Diaper rash every Monday

[sunnydays]

I have a child who has been in my care for five weeks now and things are going well, but every Monday she comes with a diaper rash and sometimes in the mornings during the week as well. It always gets better throughout the day when she is with me. I know that her mom said she gets a rash from wipes, so they rinse the soap off the wipes and use them that way. At daycare they have sent cloth wipes (she uses cloth diapers and I prefer the cloth wipes as I use them for my own child), but I think sometimes they are forgetting to rinse the wipes they are using. Today she was crying when I wiped her bottom because of the rash. I have mentioned it before to the mom, but how can I broach this subject without sounding accusitory?

[playfelt]

It sounds like they are trying to save by not changing any more often than they absolutely need to. So why is she sending cloth wipes to you and not using them herself? Tell mom you need liners for the cloth diapers and cream for the bum and I know it makes a mess of the cloth diapers but the liner does help. Not much you can do for the child. Is there any chance they are using disposable diapers at home such as overnight or are they out all weekend here and there and using them. If the child reacts to the wipes then she likely really reacts to disposable diapers. You could just come out and ask How much time does childX spend in disposable diapers? By mom's reaction you will be able to tell if it is never, sometimes, etc. I'm sure. That is certainly the first reason to address. Next would be the need for cream to be applied at least a couple times a day such as bedtime and morning. Third would be trying to find out how often child is changed. Ask something like I'm really not sure how often I should be changing her diaper. How often do you change her after she goes home in the evening or on weekends. Assuming you get the answer that translates into not often enough then just make a comment back like oh ok that explains why she often has diaper rash in the mornings. She probably needs an extra diaper change (insert a suggested time here). Then change the subject. Your point has been made in general chitchat in a non accusatory way. Let mom take it the way she wants. But do not comment in the next few weeks if there is an improvement. Just know that mom took your advise. If you say it is better she may go back to her old ways.

[Emilys4Guppies]

I also cloth diaper my children.

I would not use a cream with my diapers, my preference, because I've had a hard time getting it out even with liners. I would just change more often...which you have to do with cloth anyway. Maybe they don't know that? What about naked time? How old is baby?

Or, maybe it's the material too? My third reacted to unnatural fibres...I couldn't use fleece, such as pocket diapers, because it caused a rash.

[sunnydays]

I use cloth too, but haven't really noticed any huge problem with the creams, although my daughter rarely gets rashes...only if she's had diahrea in which case I often switch to disposables until it passes. And yes, you do have to change them more often. As I said, the rash gets a lot better when she is with me because I change her often and use the cloth wipes. She is 13 months now and tends to wet heavily so if I don't change her often, it soaks through and I have to change her pants too. This never happens with my daughter...maybe it's the kind of diaper.

[Play and Learn]

Some dcparents at the past daycare center I worked at found that Pampers tends to give rashes because of the perfume used in it. I suggested that they switch to the Costco brand, Kirkland. Rashes went away!

[mamaof4]

poor baby! I would ask for liners for the diapers and lather her up in cream.

[mom-in-alberta]

Is it normal diaper rash, or do you think it might be something more? My son used to get yeast infections in his diaper area. And unless treated (usually topically) they will likely not go away, easily anyway.
I could always tell because it looked a little different. More of a pinprick looking type, and it would get so bad it would bleed. And of course, it was itchy as all get out for him. He was always rubbing at it, or trying to. A little guy in my care just had the same thing, too. I mentioned to his mom what I thought it might be, and sure enough 2 days after she used an antifungal cream, he was pretty much good as new!
Just thought I would mention, as I never would have thought of that before my own boy had it. AND: it can be passed pretty easily to yourself, ick. Nobody wants that!

[sunnydays]

Thanks for everyone's input! I will see how things are this coming Monday and take it from there. For now it has gone away and I have been mentioning it every time I notice it, so the mom knows I am aware. I don't think it's yeast just because it does get better throughout the week.

[Judy Trickett]

Hmmm.....any chance they are using disposables at night so they don't have to change her midway through the night???