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Ok everyone, I need your help. I'm at my wits end with these rashes on my girls and I need input. They're not even rashes really, they're fluid-filled blisters and the most horrid looking things! They leave marks on their skin even after they're healed, so much so that I'm beginning to think their bums will be scared for life! I'm trying to look on the bright side that at least that may help prevent them being nude models or strippers later in life but it's not much consolation! ;-)
The blisters happen instantly overnight, no redness or irritation to show that it's coming, they just show up. It's always for their nighttime diapers too. They're dry during the day now but when they still needed diapers they were fine during the day. Disposables clear up the rash instantly and it never comes back as long as they're in disposables. I've tried everything I can think of to treat rashes, elliminate build-up in diapers and to treat for yeast (not that it really looks like yeast). I've spoken to two pharmacists and a nurse who all say they don't think it sounds like staph or impetigo but treated their skin and diapers for it with home remedies and an OTC cream just in case. I've tried my usual Airflow covers, wool covers and even no covers at all!! I've tried with and without fleece liners... I've even tried avoiding my bamboo diapers!
I've tried stripping more times than I can count. I've tried vinegar in the rinse, in the wash, intensive vinegar soaks and no vinegar anywhere at all. I've tried Tide, a generic regular detergent, a 'free' generic detergent, soap nuts, the Simple Green recipe. Tried tea tree oil (both in every wash and using it as a one-time massive disinfectant dose) and tried avoiding it. Tried several hot and cold rinses at the end of the cycle. Tried line drying and really hot dryer drying. Tried Oxy-Clean (though not in every wash, only as a one time soak), upping the temp on my water heater, adding boiling water to the wash and even boiling the diapers. Even a one-time washing with bleach and super hot water. Nothing works permanently, the smell and blisters always return.
Recently I've gotten desperate and started using a small amount of bleach in every wash. I'm only using my old white diapers so as not to ruin my pretty bamboo colored diapers. So far, so good and we've been doing this for about 2 weeks now. I'm using only 4 diapers for the two girls so they're being washed every 2nd day on my lowest water setting (which is perfect for the 4 diapers and 8 cotton flats I'm using for liners) with 1/4 of a cup of bleach. This last week I've diminished that to about half of my 1/4 cup measuring cup so more/less 1/8 of a cup. This doesn't sound like much but considering the water level I figure it's probably not that much less than the equivalent of a cup per full washer.
If I have to I will continue with this, hopefully diminishing the amount to every 2nd load and perhaps even less. But if I could elliminate it alltogether that would be even better. I hate using bleach but so far it seems to be my only option if I want to continue using cloth. I could live with the smelly diapers but the blisters I just can't live with. I never used bleach with my first two and they used cloth at night right up to 5 and 6 years old. I can only figure that the twins either have much stronger pee or much more sensitive skin...
Any advice? Would regular use of Oxy-Clean do the same thing without resorting to such a harsh chemical?
Karen.
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| Have they developed a sensitivity to something they are eating? Something that is causing their urine to cause the blisters during prolonged contact with the skin? While it's a totally different situation, my breastfed 5 month old daughter had a strange diaper rash for 3 months before I cut milk out of my diet, and it cleared almost instantly. I assumed it was a regular rash or a yeast infection (and like you, tried everything), I thought that if it was a food issue then it would be all over her body, but it was only in the diaper area. |
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Hi Karen,
You might want to try OxiClean. It does seem to be pretty strong. It's odd how it's only with the cloth. I had a lot of problems with rashes with my daughter when she was only needing a diaper for night time. I finally gave up and she's in pull-ups at night now. When I was trying different things out, putting baby powder on her bum seemed to help. I have to use baby powder with the disposables as well or else she gets a rash although it is nothing like what you are describing.
