When baby get's diaper rash it is difficult for everyone. This is the basic way I handled it in our home.

Close to 50% of all babies will get diaper rash at some time during their infancy. 

• Leaving on a diaper too long
• Anitbiotics from your baby's illness can make their diapers soil more quickly and the soiling is much more irritating to the skin.
• Solid foods. When baby starts eating solid foods the acid in their excrement changes and can again irritate that delicate skin.
• Frequent stools like overnight when you're finally getting some sleep. The stool will irritate the skin and can cause a rash.

So how do you treat diaper rash?

Well here are some home or easy to buy remedies that worked for me as I cared for six little precious infants in foster care. And yes about 50% of them seemed to get diaper rash all the time.

There are 6 basic types of diaper rash

1. Impetigo: Comes from bacteria. This diaper rash will look like small round red raised pateches.

2. Intertrigo: In the little folds of baby fat. Heat and wetness set this one off. Looks red

3. Contact : Like it sounds from contact with something.

Could be the diapers, scented wipes or something else. You can tell this one because it doesn't show up in the areas where the diapers don't touch like the folds of your baby's skin.

4.Yeast : Any of the other rashes can turn into a yeast rash if it goes on too long. White pustules. Poor baby!

5. Seborrhea: Big red patch over baby's diaper area. Looks horrible.

6. Allergic: Your baby may be having an allergic reaction to a new food introduced. This will make a red ring on the little behind.

Dealing with it.

1. First sign of diaper rash which of course will be when you are changing your baby's diaper try to clean up with an unscented wipe. And be delicate (of course you are). I actually use paper towels during this time. I keep a spray water bottle nearby and spray the paper towel until soaking (and softened) then I delicately wipe baby up. You can also use cloth too with excellent result.

2. Make sure the area is dry before you cover or treat. I've heard of some people using a hair dryer on low. My hair dryer get's too hot for this so I just either let baby crawl around a few minutes or pat with a dry cloth waving and such.

3. Now comes the application of choice.

Olive oil occasionally with a few drops of tea tree oil. This is the one I've been using lately. Works like a charm.

Eucerine cream (the one in the jar). I heard this tip from another mother of four and it doesn't always work for me but she swears by it. I try it once and if it get's no better by the next diaper change I move on.

Browned flour. I got this from my mother and have also heard it from a few grandmothers. Stir flour in a dry pan over medium heat until it get's brown. Be careful not to burn it. This one should not be used for yeast rashes but it works otherwise.

If all this fails then I head to the doctor but so far that hasn't been necessary (after the first few anxious times). I do check with my doctor on each well baby visit about what I have used, done and the results. So make sure you check with your doctor too!

This advice is not meant to be in place of any medical advice. Check with your doctor first.