cleaning the rashy bottom

[abigailvr]

Niels is on antibiotics and it's giving him a really bad case of the runs. The poop seems to be burning his bottom on contact, and it's very painful for him when I have to wipe him.

I use cloth wipes and am trying to use the softest ones for the major wiping, but it doesn't seem to matter, he screams no matter what. I also put on cream after wiping, but they don't seem to have enough time to help, he's pooping so frequently.

I need ideas for how to get his bottom clean without having to wipe. I have a minishower so I thought about trying to spray him off, if I can get him to sit on the potty.

Any suggestions?

[purpledaisy]

With cloth wipes, are you using tea tree oil at all? How about mixing a little sea salt with warm water? I know my mom always tells us to go down to the ocean if we have a burn /cut, it feels much better on contact, and heals better without scarring.
Now I know y'all think I'm nuts, lol.

[twouglyducks]

I always ran turned the tub faucet on, got it warm and then held babe in the tub, up off the bottom with one arm, and dumped bowls or cups of warm water over the bum with the other hand. Make sure he's getting all the way dry after, too. Maybe a blo dryer on cool would help.

[botannie]

The sea salt will dry out the rash, but it will burn. Tis a great idea though. I would maybe use a little oil mixed with tea tree, and a little cotton swab, to spot clean. Also, don't wipe for just pee, and even though its gross (because he has the runs), try to keep the dipe off for as long as possible.

The cream also might not be a strong enough barrier. Maybe try a salve or <gag> vaseline.

Hope he feels better soon. Poor little guy. Chafing is the worst. :goodgrief

[CraftyMommaOf2]

Be very careful with the tto. My boys break out if tto thinks about coming in contact with their bottom. And I mean blister kind of break out. But it's only like one in a billion ppl that have a reaction to tto. :LOL Well, it burns my skin if I touch it, but I don't break out. Anyhoo... If you take baby oil (yuck) or olive oil and put it on cotton balls to wipe his bum it won't hurt him and it will protect his bottom. Make sure you put like a cheep fleece liner in your dipe though. :hugs for Niels!

[abigailvr]

I haven't been using TTO, I just use water. I acutally don't have any vaseline on hand. I thought about trying olive oil. I think I will on the next diaper.

With his most recent diaper change I tried the minishower. He was not impressed. I think because it's cold and it can be hard if it's strong enough to actually clean.

I'm going to try warm water in the tub. Luckily he seems to be holding off a bit on the next poop, and he's wearing a loosely pinned PF, so hopefully that will allow him to get some air.

He's only wearing my crappy PFs (not even CPFs, they don't quilt) and some ME OSes. Definitely not any of my WAHM diapers. Actually, the ME OSes hold in the loose poop really well because they're terry, and they're practically indestructible when it comes to cleaning.

Thanks for all the advice!

[clothusingmama]

I really like lanolin for diaper rash. It creates a moisture barrier on the bum and keeps the poop from touching the skin. I use it when my little girl has those nuclear poops. It is amazing how fast that stuff burns their poor little butts. I have some from the pharmacy now, but used the kind for breastfeeding moms before that. It all works great. Protect your diapers if you don't want staining and lather it on. Next time he poops you can wipe him without it hurting because the lanolin is still on his rump. The poop wipes off very easily. Good luck and I hope it clears up soon.

[abigailvr]

Thanks for the tip, Tami. I'll dig out the lanolin.

[JustLookin]

When the daycare kids got a REALLY bad rash from antibiotics we would fill a basin with water and put baking soda and let them soak for as long as they would sit still(up to 15minutes) that sooths the rash... and then bourdrex butt paste was always really good on the kids that got the antibiotics rash...

do you think it is yeast? most rashes caused by antibiotics is yeast... if so try just a little bit of monistat(or a generic brand) the yeast they get on their butt from antibiotics is basically the same as the yeast women get and it usually helps... dont put it on more than 3 times a day though, try just once... but that is only if the other suggestions dont work

you can also try pooring mylanta on his bum, I hear its helps...

[abigailvr]

I put baking soda in his bathwater.

I tried lotrimin cream today, twice though. I guess I should be glad I couldn't find it one of the times I changed him! Honestly, though, nothing seems to heal it or prevent it from hurting so badly he screams during changes. I tried putting him in the bath to clean off the poop and he cried the whole time. He didn't scream, so maybe that's an improvement.

Poor Niels.

Thanks for all your help and sympathy mama! It's so hard to have to make him scream by wiping him. He doesn't seem to believe me when I tell him that wiping is important, even though it hurts so badly. :(

[pmcgary]

Did the lotrimin help the rash? I think probably at this point anything you do to his poor little bum is likely to be painful.....(just think about how sore your own bottem gets if you have an upset tummy....or get yeast...Or think about how even the slightest touch hurts your nose if you have a really bad cold and lots of wiping...)

I have two thoughts...When my kids had yeast rashes I was advised not to use anything with zinc oxide in it - doc said it just locks the moisture in and moisture just makes it worse....

YOu could also try putting plain yogurt (with the live cultures and no sugar- probably organic is best.) on it...The natural cultures in it can help with the yeasties and it would probably be pretty cooling. And I don't think it will stain your diapers.

Oh, thought of another thing....I can't remember if you are lactating or not, but if so, put breast milk on it to sooth it.

[abigailvr]

I am lactating, I'll try squiritng him.

Niels and I are nondairy so we don't eat yogurt, but I have powdered acidophilus, can I put that on his bottom? Good to know about zinc oxide! I've been slathering him with it! :hide

Editted to fix smilies. (I say that alot, don't I?)

[willowsmama]

Mylanta. Get a bottle and pour some in a small container to let some of the water evaporate. Slather on when it's a paste consistency. We used this when dd has rotovirus- he poor little butt was fried and she screamed anytime she heard the word 'wipe'.

You can also pour some of the liquid on and dry it with a hairdryer set on cool. Takes alot longer but you could do this today while you have some drying for tomorrow.

[Aurora]

:hug Poor baby. I hope he is doing better soon.

[pmcgary]

Niels and I are nondairy so we don't eat yogurt, but I have powdered acidophilus, can I put that on his bottom?)

I would think that you could. I don't know what you could mix it with.....maybe some of that breast milk or a bit of water to make a light paste?

[abigailvr]

He went to bed last night with a diaper full of lotrimin, and this morning he didn't scream when I wiped him! Hopefully it will just get better from here. My poor boy hasn't had a bottom this rashy in a while.

Thanks for all your ideas mamas! Niels' :moon thanks you too. :D

[imonion]

Awww I hope his bum is feeling better now! I was going to suggest some acidophilus internally to help with the diarrhea. But you know, I think most is dairy-derived and if you are dairy free--no no.

:hugs

[abigailvr]

I have a dairy free acidophilus powder. Getting him to ingest it is not an easy task!

[pmcgary]

It may help if you take the acidophilus yourself...I think some of the benefit should pass through your breastmilk to him.

[abigailvr]

We just got our computers back up after moving, so that's why it's taken me so long to update!

The rash seems to have been mostly caused by the injection of antibiotics that he got in the ER and not by the one he is taking orally. He's still taking the oral antibiotics (only two days left!) but his poops are back to being solid and his poor bottom is all healed.

Thanks for all the ideas and support last wee!

[CraftyMommaOf2]

:cheer yaaaay for no more rashy bum!!