A baking soda bath will help alleviate the symptoms of diaper rash and other forms of skin irritation. Draw a bath with lukewarm water and add 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda. Allow your baby to soak for 10 minutes, and you will begin to see relief. If the bath does not work, you can create a paste with water and apply it to the area. Just be cautious if baby has sensitive skin.
There are many inexpensive remedies you probably already have in your home.
If baking soda can be used as a home treatment for insect stings, could it help other types of skin irritation?
Yes, baking soda is a reasonable way to treat sensitive skin, including a baby diaper rash.
What Is Diaper Rash
Diaper rash occurs when the diaper area of a baby’s skin becomes red and sore. It does not have to be accompanied by cracked skin or blisters to be considered a rash.
It is usually caused by the skin being exposed to moisture from a soiled diaper. The skin rubs against the wet diaper and can become inflamed and increase the risk for infection.
Other possible causes of diaper rash include:
- The addition of solid foods to their diet.
- Allergic reaction or sensitivity to the diaper material.
- Bouts of diarrhea.
- The nursing mother is taking antibiotics, or the baby is taking antibiotics or other medication.
- The diaper is too tight.
The Common Diaper Rash Treatment
When a baby has a diaper rash, the first treatment that most parents think of is a commercially available diaper rash cream.
Zinc Oxide Creams
Usually, it is a zinc oxide-based product that gets applied directly to the affected area. It’s a smart choice due to its availability, affordable price, tolerated by most babies, and known to cure diaper rash.
However, zinc oxide treatments are only effective on simple rashes.
If you delay treatment, the outbreak worsens, and applying a cream to your baby’s bottom might not work anymore.
In some cases, your baby will develop a yeast diaper rash and require an anti-fungal cream. This type of rash is more complicated and often more painful.
General Ways to Avoid Diaper Rash
If you are using cream to heal diaper rash, there are other steps you should take to make it the most effective.
Change diapers frequently and leave them bare bottom for a few hours to allow the skin to breathe. Try using super-absorbent disposable diapers.
They have a specialized gel inside the diaper that wicks moisture away from the skin. Keeping the diaper area dry is the best way to help heal and prevent a rash.
The Uncommon Diaper Rash Treatment
Every parent has heard of using a cream to heal a diaper rash. But there are other natural methods that many parents have relied on.
Baking soda is used for many home remedies. But many parents don’t know that adding a few tablespoons of baking soda to their baby’s bath can treat a diaper rash.
Baking soda is known to be hypoallergenic, which is a plus since a baby’s skin is already delicate.
Unlike some ointments, there are no added chemicals or preservatives. Furthermore, you don’t need to worry about using too much and causing your baby to overdose.
Before the First Bath
As with any other product you would put on your baby’s skin, perform a patch test on a small area first. Make a paste and apply it to the skin.
Observe it for 24 hours to see if there is any adverse reaction. If there is no swelling or irritation, you can give your baby a baking soda bath to soothe their diaper rash.
Instructions for a Baking Soda Bath
Any germs or bacteria associated with a diaper rash will be washed away in the bath. To use baking soda as a home treatment:
- Start by filling a bathtub with warm water.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda to the water and allow it to dissolve.
- Place your baby in the tub and allow them to soak for about 10 minutes.
It likely will not be an instant cure. But you will notice immediate relief from the itching, irritation, redness, and swelling.
Dry the affected area thoroughly after the bath. Apply a baby-safe moisturizer, aloe vera, or a zinc oxide cream.
A thin layer will act as a moisture barrier and will decrease irritation when the diaper becomes dirty.
Other Benefits of a Baking Soda Bath
A baking soda bath is helpful in other ways besides alleviating a diaper rash.
- Relieving Constipation. The warm bath will relax your child, and the baking soda will make it easier for stool to pass.
- Eliminates foul odors. If your baby has sat in their diaper too long, an unpleasant odor may develop. The baking soda bath will neutralize the smell.
- Cleans and decreases bacteria. Baking soda has anti-fungal and antibacterial properties. Putting it in bath water will help cleanse the skin without the use of harsh soaps.
- Relieves symptoms of eczema. Much like a diaper rash, eczema is inflammation in the skin. Soaking in a baking soda bath will cleanse and soften and bring relief to itchy skin.
- Urinary Tract Infections. Soaking in the bath will relieve the pain and discomfort associated with a UTI.
Diaper Rash Prevention
Diaper rash is one of those baby things you likely won’t escape. However, there are a few steps you can take to try and prevent it from happening.
- Change their diaper regularly to keep the area clean and dry. It’s best to change it as soon as it becomes soiled.
- When using baby wipes, use a front-to-back motion. Also, look for wipes without fragrance and alcohol.
- Try using a washcloth instead of baby wipes. The chemicals in the wipe can prolonge the irritation.
- Clean between any folds in your baby’s skin.
- Occasionally allow them to air dry. This will give the air a chance to circulate around their bottom and the skin to breathe.
- Put the diaper on loosely.
When To Call the Doctor
Most cases of diaper rash can be treated with an over-the-counter ointment or a baking soda bath. Unfortunately, there are bad diaper rash cases that require the attention of a doctor. If any of these apply to your situation, make an appointment as soon as you can.
- If the rash does not show signs of getting better in 3 days, or it gets worse.
- Blisters develop, or it becomes bright red with raised bumps.
- You’re giving your baby antibiotics, and the skin is bright red with red spots.
- The rash is causing pain or is accompanied by a fever.
A diaper rash is never fun for the baby or the parents. Luckily, there are several treatments you can offer your child to relieve their symptoms.
Baking soda is a more natural approach when compared to chemical-laced ointments, but both have been proved to bring relief. Before using baking soda as a treatment, remember to talk to your doctor first.
There could be an underlying issue that baking soda won’t help. Also, they look very similar, but baking soda and baking powder are different substances.
When you grab a container from the pantry, read the label to make sure you grabbed the baking soda.
