How to Help Your Baby Through Teething Nappy Rash

Nappy rash is always a worry, it can crop up for many different reasons and some babies will suffer more than others but we all dread that teething nappy rash, don’t we? Here are my simple tips for helping your baby through this.

Change Regularly

Teething nappy rash is caused by the overproduction of saliva. This extra saliva is either dribbled down their front (most likely causing dribble rash) and the rest is swallowed. This passes through their stomachs, often causing other issues, and as it leaves the body it makes their urine more acidic which leads to very, very sore nappy areas. So, my first tip is to find the right nappy options for your baby and to change them more regularly so that they aren’t sitting in this urine for too long. Even if their nappy isn’t too wet, change it to make them a little more comfortable. 

Use Water to Clean

Ditch those perfume and chemical-filled wet wipes and opt for reusable wipes with just water instead. Those added ingredients in disposable wipes can further aggravate a sensitive area and can actually make nappy rash far worse. If you have a rash somewhere, how would you treat it? Would you want perfumes wiped over the top of it? No. You’d probably use fresh, clean water to dab it carefully, wouldn’t you? Think about how painful their nappy areas are and how much it would hurt if something was put on there that stung. Use a soft cloth, warm water and gently dab rather than wipe. Take your time and be careful.

Dry

To help that teething nappy rash to heal, you will need to keep it as dry as possible. Obviously nappy free time is a really great way of doing this but if that isn’t possible, your next best option is to dab the area dry with a soft muslin.

Nappy Free Time

If you get the chance, give your baby as much nappy free time as possible. Let those sore bottoms have a breather and allow the air to dry it and help to heal it naturally. 

Creams

I must admit, I am not a huge fan of nappy rash creams and, over the years, I have found that most just sit on top of the rash, not sinking in and not really do anything at all apart from creating a huge mess. I’m sure you have probably worked out what works for you by now but if not, it may be worth doing some research into how certain brands work, what their reviews say and also asking other parents their points of view. If you use disposable nappies you can use any cream on the market but if you are a cloth nappy user as I am, you will know that not all creams are suitable due to them causing issues with the fibres and absorbency. Weleda, Arbonne Baby, Balmy Notions, Lansinoh, Little Violet’s Baby Balm, Thirsties Booty Love are just a few that are considered to be completely safe with cloth nappies. I personally use Beeutiful’s products as they are homemade, natural, eco-friendly and a local business to me. Check out her products over on her website.

Bathing

When bathing your baby during these teething nappy rash periods, opt for just water in your bath. The water is enough to clean them, you don’t need soaps or bubble baths as these can irritate them further. The key here is to keep everything as simple and as natural as possible.

Water

When their rash is really severe, steer clear of juices for a drink. These can add to the acidity of the urine especially those that aren’t watered down. Plain water and plenty of it will help to keep them hydrated (that dribble can make them feel pretty rubbish) and will help to flush that excess saliva through their systems.

Try Cloth Nappies?

This is just a suggestion but cloth nappies do not contain any chemicals, perfumes or plastics which can all actually cause nappy rash in the first place. Now this isn’t me trying to push anybody into using cloth but having used disposables on my first child and now using cloth on my second I have seen such a difference in the severity of nappy rash. My first would be sore really often, I tried so many creams with him, I had to do nappy free time constantly when he was at his worst and I can still remember how tender it was for him. It was so upsetting to see. Had I known or been told about cloth nappies back then I do wonder if I could have helped him. My second child has never had a real nappy rash. Yes, he gets a little red every now and then, usually during teething, but he has never been red raw. A nappy change, a clean up with warm water, a little botty balm has always done the trick. So again, this is why I have centred this post around being more natural. I truly believe that sometimes we try and do too much and the answers are actually simple.

Final Note…

I mean I know I have said it all the way through but reaching for piles of products, soaking your baby in a bubble bath and leaving them in soaked nappies is not the way to tackle teething nappy rash or any type of nappy rash. You want gentle, natural and simple options for them plus you don’t want to panic and overthink it yourself. Yes, ask for advice from friends and family but consider the type of skin your baby has, learn what helps them and stick to that routine. Not every suggestion will be right for every child and extreme cases will need to be seen by your GP but for now, why not take the more natural route and see how you get on?

For more on teething why not check these posts out?

Is My Baby Teething?

Identifying Teething Symptoms and Learning How To Cope With Them

What Order Do Babies Teeth Come Through?

13 Natural Teething Remedies to Help Your Baby

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