Chaifing help needed

[ides]

My little guy is getting chaifed on his thighs right inside his diapers. He has super sensitive/dry skin. The dr recommended vasiline but I've heard it can ruin cloth diapers. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this and if so what should I use to help his little leggs?

Thanks

Re: Chaifing help needed

I don't know about the diaper angle, but how about some thick Eucerin or Cetaphil cream (in a tub, not a pump bottle)? I put that on my youngest and haven't noticed any damage to clothing.

[Michele]

Re: Chaifing help needed

Most creams and lotions will messup cloth diapers bc they coat the fibers and reduce absorbancy.

I've heard breastmilkcan help heal the chafing but I don't know that it will prevent it.

[ides]

Re: Chaifing help needed

Thanks for the suggestions. I never thought about breastmilk. I'll have to try that.

[spotty_dog]

Re: Chaifing help needed

What kind of diapers and covers? I wonder if it could be an allergic type reaction or sensitivity -- I know several babies who can't tolerate fold-over elastic on their diapers or covers.

I've used vaseline with prefold diapers, which wash up pretty well and don't have much of a repelling issue (it's the pockets and AIOs that are bad for that.) And dabs of petroleum-based ointments, but I would hesitate to put a thick barrier of vaseline.

Here's an article about cloth diapers and diaper rash creams: http://pinstripesandpolkadots.com/diaperrashcreams.htm

Re: Chaifing help needed

I'm not sure how it is with cloth diapers, but I would recommend California baby. Target now carries it. They have a cream and a spray and both work really, really well...any redness is usually gone within an hour. The cream is zinc-oxide based and isn't greasy. The spray can be used on other boo-boos and as a facial cleanser for adults.

Re: Chaifing help needed

I know that zinc oxide based creams have left marks on my Bumgenius dipes. It doesn't wash out properly.
Hopefully as he grows and changes shape the chafing will stop, poor little guy!

[ides]

Re: Chaifing help needed

I'm using indian unbleached prefolds. So far butt paste seems to be helping & hasn't gunked up the diapers but they are already horribly stained. For covers I'm using thirsties. The chaifing started last week so not sure if it's due to the weather or maybe the diapers since I wash them in a community laundry room. I've also been using charlies soap. Maybe I should go back to another detergent?

Thanks for the article Spottydog. Think I'm going to get some california baby today.

edited to add: well I think the butt paste is mucking up the diapers. Also dr thinks he has a yeast infection on his scrotum so she gave us some cream/ointment which I think is also mucking up the diapers. So, looks like I"ll have to strip the diapers, but I guess not until the infection is gone? Any advise on this? Dh thinks we should use another antibacterial and the california baby. Thinking more about chariles I'm thinking it's not the problem. All the other clothes we use I wash with it and have had no problems. Frustrating.

[madeintaiwan]

Re: Chaifing help needed

Eó has "chaffing" too. It started on one side of his leg, a small circle. So E thought it might be a fungus. He then got two more circles on the other side. They eventually spread to be long ovals. Typically they are dry and very inflamed. I was using Charlie's Soap too and thought about the stories about possible chemical burns. I stopped cloth diapering for a couple of weeks and still no improvements so I went back to CD'g. I changed to planet detergent which got great marks across the board for cloth diapers. The "rashes" persisted. E got very concerned and asked me to not CD for a month. It's been 3 weeks now and the rashes are still there. He had his 6 month check up last week and the ped thinks he might have eczema and the rubbing of the cloth diapers has caused postinflamatary hypopigmentation. She recommended rubbing aquaphor and hydrocortisone until the dryness goes away [less than a couple of weeks]. She says the pigmentation could take up to 6 months to come back and the cd'g isn't the cause for the "rash." The marks are looking much better, less dry. I plan to go back to CD'g in a week or so. Give it the full month so that E will get off my back about. We'll see how it goes. I have read good reviews on that California Baby stuff in terms of CD. I plan to pick some up to give his skin a little more protection when we go back to CD.

Re: Chaifing help needed

I would probably give up the CD-ing for a while and see if the rash goes away? Obviously it did not help Davita but maybe using a community washer there are other detergent residues getting on your dipes? It would be good to rule it out anyway.

I think Charlies is great but then it is the only thing that goes in my machine.

The California baby cream has not caused any problems with my prefolds, just the bumgenius for some reason.

For the stains, I wash the prefolds every third or fourth time with some oxygen laundry booster or non-chlorine bleach during the soak (prewash) cycle and that helps.

Kudos to you cloth diapering without your own washer, and I hope your little guy heals up!

We have eczema issues here but luckily not in the diaper region so it is much easier!

[ides]

Re: Chaifing help needed

update:
So I'm having some issues with the diapers due to the washers downstairs but I think I'm working it out. I picked up some CA Baby and that stuff is a dream. Soo much nicer and cleaner than petroleum prodects- yuck. Turns out that the chaifing was actually part of the yeast. The original medicatuion/cream didn't work so I got another prescription and it's all clearing up. Another day or two and he should have his premium opaque skin back.

thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I really didn't want to have to resort to sposies and in the process I found a cloth friendly cream.