As far as worrying about scarring you might want to put some Vitamin E Liposome Ointment on those areas a couple of times a day. I picked some up at the Bulk barn. My daughter had a scar under her chin due to an accident and we thought it would be permanent. Somebody recommended this after a couple of months and then it faded away after I used it for a year and you can't even see it now. It was a pretty bad scar. Maybe putting vasoline on their bums would help? If they only had the vasoline there at night their bums could breathe during the day.
Lona E. |
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Those little girls seem to keep you on your toes, don't they?
Do they both get it at the same time? If so, I'd think it is something in the dipes. Buildup, bacteria, fungus, chemicals, etc. Unless they have a food sensitivity that they share. But most kiddos don't eat exactly the same things, even when offered the same plated foods. So I'd doubt that.
But I'd really begin to suspect that it's their bums not liking their diapers if it comes on and goes away simultaniously. Now what you can do about that that you haven't already tried.....
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Thanks everyone. The food sensitivity is an interesting idea, hadn't considered that. I have no idea where I'd even start with that though, neither has ever had any reactions of any sort. I'd also wonder why it's only when they wear cloth at night and why it seems to be staying away now that I'm using the bleach.
Thanks for the vitamin E suggestion. Might be a fun time trying to put it on their bums (they hate having their bums wiped or putting any kind of cream on it) but worth a try... I've considered using Vaseline or some other barrier every night but I'm afraid of getting some type of build-up in the diapers after a while. Might have to give that more consideration if I can't find another solution, maybe use them in conjunction with disposable liners to minimize contact with the diapers...
It really seems to be intimatly linked with the diapers and specifically with the ammonia in the diapers. They seem to get the blisters only when the diapers start really reeking of ammonia. It can get so bad sometimes that it makes my eyes water and hurt when I change their diaper so I'm thinking it's litterally burning their skin and causing the blisters.
And yes, they both usually get it at the same time. Sometimes one will get it worse than the other or maybe a day earlier than the other, but that's about it. Goes away very quickly once I go back to disposables... It's strange, because they're not like open sores or anything. They're blisters filled with clear fluid, they pop quickly once the diaper is off (with just them running around and playing) and start healing immediatly. No apparent infection or even scabbing. If I continue with the cloth diapers, there are just new blisters the next day.
Guess I'll just have to keep experimenting with diminishing amounts of bleach and the Oxy-Clean. For a long time I was working with the assumption that it was some kind of yeast or fungal infection but now I'm thinking it's the ammonia in the diapers from either detergent build-up or maybe bacteria build-up...
Karen. |
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Hi Karen
I have the exact same problem with my daughter!! she had the same blisters and i also was afraid that i scarred her little bottom forever. i am using disposables now at night, because the rash or whatever it is stays away! so what did you?
thanks!
andrea Andrea
mom to a sweet girl and now a sweet boy! |
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Hi Andrea,
Well, I'm still experimenting but I have been able to avoid the bleach for the least 2-3 washes. First one I used about 1/2 scoop of Oxy-Clean and then nothing but detergent for the last one or two washes. When I went to wash the diapers today I noticed that they were starting to have that ammonia smell again. It wasn't bad yet and hadn't caused the girls any blisters but I didn't want to chance it. So when I washed them I used about 1/4 scoop of Oxy-Clean and about a tbs of bleach (this is in my washer's lowest water setting, just enough for 4 Toddle-Ease diapers and 8 cotton flats that act as extra absorbancy liners). We'll see what happens, I'm still experimenting.
I'm hoping to be able to avoid bleach all together by using Oxy-Clean instead. And if not at least only use a very small amount every few washes. We'll see how that works out...
Do your nighttime diapers smell really strong of ammonia? Have you tried using a little bleach or Oxy-Clean? I really hate the idea of using bleach (I cringe every time I even type it!!) but I can't see where a tablespoon or so every 2-3 washes is worse than using disposables... Can you maybe use only certain diapers for nighttime and try experimenting with only those diapers and a little bleach and/or Oxy-Clean? That way you would limit how much bleach you're using and how many of your diapers get the bleach...
