The skin in the diaper area breaks down, usually when a wet diaper irritates the baby’s skin.

• Change the baby’s diaper more often.
• If using cloth diapers, try to avoid using plastic pants.
• Try to go without a diaper during naps so that the air can get to the skin.
• Wash the skin gently with warm water and midl soap when changing the diaper.
• You can use a small amount of corn starch on the baby’s bottom, but NOT TALCUM POWDER.
• If the rash is severe and oozing, then use a compress to soothe the rash. This should be a cloth soaked in Burow’s solution (Buro-sol® powder) from your drug store. Dissolve 1 packet of Buro-sol® powder in 2 cups of water. Soak a clean cloth in this, wring it out, and place the cloth on the rash. Soak the cloth again every few minutes and place it on the rash again. Do this several times a day for several minutes each time.
• Rinse washable diapers well to remove soap. Do not use fabric softeners.
• Use hydrocortisone cream 1/2% on the rash. You do not need a prescription.
• After the rash is cleared up, use a “barrier” cream like zinc oxide cream with every diaper change.

See your doctor, or visit the OUCC, if …

• the baby develops a fever
• the rash seems more and more painful, and seems to upset the baby.
• the redness spreads around the rash
• there are more blisters.
• there is pus.
• white spots develop in the baby’s mouth.