Easy Guide to Diaper Rashes

I get a lot of questions about diaper rashes; I also see these questions a lot on parenting forums.  What seems like a complicated baby problem can actually be quite easy.  In my experience, there are 3 main reasons for/causes of diaper rashes.  Of course, there are a couple of other minor players in this game (like abscesses, staph infection, etc.), but they are not nearly as common.  Be forewarned, this post does include pictures of butts!

Diaper Rash #1: The Eczema Rash

A very common and often overlooked cause of diaper rashes in babies is an allergy, either food or environmental.  It has a very distinct look from other diaper rashes; it is usually patchy, shiny in some spots, and smooth.  It often has the appearance of lines going through it as well.

With my fifth baby, his eczematic rash was accompanied by reflux (lots of spitting up) and once in a while projectile vomiting.  These symptoms were verification that his diaper rash was from a food-related sensitivity or allergy to something I was eating (since he was exclusively breastfed).  Whenever I would eat the offending food, his next feeding would result in spitting up.  Then about 3 hours or so later, his poo from that food would cause the eczematic diaper rash.

Since many moms report this problem being caused by a dairy sensitivity or allergy, that was the first food I eliminated.  It was easy to see after just a short period of time that it was definitely not dairy, so I cut out corn.  I noticed he spit up more when I ate homemade pizza, which is another reason I thought it was dairy at first.  The only common denominator to our pizzas and some of the other offending meals was the cornstarch I was using to thicken the sauce.  (I was making Alfredo-sauce pizzas--mmmm. . . )

Once I cut that out, I noticed that the baby did not spit up anymore AT ALL.  I thought spit up was common in babies, but the complete absence of it upon eliminating corn astounded me.  I noticed that even foods like whole wheat tortillas made with baking powder (which is made with cornstarch) would cause baby to spit up and have a rash as well.  At first, I couldn't believe that such a small ingredient would play such a major role in baby's problems.  But I figure that it was because of the condensed nature of this corn-based product.  (BTW: I was even using non-GMO cornstarch.)


If this sounds like problems you may be encountering with your baby, I suggest either doing an elimination diet or starting a food journal.  Record the foods you eat and put notations by the foods you notice cause your baby to have problems.  Find the common denominator and test it out!

If you find food is not the problem, you may need to look into environmental allergens.  I would start first with the diaper--conventional disposable diapers are loaded with chemicals that can trigger an auto-immune response.

And while you're dealing with baby's rash, I highly recommend Burt's Bees Diaper Ointment.  It is amazing!


One final note: Sometimes, The Runs Rash (see below) can turn into an eczematic-type rash after a period of time.  Then it is obvious that it is not an allergic reaction.




Diaper Rash #2: The Beasty Yeasty Rash
Diaper rashes from yeast infections are increasingly common and very difficult to get rid of unless you know what it is from.  With the use of antibiotics increasing, so are the instances of yeast rashes in babies.  Not only are they overly-prescribed, but antibiotics have found their way into our food supply and even flu shots.  Breastfeeding moms are often prescribed antibiotics for mastitis, and babies are given them for a variety of (often unnecessary) reasons.  And with sugar consumption also increasing, yeast is proliferating on a much grander scale in the general population's bodies, including babies and toddlers.

The diaper rash from yeast overgrowth (aka a yeast infection) appears as red, raised bumpy skin mostly over the genitalia but also spreading to other areas. It is similar in appearance to chicken pox but in some spots can be more solid where there are more dots in one place.

While most doctors (and parents) will resort to antibacterial creams (which may temporarily solve the rash problem but do not address the underlying health issue that originally caused the rash), there is a much easier and cheaper solution without side effects: Probiotics.  "Good" bacteria helps keep "bad" bacteria from overtaking our gut and intestines.  When there is too much "bad" bacteria, it begins to cause problems such as yeast overgrowth on our skin (which is one of the body's major detox pathways).  You can apply yogurt directly to baby's bottom or give it to them internally (stay away from the stuff with sugar though, ey?!).  You can also buy yogurt powder and mix in with some coconut oil for a DIY yeast rash cream!

Another very simple and even more inexpensive solution is to apply raw apple cider
vinegar with a cotton ball with each diaper change.  (You can find this at most grocery stores and all natural health food stores.  I prefer the Bragg's brand which is the only one that has been found to be truly raw.  In a pinch, however, regular ol' apple cider vinegar will do.)

Of course, this treatment will not help restore bacterial balance to the child's gut.  Remember: A yeast infection that presents itself as a diaper rash is much more than a diaper rash and needs proper attention.  Giving your child either a daily dose of acidophilus supplements (use as directed on package) or unsweetened yogurt/kefir will help address the problem.




Diaper Rash #3: The Runs Rash





The Runs Rash is named this around our house because it usually only appears when baby has an episode of diarrhea.  It can also happen with babies whose diapers are not changed frequently.  It is a bright red solid rash with very distinct boundary lines.  Fortunately, this is the easiest diaper rash to treat.  In addition to changing baby's diaper more frequently (and immediately after diarrhea), a zinc ointment like Burt's Bees diaper ointment will usually help cure the problem right away.

