Because diaper rash days feel a little… prickly; Photo by Kat van der Linden
My diaper rash journey began when my baby was just three weeks old. One fine day, during what I thought was a routine diaper change, I saw something no one had properly warned me about. There it was. Red. Angry. Sitting exactly where you never want to see redness on a tiny human.
A diaper rash…..
I didn’t even know what it was at first, but my heart skipped a beat. Seeing a rash on your baby’s private parts is enough to send any new mom into panic mode. I immediately called my nurse and described what I saw, probably in the most dramatic tone possible. She calmly told me it was very normal and often happens when babies stay in diapers a little too long. Her advice was simple: use a zinc cream on the affected area.
Easy enough… or so I thought. Only if life was this simple.
The Hide-and-Seek Phase
Here’s mistake number one: I used the zinc cream only when the rash appeared. Once it disappeared, I stopped. What followed was a fun little game of hide and seek: rash appears, I apply cream, rash disappears, I stop, rash comes back. Repeat. Often. Eventually, I learned the golden rule of diaper rash prevention: Zinc cream is not a treatment-only product. It’s a lifestyle. You use it every single diaper change, rash or no rash.
Nighttime Guilt (Let’s Talk About It)
Even after becoming consistent with zinc cream, rashes still showed up, especially in the mornings. And yes, mostly because of night-time diapers.
Now let me say this clearly: Being a deep sleeper does not make you a bad mom.
If your baby is sleeping peacefully and not complaining, you do not need to wake them (and yourself) up for a diaper change every hour. Babies need sleep. Mothers need sanity. That said, longer diaper time + moisture = rash’s favorite environment. So yes, the rashes returned.
Welcome to the Washing Era
That’s when I upgraded my routine. I decided to wash the baby’s bum with water at every diaper change, whenever I was home. Game changer. Clean skin heals faster. But life happens. I like to go out. Sometimes the baby and I would be out all day. Washing with water everywhere isn’t exactly practical, so I relied on fragrance-free, water-based wipes. But wipes leave moisture and so zinc cream doesn’t stay properly.
Drying the area properly before applying zinc cream is essential. Pat dry. Air dry. Sing a song. Do a little dance. Just make sure it’s dry. Also, small rant:
Why don’t we have oil-based wipes that moisturize while cleaning? Maybe they exist. I haven’t found them yet. If you know please tell me (Write to Us).
Soap, Poop, and Reality
Now let’s talk about soap. If you have a baby like mine who is a certified poop machine, then yes, using a mild, baby-safe soap after every poop can actually be helpful. Not aggressively. Not scrubbing. Just gentle cleaning. Poop is irritating to the skin, and sometimes water alone doesn’t cut it.
Not All Zinc Creams Are Created Equal
I also learned another important lesson: zinc cream texture matters.
I tried several zinc creams. The lighter, lotion-like ones felt nice but didn’t stay on the skin long enough to do their job. The rash would come back quickly. The creams that worked best were: Thick and sticky, felt like they were actually staying put. Yes, they’re messier. Yes, they take effort to remove. But they create a proper barrier, and that’s what you want.
What Finally Worked for Us
Here’s my final mom-approved routine:
- Zinc cream at every diaper change
- Always dry the area completely
- Wash with water whenever possible
- Use mild soap after poop (especially frequent ones)
- Choose thick zinc creams, not light ones
- Be kind to yourself: this is a learning process
Diaper rash is one of those parenting things no one really prepares you for. You learn by doing. You make mistakes. You adjust. And one day, you realize, you’ve got this. And if you don’t today, that’s okay too. Tomorrow is another diaper change
If you are also a warrior of diaper rash battle please share your strategy with us
Felice Bambino 
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