Just switched to reusables and getting terrible nappy rash. Why?

[HappyCatandIzzy]

I don't know what to do for the best. My DD has never had nappy rash before, but today she pooed in her new reusable nappy for the first time and got a horrid rash very fast. She wasn't sat in it for more than a few minutes but the skin is red with white marks that look like blisters. Should I give up on the reusables (only been using them 3 days) or does this sometimes happen when you switch from disposables?

Obviously her health comes first, but having spent £100 on reusables I really want to make sure it's not a normal reaction, or something I might have done wrong. Am I putting them on right and washing them right?

Are you using a liner?
Did you use too much detergent maybe?

I'd like to reassure you but BabyDragon suffers from bad nappyrash with reusables. We have to revert to disposables every few days and at night to give her skin a break.

Check the detergent - liquid washes out better than powder, and only just 1/4-1/2 of the normal amount.

What liners are you using too? Fleece doesn't suit all babies.

Oooh, that reminds me Flame... Are the Swaddlebees pocket nappies lined with cotton rather than fleece? (and did you know that if you google Swaddlebees, your site comes up in the "sponsored links" right at the top )

Hurrah and... erm... will go check

Organic velour (embarrassing thing is it has never occurred to me why Emrys is fine in those)

So, tell me about the advisory part of your nappy site... [snigger]

I've toyed with getting soe on and off for ages because if the cotton. It annoys me that I'd have to get the inserts too when I have lots of BumGenius ones though...

I would also say possibly too much detergent, I have to 'strip' mine (wash all detergent out) every few weeks or the buildup does this to DD.
Also I put a couple in with a wash and MIL put fabric conditioner in when I wasn't looking and they really gave her bad rash.

You dont say how old your DD is? could it be just the poo that does it as DD's teething poo is like acid, or if she has had a curry!

They are much smaller than any other pockets, which is good for slim fit, but crap for inserts

DD is 9 months and she is currently cutting a tooth, but this tooth has been coming through for a while so if it was her poo would she have got nappy rash in a disposable too?

It could be the detergent. I'll try using less when I wash them this time.

Her rash has gone down loads through the evening so as long as I notice when she poos we should be ok.

Thanks

A couple of people also recommended I try using silk liners to stop the rash but I never got round to it.

Oddly enough, DD was around 9 or 10 months when she developed "cloth nappy rash". I finally twigged what it was when I used disposables at my parents house and it disappeared. The rash disappeared, not the house...

Disappearing house would be sooooooooo much cooler

I've heard a rash is quite common when changing from one type to another. dd gets a bit red if i put her in a disposable now. she has only had a rash like you describe when teething though. Um try less detergent/various liners etc like people have said. also changing her more regularly until her skin gets used to the change.

swaddlebees pocket with velour lining sounds a bit lush... does it do the wicking wee away from the skin thing?

btw, my ds3's almost constant, sometimes flaring, rash and apparent exzema on willy have improved a lot by moving to cloth

yup - mine also wicked all over his troos first few outings and i hated it - he changed shape now though and it fits and works a treat, the velour goes hard but a good rub softens it up again real nice - i find mine stains more than fleec or suedecloth....

hmmmm....

(suedecloth rings a bell now you mention it... have i ordered something of that ilk from somewhere?? really must keep track!)

HCI, my DS is nearly 10mo and has been cutting a tooth for ages too (Like a month - 6 weeks. Today it finally appeared - hurrah!) He got bad nappy rash when put in a disposable for a one of - so the reverse of what you did really. I've noticed he gets a red bum if but in disposables now, just must be his skin has got used to cloth (though won't be telling MIL that, just that she needs to use cloth more )

Disposables keep baby's bum dry.... cloth nappies leave bums wet and the skin is not used to it. Try using fleece liners which really helps, and putting a few drops of tea tree oil directly onto the nappy before putting it on to clear up the nappy rash. It should clear up pretty fast - dd also gets teething poo nappy rash tho so it could well be a factor aswell!

My DD's bottom really cleared up when we swapped to cloth nappies but we also changed the nappies frequently, used nappies with a suadecloth inner and gave her plenty of nappy off time.

NB. We only used nappies full time between her being a few weeks old and 5 months.