know!
)
PS. I’m going to try it on my 15 mo old daughter’s 3-day old rash that isn’t responding well to any of the regular OTC diaper creams this time…
(
OK, Tired Mom Syndrome [I have a teenager, too]…coconut oil melts on contact with the warm skin…my question is answered by use on my baby’s bottom.
} Sure hope it works on her rash!
Does the oil have any effect on your cloth diapers? Do you use a liner?
Coconut oil is non-staining. I use it in our deodorant and with our BumGenius pocket cloth diapers and we have not had any staining problems.
I found that “air time” helps. Obviously this is best with older babies who are more predictable, and no drinks til the diaper is back on!
Also, I know that you use cloth diapers but for any readers who use disposables, if the rash won’t go away, try switching brands! My son could only use Pampers- even cloth ones irritated him!
Yep, we used Luvs (my mother used them on us, so I wanted to keep that going, I’m strange I know, I just couldn’t imagine paying for the most expensive diaper) and had no problems w/diaper rashes. Of course I was changing excessively lol. And if they were really wet we’d let them “air dry”.
I think prevention is key. keep them dry and change when you first know they are wet.
When David was in diapers he had super bad rashes, too. I started putting the boys in disposable diapers over night – instead of cloth 24/7 – and the rashes left. Maybe the wetness through the length of the night is what gives the rashes.
We’ve had great luck with a product called Triple Paste recommended by our pediatrician. It is over the counter but not widely available — I’ve had to go to a pharmacy to get it. It is also, unfortunately, more expensive than the other creams — but I have never had a diaper rash not respond almost immediately. Even the big welt-y kind has improved overnight (both my boys, now 5 and 3, had diaper rash challenges). Good luck!
I love coconut oil on my skin. It feels so wonderful. Very soothing. I posted about it here. http://shipfullofpirates.com/2008/09/09/wholesome-moisturizer/
When I had diaper babies we used calendula oil, but had to be extremely sparing due to the price. Not a problem with the coconut oil. Kinda pricey when compared to icky vegetable oil, but not next to a tube of desitin, and neither of those will do such a nice, wholesome job, in the skillet or on the skin!
I find that an extra rinse cycle while washing my cloth diapers helps eliminate my daughter’s diaper rashes. And definitely frequent changes. But honestly, she gets far fewer diaper rashes with her bum genius diapers than when she was in disposables.
Now off to change a diaper!
Blessings,
Kelly
Just thought I’d add another tip for diaper rash
Baking Soda!!! It rules!
I just pour a bit into their bath water (sorry, I don’t measure, just dump some in).
They used to get some seriously bad rash with open sores and everything. Since I started putting baking soda in their bath water (I bathe them every other day) we haven’t had ANY problems! And I mean NONE! I’ve heard it works because it balances out their pH.
I just want to say a caution about the hair dryer–I’d suggest using the cool setting as a hair dryer can get quite hot especially on a baby’s tender skin.
And for those of you who use cloth diapers, you might want to consider how a diaper rash ointment–even coconut oil would affect your cloth diaper. It doesn’t bother my prefolds or flats much, but I wouldn’t use it on my pocket diapers that have a fleece or suedecloth inner. Or, if I do, I use an old T-shirt cut up as a liner to protect the other material.
As I mentioned in my post, coconut oil is non-staining and has not affected my pocket Bum Genius diapers. I have used coconut oil frequently in our deodorant without it staining our clothes, and thus I knew it wouldn’t be a problem on the diapers.
I know you said that the coconut oil has not stained your bumGenius diapers, but has it caused any build-up or film on the diaper that will lead to repelling or stink issues? Pocket diaper manufacturers do not recommend using any ointments or other non-powder rash treatment in a way that can directly touch the diaper because of the build-up it can cause on the synthetic fibers. I would be willing to give coconut oil a try if I knew it wouldn’t cause any build-up on the synthetic fibers.
What is the difference between refined and unrefined?
Unrefined is less processed in production, thus retains more of the nutrients and benefits than refined. Unrefined is more suitable for cooking to get the full benefits, whereas you can use refined for body products, if you desire. I just use unrefined coconut oil for all uses, to keep it simple.
I LOVE coconut oil! I use it for body products, but never thought to use it for diaper rashes! I need to use it for cooking too!
Burt’s Bee baby ointment works wonders as well. I’ve been able to clear up pretty nasty rash on the little one I used to baby sit overnight. It travels well in a diaper bag. They use lavender essential oil to fragrance it. It smells wonderful.
I love the Burt’s Bees oil also- BUT it has sweet almond oil in it so use with caution!! My first son went into anaphylatic shock when he was 8 months old from a baby product with almond oil- he almost died…He is allergic to tree nuts and peanuts so we really have to search for a diaper cream for our new ones- most natural products use almond oil- Thank you for the suggestions you made- I think I’ll try these rather that buying an ointment.