Autumn Beck is a 30 year old SAHM to 3 gorgeous children. She has been married for 10 years to a chiropractor and entrepreneur extraordinaire. Autumn began cloth diapering in 2005. Over this time she has made mistakes and learned the secrets and strategies to successful cloth diapering. When asked what her interests and hobbies are; homebirth, breastfeeding, and shopping top her list…shopping for cloth diapers that is! 
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How We Cured a Yeast Diaper Rash
By Autumn Beck | June 11, 2008
I have dealt with rashes on Paisley for pretty much her whole life (18 months). I’ve gone from thinking it was an allergy to serged diapers, then to a wool allergy, then eczema, and even food allergies.
During this process I sold all the serged diapers and switched to turned and topstiched. When it persisted I sold all our gorgeous wool and switched to Pockets and AIOs. When that didn’t fix it I accepted that my poor baby most likely had eczema.
After taking her to a friend of ours (a fellow chiropractor) for allergy testing, I discovered Paisley had multiple food and chemical allergies. Once these items were cleared the “eczema like” rash began to clear up.
That allowed, in my opinion, the real problem to surface. What emerged on my baby’s thighs was gross. A yeast rash in the diaper area looks like open chicken pox. Multiple vesicles covering the region alarmed even this unreactive mom.
I did some internet research (there should be a warning before viewing dermatology pictures) and found an exact picture of what Paisley’s rash looked like. Yeast. Yuck.
I knew about Gentian Violet but didn’t have any. So my husband suggested Apple Cider Vinegar. Our chiropractic friend has told us it was good for skin issues.
I started applying it with a cotton ball on Saturday and today it is almost gone.
I’m a big fan of home remedies and I am super relieved that this one worked so well! Paisley still has a few “eczema-like” patches but the polka-dot pattern is gone.
You can buy Apple Cider Vinegar at any grocery store.
Topics: Diaper Rash, how to |
June 11th, 2008 at 4:57 am
I can relate! My son 18 months also has battled horrible yeast rash. It was literally eating the skin off of his bottom and genitals. I tried just about everything availible over the counter with no effect. I finally did my own research on specific organic ingredients and after a couple of months of educating myself I came up with something that works very well. I did not think about the apple cider vineagar, I did know you could use it for mama yeast. Didnt make the connection, good to know! I read something in one of your other blogs about Tide cauing irritation. I can attest to that also. Switched from Tide to organic, store ran out so I bought Tide one month, will never do that again! I battled eczema on both of my boys for 3 months. Almost gone now though. also has to make my own remedy as there was nothing out there that would work. SOOO frustrating!!
June 11th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Glad you finally found it! ACV is also great to drink dilluted for all sorts of things - heart burn, sore throat, headache… Just curious… Did you try breast milk?
June 11th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Did not try breastmilk because of the sugar content. Didn’t want to feed the yeasties
And I know for sure my breastmilk has tons of sugar *blush*
June 11th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Autumn, your milk isn’t the only that’s sure to be high in sugar! I’ll have to try the ACV next time…sounds great! I’ve also done the gentian violet and it does totally work…as long as you don’t mine purple stains. It is; however, a really beautiful shade of purple!!
June 12th, 2008 at 12:34 am
did it sting? can you use it on other eczema patches? I will try it.
June 12th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
AJ, the first time I applied it I was freaking out at the thought of Paisley in pain. Thankfully, it didn’t even phase her. But the next time I applied it she did cry. I think after that first time I “made the yeasties mad” and it woke them up. But that discomfort was worth it to me to have it gone.
June 17th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
I have a yeast question: We’re presently in disposables because I’m afraid the cream will ruin our diaper stash. However, she had the yeast infection before we switched over. Do I have to do anything to our diapers to make sure that they’re sanitized? Is it even necessary? I ended up stripping them the other day because they went from just being unpleasant smelling to stinking like ammonia. I used Dawn (because we use a little bit of lotion on her bum, and TTO in the wash), Calgon (because we have suuuuper hard water), and chlorine free Oxyclean (because I was worried that the stink was bacteria related). Then I washed them again on hot with nothing, and then washed them twice on cold to make sure that I got EVERYTHING out. I hung them outside for an hour, but the sun was starting to set, so they didn’t really get any sun. They weren’t really dry so I pretty much toasted them in the dryer. Now, do you think I killed the yeast? I did add 1 pan of almost boiling water (I put two in the machine, but it drained before it started, and I could have killed it! I wasn’t able to get a whole pot to a boil before I had to put it in, so the water temperature was a bit higher than normal), but I’m not sure if I need to do anything more. (sorry this is so long and that I have so many questions. I did post on DS, but no one responded)
June 17th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Kait, adding GrapeFRUIT seed oil to your wash will kill the yeast in your diapers and clothes. I have heard some say they found it at Walmart.
June 20th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Thanks Autumn! I’ll have a look for it.
August 8th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Autumn, will petroleum-based ointments (i.e. A&D) used as a barrier method of preventing diaper rash affect my cloth diapers? I seem to remember reading somewhere online that certain or all diaper rash creams will ruin cloth diapers. My MIL said she used Vaseline for her kids when she did CD and it didn’t seem to affect anything. Your thoughts?
I use Indian and Chinese prefolds and an assortment of diaper covers.
August 8th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Jackie, I would stick to diaper rash ointments that I know to be cloth diaper safe: Burt’s Bees, California Baby and many WAHMs that sell their items on Etsy and Hyena Cart. Many regular creams leave permanent stains on the diapers as well.
August 16th, 2008 at 5:31 am
Thanks Autumn - I enjoy your blog a lot!