Nappy Rash

Is your baby prone to nappy rash, no matter how quickly you change them, no matter what remedy, ointment, lotion or medication you use? Practicing EC even minimally, 'lightly', can really help you and your babe.

If you want to banish nappy rash forever, then you need to keep reading, to discover the simple techniques that I personally use to minimise the amount of time my baby is in nappies - meaning nappies are only a tool, not a 24/7 essential that my baby is permanently wearing, contributing to increased risk of nappy rash - and longer time in nappies all together.

Nappy rash is, sadly, very common. The initial cause is that baby is in a wet nappy! It is not, however, a sign of poor parenting skills - babies have very sensitive skin and nappy rashes are a common result of them being in nappies. It may be a sign to consider - just maybe - that babies should be in nappies as little as we can manage! Certainly not 24 hours a day for years. Being Part Time Nappy Free is a super way to reduce the risk of nappy rash developing on your baby. 

You can reduce your reliance on nappies with a few basic EC skills, so read on!

According to the experiences of parents practicing EC, and in cultures who practice EC as the cultural norm, where nappies are not universally used, but are used sparingly or casually (even not at all), nappy rash is simply not a concern, as without nappies, how can you have a rash - the conditions of waste and warmth don't exist for long if at all. I found a few references to this on sites about nappy rash treatments:

"In cultures where nappies are not worn, nappy rash is unheard of."

"It is said that in places in the world where young children run around without nappies there is no nappy rash."

Nappy rash is a dreadful concern for parents, for everyone in fact, whether it is on a newborn infant or a toddler, if your baby suffers from nappy rashes, you'll notice one of the best remedies, or treatments recommended for nappy rash is increased nappy free time combined with more frequent changing. Summer is a common time for rash - nappies + warmth + wee = risk of painful rashes that cause baby great concern and stress, and you feel the pain too!

Nappy rashes can take days or weeks to clear up, in the meantime - what can you do? 

Here's a few examples of how every site I checked recommended nappy-free time as an aid to recovering from and preventing nappy rash:

• "Try to let your child have as much time without the nappy on as possible." [1]

• " Let the baby's bottom 'air': expose your baby's bottom to the air for as long as possible each day." [2]

• " Having time when there is no nappy on can also help the skin to dry fully." [3] 

• "Don't put a nappy on your baby whenever practical." [4]

• "If the weather is warm and she can play outside or in a room with an easy-clean floor, leave her nappy off for as long as possible" [5]

• "Leaving the nappy off when possible will help clear the rash" [6]

• "Let your baby have some 'nappy free' time daily." [7]

• "It is a good idea to leave the baby's nappy off for about an hour a few times a day." [8]

• "When possible, leave the nappy off, allowing air to get to the skin." [9]

• "Let your baby have a period of nappy off time every day. Have nappy off time every day, the longer the better, this allows skin to become totally dry." [10]

What none of them seem to say is 

HOW to manage this daily nappy free time.

There is no mention of this natural alternative way of treating and preventing nappy rash - combining the skills of EC to reduce or minimise your use of nappies in a stress-free, hygienic way!

Some sites had very strange statements about nappy rash, such as:

• " Nappy rash will clear up with toilet training" (As if that is a solution any parent would accept? Wait for the years then recommended?)

• " ALL BABIES HAVE NAPPY RASH! Having a nappy rash is a normal part of being a baby."

Yes, well I'd disagree with these statements! 

Perhaps the nappy rash is a result of our cultural mind-set that babies and nappies go together - always - when they don't need to at all, or at least not all the time! If not all babies have rashes - as clearly they do not, then perhaps they are not a normal experience of babyhood, perhaps we can skill parents up (again) in natural ways of reducing the time babies are spent in nappies, while enhancing the understanding and bond between them?

How to Reduce the Chance Your Baby will Develop Nappy Rash by Developing your Confidence in Elimination Communication:

Less time spent in a nappy will mean less risk of nappy rash. Full Stop

There is a much better alternative to this remedy recommended by one site to treat nappy rash: 

"Some experts suggest allowing your baby to go without diapers for several hours each day to give irritated skin a chance to dry and "breathe." This is easiest if you place your baby in a crib with waterproof sheets." 

