Baby Yeast Infections???

Hi M., Even though you may have heard this already, I suggest you discontinue using baby powder. Frankly I never used powder with my girls. I think it just makes more of a problem than it solves. I will also suggest that you try the old fashoined remedy of a tea bath. Using regular tea bags you make a warm bath and let the baby play/soak in the tea. No soap then pat dry. Tea has healing properties for rashes. This was recommended to my by my doctor when my youngest had an unidentifiable and unresponsive to meds rash. We have used it many times over the years with amazing success. No, it doesn't stain the skin or the tub. It only takes about 4 tea bags or 2 iced tea sized to make a bath and after a couple of baths you should begin to see a change...sometimes after the first one! If the rash is really bad you may want to bath a couple of times a day until you see possitive change. Best wishes.

Hi M.,

My 17 month old daughter has had several and we are very familiar with yeast problems. I have systemic candida (yeast overgrowth throughout my body). The only things that have helped my daughter are lotrim (in the morning & at bedtime). We only use that for the first 4 days or so b/c it's pretty powerful. Then, the biggest help is to cut all (and we cut ALL) sugar and breads out of her food for a few weeks. (she is on toddler formula so that does have some sugar, but she needs the formula. The yeast thrives on sugar/more yeasts in bread. She loves meat & veggies, so skipping the fruits doesn't seem to bother her. I also give her a powder form of probiotics. Health food stores sell them specifically for kids these days. I add that to her bottle/sippy cup. I also keep her diaper off every once in a while for the first days of it when it's really red. These are things that have helped us. I hope you benefit as well..take care :)

My daughter is 13 months and gets them every time she cuts a tooth. Our doc told us to put Lotrimin on it twice a day and it usually starts to clear up in a day or two.

Lotrimin is good, but I agree with the poster that said maybe it just hasn't gone away enitrely. Fungal infections are tough to get rid of sometimes, especially in a place like a diaper area that is always moist. Ask your doc if there is a prescription cream that may work faster at getting rid of it. Just be careful if it is a steroid cream, using too much can thin the skin over time.
I would also make sure to wash the area with an antibacterial soap (I like white Dial) and be sure to dry the area completely before putting on the diaper. If you could leave him nude for as long as possible, that may help dry it out even more. Time to break out the "changing pad as tummy time mat"!
Also, I agree with the baby powder. I prefer cornstarch since it does not "cloud up" as much as regular baby powder.
I would be concerned, it's not JUST something that happens, although it DOES happen often. Just one of those things that probably needs a doctor's assistance to make go away! Wouldn't it be great if mommies could fix everything, instead of just MOST things?? :)

sorry I know that you have already given an update on this but a friend of mine got them very often as a child and she ended up cutting sugar out of her diet, she uses honey instead. She does this for her daughters also.

I took the advice of my dr. who stays away from baby powder. The less you mess with natural chemistry the better. I didn't even always wipe if her skin was dry. She didn't have a diaper rash until about 14 months ( a month after she started with a sitter--cause or coincidence? We'll never know).
Martha

One friend got a prescription cream from a dermatologist for her son's yeast infection (bum area) - it worked for a few months and is no longer. I've told her about my other friend's experience.

My other friend's son with yeast infection (bum area), treated it a few ways: probiotics in her diet (breastfed), probiotics in pumped bottles, compound ointment from compound pharmacist. It was gone in 6wks and has not returned in over 6mos.

Good luck!!

My 14 month old daughter has the same thing. She never had diaper rash at all until she was almost 1 year. That rash was fungal and her bottom looked like it was on fire. She even got open sores. The doctor told me to put Lotrimen cream on 2x/day. It cleared up and then came back within a few weeks. They gave a whole diaper changing "regimen" with perscription antifungal cream, nystatin ointment, and hydrocortisone cream. They also recommended using Butt Paste (I had been using Desitin creamy). In the past 6 weeks or so her rash has gotten better and flared back up several times (proabably almost once/week). So the medicaiton is helping, but it just keeps coming back. She sees the doctor again in a couple weeks so I am going to ask again at that point. Since she is walking, letting her go without a diaper is tough, but I did that when the weather was warmer (let her run around outside) and it honestly didn't help at all. I find that it seems to get worse when the poop is against her skin rather than pee. I only use wipes when she poops- if it is just pee I pat her very gently with a dry washcloth to avoid irritating the area. I also thought that maybe it was something with the diapers, but haven't seen an improvement after changing diapers. I would definitely contact your doctor and start using an anti-fungal cream (like Lotrimen which is over the counter). Other than that, I don't have a whole lot of advice- just wanted you to know that you are not alone- we are experiencing the same thing. Oh, and the reason they don't reccomend baby powder anymore is because babies can breathe it in and it's not good for them.

My daughter had the same issue at one point, she just kept getting the yeast infection over and over again. I was able to clear it up by using the OTC lotrimin cream at every diaper change for at least 2 weeks I think it was. I second the airing out and baby powder advice too!

Are you the only one caring for her?

Hi, M.:

Ask the Doc for Vusion cream for the diaper rash.

Get some Young Living Lavendar Essential Oil and put a few drops in his bath water.

Hope this helps. Good luck. D.

Hi M.,
Don't use talc baby powder. If powder is needed, use cornstarch powder, or just straight cornstarch you find in the baking section. Also, avoid sugar for him. If you're breastfeeding, avoid sugary and starchy foods yourself. If he's on to babyfoods, avoid too many fruits and mixed cereals as they contain a lot of sugar. Best of luck to you!

My one daughter was prone to them too. This seems a little strange but I used to blow dry her bottom after I changed her diaper. This worked since yeast does not like dry areas.

My daughters always got yeast rashes - I don't think they ever had a diaper rash - not sure why some children seem more prone to them - I just used Lotrimin and they did fine

I remember being in your boat...some of my children never had a problem, some did. Each child is different.

With my children who were more prone, I would keep a tube of lotrimin handy and use it diligently at the first sign of infection until it was cleared up. It was much easier to control if I didn't wait until it turned into a full-blown infection first. I ended up needing to use lotrimin often with my children who were more prone. I used all the same prevention techniques with all my children, but some just had more sensitive skin...

Best wishes!

This may seem odd, but I thought I would tell you anyways....The infection has never gone away completely(hence why he has had it for months).
Put plain yogurt on the affected areas. Pro biotics(will get rid of the infection).
I will not use baby powder(my now 4 yr old only has 1 yeast infection, and 1 reg rash).
I use all of this with my daycare kids, and all my kids are good to go.