EN | £ Nappy rash and caring for babies skin
Why babies in cloth nappies are less prone to nappy rash
Nappy rash and sore red bums seem to be something people just expect with a baby in a nappy, but with cloth nappies that simply isn’t the case.
When you start to think about why your baby’s bottom is so red what do you usually think has caused it? Are you worried they have been in the nappy too long or are you putting it down to teething? The fact is it’s more likely to be the sheer amount of chemicals that are in a disposable nappy. The soft, sensitive skin of babies is prone to rashes and allergic reactions due to these chemicals.
In TotsBots cloth nappies there simply are no chemicals, just soft Bamboo fluffiness to keep your babies bottoms soft and protected from nasties.
In fact, cloth nappies are best used without barrier creams. It makes perfect sense that the less your skin is in contact with chemicals the happier it will be. So we skip the dioxins, which are among the most toxic chemicals known to science due to being highly carcinogenic chemicals.
Instead of superabsorbent chemical Sodium Polyacrylate, which is linked to skin irritations and respiratory issues, we opt for soft, absorbent, natural materials. Dioxins and Sodium Polyacrylate are just two of the irritating chemicals found in disposables and can increase your baby’s chance of nappy rash.
Many of our parents have been surprised at the differences. Colin, one of our Real Dad's, is a GP and said he saw babies every day with nappy rash. He didn't want this for his baby so using cloth nappies for Nolan was the obvious choice because of the simple fact they're much kinder to skin. He was happy to report his wee boy Nolan has had no rash.
Here are our top tips for avoiding nappy rash and keeping baby comfortable:
- Switch to cloth nappies - Try one of our nappy systems EasyFit and Bamboozle for the night avoiding the harsh chemicals and keeping it natural.
- Use reusable wipes - Much the same as disposable nappies a disposable wipe also contains harsh chemicals so using reusable wipes with plain water is a good chemical avoidance technique.
- Keep baby dry - By changing your cloth nappies regularly and avoiding baby sitting in a dirty nappy for too long.
- Bare bum time - At some point during the day whip off the cloth nappies and let baby roll around free. This little break will give the baby freedom of movement and let the air get to their bums.
- Coconut oil is a great moisturiser for both you and baby and it's totally natural.
- It’s best to avoid barrier creams when using cloth but if you do want to use one make sure it is suitable for your cloth nappy. Occasionally using anything other than the nappy may result in your cloth needing strip washed check out our FAQ's for more information on strip washing.
If you want to see how changing to cloth nappies could help your baby’s bottom try one of our mini kits to get you started.