Babies all around the world experience diaper rash. It’s nerve-wracking for parents and painful or irritating for the baby. As a parent, you don’t want to see your child in pain, so you try to remedy the rash with healing lotions and ointments. Since many of those lotions contain harmful chemicals, it is better to use natural ingredients to soothe irritation and get rid of the rash.
Understanding Why Diaper Rash Occurs
You have to understand the causes of diaper rash if you want to prevent it. The most common cause of diaper rash is the containment of moisture, warmth, and growth of organisms within the diaper. Candida or yeast, which is present in stool, is typically the growth. This is not always the cause of the rash, though. Some children have food sensitivities or allergies to certain materials. Chronic diaper rash, for instance, is most commonly attributed to a food allergen. Finding the allergen can take time, but there are ingredients that can remedy the situation in the meantime.
Beeswax For Diaper Rash
Beeswax has numerous benefits, one of the primary ones being that it nourishes the skin. Loaded with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and germicidal properties, beeswax can help fight diaper rash and soothe the skin. While there are dozens of lotions that contain beeswax, go straight to the source and incorporate it into a homemade salve.
Calendula For Diaper Rash
The recipe for this DIY diaper rash salve calls for infused calendula oil. Traditionally, calendula flowers have been used in herbal remedies for their medicinal properties. The antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties are especially beneficial for wounds, burns, rashes, infection, and inflammation. Research suggests that calendula is better for diaper rash than aloe vera gel, but some children may be more sensitive to it.
DIY Diaper Rash Salve
Ingredients For The Calendula Infused Oil:
- ½ cup dried calendula flowers
- 1 cup sweet almond oil
Ingredients For The Salve:
- 1 cup calendula infused oil
- ¼ cup beeswax
- 1 tablespoon marshmallow root
- 1 tablespoon chickweed
- 1 tablespoon comfrey rot
- 1 teaspoon barberry root powder
Instructions For The Calendula Infused Oil:
- Add the calendula flowers and sweet almond oil to a pint-sized mason jar.
- Make sure that the flowers are completely submerged in the oil.
- Cover the jar and allow it to sit in a sunny windowsill for one month.
- Strain the flowers and reserve the oil in a jar for your diaper salve.
Instructions For The Salve:
- Add the infused oil, marshmallow root, chickweed, comfrey root, and barberry root powder to a small saucepan over low heat. You do not want to cook the herbs, so make sure that it is very low heat.
- Let the herbs infuse for 10 minutes and then add the beeswax. Stir the beeswax occasionally until it is completely melted.
- Strain the herbs through a cheesecloth into a glass measuring cup with a pour spout.
- Quickly pour the mixture into jars or small tins for storage. Allow the mixture to harden in the tins before screwing the tops on. Store in a cool dry place and use as needed.
