If you’re a parent, then you know how important it is to keep your baby safe and comfortable. One of the ways you can do this is by using a baby carrier it’s a great way to keep your little one close while you’re out and about.
But did you know that using a baby carrier can also be the cause of diaper rash? A baby’s skin is delicate and can be easily irritated and the pressure of the weight of the baby in the diaper area, with the rubbing against a soiled diaper, could cause a rash.
In this article, we’ll explore how to prevent a baby carrier from worsening a diaper rash. We’ll also provide some tips on how to deal with diaper rash if it does occur.
Does Using a Baby Carrier Cause Diaper Rash?
The answer is not a simple one. While generally not, it can cause a contact dermatitis rash, from the pressure applied against the diaper area.
If the baby carrier rubs or chafes the skin, it could potentially lead to diaper rash, if the baby’s diapers were soiled and not changed.
For a full guide on what is a diaper rash, check out our guide, and also our guide to home remedies to heal a diaper rash fast.
Should You Use a Baby Carrier?
Yes, absolutely! We are huge fans of baby carriers here. The benefits of using one far outweigh any minor inconvenience. With a few steps, you can easily fix any issues with your cloth diapers or disposable diaper when in the baby carrier which may be causing the diaper rash or scaly skin.
Follow these simple tips to minimise the risk of a rash from using a baby carrier:
- Be sure to clean and dry your baby’s bottom after each use
- Use a diaper rash cream, barrier cream or antibiotic ointment to help protect their sensitive skin.
- If you notice any redness or irritated skin developing even along the skin folds that could lead to yeast diaper rash or yeast infection make sure to treat it with the appropriate proper treatment.
- If your child has pus-filled sores or a diarrhea rash then you might want to wait until it has calmed down before using the baby carrier.
- Use baby powder at diaper changes to help prevent any chafing.
- Ensure any laundry detergent you have used on your baby carrier does not cause any further irritation to the baby’s skin.
- At diaper change time always ensure that the area is thoroughly cleaned and is allowed to air dry.
Ways to Preventing Diaper Rash From Occurring When Using Baby Carrier
It is not uncommon for children to suffer from diaper rash while wearing a carrier. This can happen because their environment becomes different and the genitalia digs into an area of bacterial diaper rash on the skin when inside the carrier.
To prevent this from happening, there are things you can do to kill these kinds of bacteria:
- Change your baby’s diaper before putting them into the carrier.
- Use a barrier cream or diaper cream, zinc oxide and protective ointment along the diaper area to create a barrier between the skin and the diapers before putting them in the carrier.
- Check for any signs of skin irritation like chafing and redness or even yeast infections after taking your baby out of the carrier.
- Wash the area with mild soap and warm water if there is any chafing or bright red skin.
If you follow these steps, you can help prevent diaper rash while using a carrier.
Diaper Rash Treatment
In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to help soothe your baby’s diaper rash.
- Change wet or dirty soft cloth diapers or disposable diapers frequently, and clean the diaper area well each time.
- Make sure to wash cloth diapers using mild laundry detergents to avoid any bacterial infection left from loose stools.
- Use a topical antifungal cream or an oral antibiotic if its a yeast infection.
- Use natural baby powder against the child’s sin to help with chafing and rubbing.
- Check out the baby’s diet to see if anything in particular is irritating him. Many a child develops rashes when they start on solid foods and most diaper rashes are caused by a food reaction.
- Don’t use fabric softeners on the baby carrier or if you are using cloth diapers. These can irritate your child’s skin.
Bottom Line on Baby Carriers Causing Diaper Rashes
Diaper rashes are skin irritants that can be caused by many different things, including dirty diapers wet or soiled, skin infections, allergies, and friction caused by skin contact with a too tight diaper.
If your child does have a skin infection always make sure to put on a fresh diaper as soon as possible. It doesn’t matter what types of diaper you are using, just frequently changing diapers is key.
Baby carriers can exacerbate these conditions by trapping moisture and bacteria against the skin, along the diaper area as well. If your infant does have diaper rash, there are many different treatments available like home remedies or OTC creams and ointments like zinc oxide, boudreaux’s butt paste or many other natural remedies.
Most babies diaper rash will clear up with a little treatment and if you change diapers frequently. Prolonged exposure to a dirty diaper, especially when sitting in a baby carrier will cause rashes so remember, frequent diaper changes into a clean diaper are key!