Hmm, hours sitting in a cot - perhaps not!

Learning EC is an alternative that will build your confidence in having your baby nappy-free.

How? By using a waterproof EC mat, or purchasing a specially designed one such as the Nekkie Blankie (for "nekkie" or "naked" time!) Having more 'nakey bum' time at home needn't mean fears of 'messy accidents' and worries that your baby is going to explode everywhere with mess! 

You can learn easily how to read some simple signs that your baby may need to go, by learning about elimination communication. 

Plenty of parents learn about and begin to practice EC as their baby was prone to nappy rash, regardless of frequent changing, they were just very sensitive to being confined in a nappy at all, or reacted to the chemicals in wipes or detergents or the moist warmth of summer!

Discover how to start your baby on the potty to cure nappy rash forever:

• Learn the six reasons why nappy-free time is so important to your baby's development.

• Discover how you can turn your daily nappy-free time into a learning opportunity for you and your baby.

• Learn how easy it is to give them a 'pre-emptive' potty break before nappy-free time.

• Learn how to help them to know it is a safe and appropriate time to go using a cue sound.

• Discover how nappy-free time is a great way to begin becoming part time nappy free easily each and every day!

• Discover the many ways you can become Part Time Nappy Free.

How do you boost your confidence in having your baby nappy-free more often so that you can significantly reduce their risk of nappy rash? 

Learn about the ancient, world-wide practice of EC. 

Sign up to receive my FREE Guide to Elimination Communication - learn how parents fit EC into their busy lives part time - see if the simple attitudes, approaches and strategies are things that YOU can do - I am certain they are! 

You'll receive this series of 7 lessons in a mini-course over three weeks:

The Seven Secrets to Developing 
Your Nappy Free Confidence

By developing your Nappy-Free confidence during your baby's nappy free time each day you will open a door to:

• Enhanced confidence for yourself in meeting your baby's hygiene needs in a more natural way.

• Discovering your own confidence in how to gradually transition to less use of nappies in this alternative to conventional potty or toilet training.

• Your baby having less time with waste near their skin automatically reduces the risk of rashes because there is less exposure to waste by-products - ammonia and urea.

• Your baby having less exposure to chemicals in disposable nappies, in wipes, and medications that baby's skin may also be sensitive to.

• A closer insight into how what your baby is eating may be effecting their digestion. Practicing a spot of EC will then give you an insight into what else may be causing or contributing to the nappy rash, so you can eliminate these factors.

Just a taste of my 7 FREE lessons reveal...

• Nine ways of making simple nappy-free time mats for helping to remedy nappy rash or prevent it occurring while you also build your EC awareness about your baby.

• Simple, supportive advice to make practicing Elimination Communication easier than full time nappy use.

• Common techniques for enhancing your intuitive connection with your baby - to KNOW when they need to go.

• 'Of Course!' tips you can begin using as soon as you read them.

• Over 21 strategies for ensuring your practice of EC is relaxed and moving forwards...

Go ahead... sign up now and receive 7 free lessons to develop your confidence in being Part Time Nappy Free.

100% nappies? You won't need to for much longer...

P.S. My baby never had nappy rash - we used no creams, powders and few commercial wipes. By the time he was three months old we were using one $20 bag of nappies per month - and most people had NO IDEA we had a part time nappy free baby - as he wore nappies when we went out and when we had visitors. You can do this too. It is gradual and cool! Say goodbye to the spectre of nappy rash - it doesn't have to be a normal part of being a baby!

Nappy Rash Resources:

[1] Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. Nappy Rash 

[2] Raising Children Network. Nappy Rash

[3] Parenting and Child Health, CYH.  Nappy Rash

[4] Better Health Channel. Nappy Rash

[5] Baby Centre. Nappy Rash

[6] Department of Dermatology, St Vincent's Hospital, Melb. Nappy Rash

[7] The Children's Hospital at Westmead, etc Nappy Rash

[8] Net Doctor Nappy Rash

[9] MedInfo. Nappy Rash

[10] Ecobean: Cloth Nappies, Natural Baby Care