Karen.
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Hi Karen;
A couple of thoughts;
It might be valuable to have a doctor see the rash, they see all sorts of weird things and might recognize it. Plus, she can test the pH and concentration of your girl's pee, maybe some dietary changes would be beneficial. Could be as simple as making sure they drink more water.
Also, we know cloth diapers need to be changed more frequently than disposables, perhaps if you increase the absorbency with a thirsty liner the problem would improve.
Hope that's of some help. |
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Thanks Hammer. The doctor is about the only step we haven't taken so far. I have talked to two nurses and two pharmacists but haven't seen a doc about it yet. It's a HUGE hassle for us to see a doctor at this point since we have no family doctor and would have to go to a walk-in clinic. Considering the blisters aren't infected, don't seem painful and go away with using disposables, it just hasn't seemed worth the hours in a clinic waiting room with two impatient 3 year olds! I've done TONS of online research though and haven't really found anything that matches what I'm going through. And just to be sure I've treated for yeast and impetigo. Don't really know what else the doc could tell us except to just not use cloth....
I always use plenty of liners in their diapers, everything from cotton to hemp to bamboo... And even when the diaper isn't all that full (ie the back and 'wings' are still dry) if the diaper smells of ammonia they'll get blisters anyway...
Karen.
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Hi Karen,
Just wanted to mention that I saw someone on Diaperswappers suggest Baking Soda (like 1 Tbl) as an additive to nighttime diapes to help with the toddler ammonia pee problem. I tried it one night, but DS didn't pee that night, and then wanted a new diaper the next, so I can't vouch for it, but Baking Soda is a natural and fairly safe product. They suggested putting it in between the diaper and liner, but I think it would help protect the skin more if it were right next to the skin.
Oh, and what about going back to using a higher water level...there has to be an answer.
Good Luck!
Leah |
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| That's awful Karen. I know it must be very discouraging after all this time to be battling with that. I just recently read a post at Diaperswappers about some people battling stink and rashes and they have started using a wet pail and apparently it's solved all their problems. If you want the link I would be happy to post it. |
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Hmmm, now those are interesting suggestions. Especially the baking soda, hadn't heard of that before! I used to use a wet pail but I haven't in a long time, maybe I'll give that a try.
Quick update, things are still going well. Used a tablespoon full of bleach and 1/4 scoop of Oxy-Clean in the wash before last, then nothing but detergent in the last one and we're doing fine so far. I'll keep going with nothing but detergent till the diapers start smelling and then consider the baking soda in the diaper and maybe the bleach and/or Oxy only then.
I'm also reducing the amount of detergent I'm using. I'm down to half a tablespoon of the 2X concentrated generic 'free' detergent for my lowest water level and I think I could lessen that even more. Makes me wonder if it wasn't detergent build-up the whole time... But then again I had these same problems when I was using the Simple Green recipe and with the soap nuts as well, neither of which are likely to cause build-up, especially the soap nuts. Then again, maybe they were reacting to something in the SG recipe and maybe the soap nuts weren't getting things clean enough... Geesh, my head just starts spinning when I start analyzing this stuff!!!
Karen.
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Here's the link:
http://www.diaperswappers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=516998
Maybe you will find some ideas on here you haven't tried yet. Good luck! |
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Thanks for the link. Very interesting...
I noticed that the OP is using a FL so I wonder if the success she's having is due to the extra weight that the soaked diapers have when put in the washer. Do all FL 'weigh' the contents and adjust the water accordingly? Cause that might well be a great solution to the issue of FL not using enough water... People wouldn't even have to 'wet pail' as such, but just somehow wet their diapers before tossing in pail or washer...
I don't have a FL but I might investigate the idea anyway. I only use two diapers per day and wash every second day so they wouldn't soak long but who knows... At least the pail wouldn't be very heavy...
Karen.
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