At first it looked a little like a burn but began to blister with very tiny bumps, was red & shiny in places & turned white on some of the edges of parts of the rash. K was very cranky & waking up in the night crying badly. She seemed miserable!
Being a nurse, I was very alarmed & thought I had done something to cause this. After all cloth diapering is different than disposable but it's certainly better. Right?
Of course cloth diapering is best!!! After much research, looking online & thru my nursing books, I discovered it was a yeast infection. It was a result of yeast in her stool & nothing I did wrong. I began by trying to use diaper rash creams before I knew what it was. BAD IDEA! It only fed the problem. The "rash" grew in size, spread & developed "lesion like" areas.
Whether she used cloth or disposable diapers, she would have likely had the problem. In fact, if she was using disposable it would have been much worse.
Once I knew for sure that it was a yeast infection, I switched to gentian violet. (A God send!) I used it faithfully for about 2 weeks along with a homemade wipe solution & cloth wipes. Granted some of my prefolds & cloth wipes are dyed with purple in places, but a small price to pay for a home remedy that REALLY works.
Trying to get rid of a yeast infection? Remember: when trying to treat yeast to be consistent, clean the area fully & don't give up. Stick to changing diapers every two hours, faithfully. Apply the gentian violet at least 2-3 times daily for as long as symptoms remain present. Try not to use disposable wipes as they can "help" the yeast grow. The wipe solution I made help make the yeast environment less favorable to growth.
The same treatment can be used if you have yeast on your skin, vagina, rectum, breasts, under breasts or on nipples. Many people have skin folds & along with heat, will develop a red rash in the folds. This is very often yeast as well. Keep the area dry. Do not use synthetic fibers on skin, only cotton. Keep area clean. If using gentian violet, note that it is VERY staining to bathtubs, counters, clothes & towels. It will however, work wonders in getting rid of the problem.
Homemade Wipes Solution for Yeast Infection
(can be used for any yeast on skin)
(can be used for any yeast on skin)
3.5 cups of distilled water (boil water & let it cool, if no distilled)
2 Tablespoons of gentle baby wash
2 Tablespoons of Vinegar (apple cider or white)
2 or 3 drops of tea tree oil
Shake & store in container. Fill bottle with solution, i.e. a peri bottle. Squirt onto individual wipes as needed.
I do not moisten all of the wipes at once. It causes excess waste of solution. Sometimes, I need more solution to clean poo off & this allows me to dispense exactly what I need, when I need it. I continue to use this solution & am very pleased with the results as well as the frugality of it.
K is doing much better now & only has minor irritation at times. No more waking up screaming or crying when I change her diaper! ;)
2 Tablespoons of gentle baby wash
2 Tablespoons of Vinegar (apple cider or white)
2 or 3 drops of tea tree oil
Shake & store in container. Fill bottle with solution, i.e. a peri bottle. Squirt onto individual wipes as needed.
I do not moisten all of the wipes at once. It causes excess waste of solution. Sometimes, I need more solution to clean poo off & this allows me to dispense exactly what I need, when I need it. I continue to use this solution & am very pleased with the results as well as the frugality of it.
K is doing much better now & only has minor irritation at times. No more waking up screaming or crying when I change her diaper! ;)
*Always consult your physician, naturopath, chiropractor or practicing professional, if in doubt. This blog is only based on my personal experience as a human, mother & nurse.
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