Yeast Infection & cloth diapers

*I'm wanting to share a new problem & solution that we have been having with our darling daughter. She developed a rash on her bottom & lower girl parts that was very concerning to me.
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)

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! ;)

*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.

Warts on Children's hands

Well, I wanted to share a neat story that I remembered today...

How to get rid of warts?

A couple of years ago, a cousin of mine was 7 years old & lived on a ranch. She often worked with all of the livestock & was very active. As many children do, she developed warts all over her hands.
Of course, these warts were caused by a virus but they became embarrassing for her. Her full palms were covered & she was made fun of at school. The medicine over the counter for warts was not effective, so her mother took her to a dermatologist. The dermatologist stated that the 7 year old would need surgery in the hospital, to remove the top layer of skin to remove the warts. Her mother was mortified!

Not only was the child going to have to have general anesthesia, she would have a long recovery, not be able to play on the ranch & risk infection. The surgery would also cost anywhere from $1500 to $2000.

In desperate searching for alternatives, & waiting to raise the money to have the surgery, they decided to buy some Dial Complete hand wash. There was no reason her mother bought it specifically, except that it was on sale. She needed something for the kids bathroom.

The little girl started washing her hands three times daily. They noticed that the warts started to disappear. Within 6 weeks, the warts were gone.

They contacted Dial to let them know what a money saving, surgery alternative the hand wash had become. My cousin figured they had spent around $12, at most, on the wash & would gladly have bought $100 worth. Dial would not comment on the results but said they would certainly pass it to the people in the company who needed to know.

Hope you never have children that experience this problem but if you do, try the Dial Complete hand wash to rid of the warts on your children's hands or feet. It can't hurt & only keeps them cleaner.