As I said before, there are of course other causes of diaper rash.  But since these are the three most common and the question of diaper rashes is also very common, I wanted to break it all down for everyone in a simple guide.  Do you have any natural diaper rash treatments you've found that work great?  Leave a comment and let us know!

So What Exactly Is Instinctual Breastfeeding? And How Old Is Too Old?

We know that breastmilk is the best first food for babies.  We know that it makes them stronger, smarter, healthier, and less likely to suffer from short- and long-term health problems.  We also already know that it keeps moms healthier by helping them recover completely after birth, reducing postpartum depression, lowering her risk of cancer, and more.  So what's the problem?  Why don't more women do it?  And how do we decide what's right, socially-speaking?

The problem, in my opinion, is simply the way America views breastfeeding.  Giving expectant moms a list of the benefits of breastfeeding is nice, but we need to start making it more socially acceptable.  I once read (and shared on Facebook) the following story about a captive gorilla learning to breastfeed and laughed, thinking that this was exactly what I was like with my first couple of children (as do millions of other mothers in America).

"In a nutshell, a gorilla raised in captivity got pregnant without ever being around other mother gorillas and their young. When her baby was born, she just plain didn't know what to do - would hold the baby close to her breast but facing the wrong way, and so forth. The zookeepers eventually had to intervene and artificially feed the baby.
When she became pregnant again, someone had an anthropologically intriguing idea. The zoo contacted the local chapter of La Leche League and had some members start going to the zoo with their babies, feeding them in front of the gestating gorilla so she could see how fellow primates did it. And when her baby was born, she ultimately was able to nurse. Even when she stumbled a bit at first, the LLL taught her by example, and she prevailed. It wasn't by convincing her with studies on the benefits of gorilla milk. It wasn't through guilt or judgement. It was just by example."


(Full article can be seen here: http://dou-la-la.blogspot.com/2011/02/nursing-in-captivity-on-bethenny.html?spref=fb)

I think many of us mothers in America are like the gorilla--we just need a better example than what's been set (or re-set) by our society.  Not only do I mean simply learning HOW to breastfeed but about the LENGTH of breastfeeding.  The general public is much more likely to criticize a woman publicly breastfeeding a toddler than they are a woman publicly breastfeeding a newborn. Why?  Unfortunately, it is because America's media--everything from the silver screen to comic books--has made us think a woman's breasts are purely for sex.  Even me saying the word "breasts" makes people uncomfortable.  Would this be so if they were used the way God meant for them to be used?

While we were living in Oklahoma, I heard a story of the news that I will have a hard time forgetting.  A breastfeeding mother was asked to cover herself while feeding her baby AT A WATER PARK FILLED WITH SKIMPY SWIMSUITS!

Women in remote tribes of Africa do not have media to tell them that their breasts are for sex.  They have not had decades of demoralization of women's breasts like we've had in America.  It's only considered inappropriate in places where breasts are considered for other purposes.  Take, for instance, that person who complains about a breastfeeding mom.  Chances are likely that the complaint is done by someone who sees breasts for purely sexual purposes.  (Duh, I know.)

Natural Age of Weaning
Consequently, this social perception of extended breastfeeding has succeeded in lowering the average age of weaning.  Many people say, As soon as they're old enough to walk. . ." or "Once they are old enough to help themselves. . ."

The natural age of weaning for thousands of years and currently in other countries is dramatically different from America.  Dr. Katherine Dettwyler from Texas A and M University's Department of Anthropology researched the various ages of weaning not only with humans but with other mammals.  Her goal was to come up with a set of predictions determining when human babies would naturally be weaned without social pressures, doctor's "advice," etc.  And since one of the themes of Healthy Families for God has been to return back to our God-given instinct, I thought her research is very helpful on this issue.

So what did she discover?  "A survey of 64 "traditional" studies done prior to the 1940s showed a median duration of breastfeeding of about 2.8 years, but with some societies breastfeeding for much shorter, and some for much longer."

(http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.html)

However, she goes on to note that because this is an average from so many different cultures, the average age of weaning in some cultures may be mere weeks, while others are 4 years or more.  If women in America were not so quick to give their babies formula, the normal age of weaning would be much higher.

Back To Nature

So what is the best length of time to breastfeed?  How often should toddlers nurse?  How long is just too long for toddlers to nurse?

In an effort to get back to a woman's instinctual nature (funny how our "instinct" can be so drowned out by culture that we have to re-learn it!) and answer these questions, I did some research.  I found a practice called "ecological breastfeeding."  Aside from its modern-day name, this instinctual method of breastfeeding has been put into use for thousands of years.  

This practice is not complicated, but it does involve throwing out everything society tells you about caring for an infant (and a toddler!).  Today in America, this practice is used collaboratively to ensure amenorrhea (absence of menstruation).  However, my purpose for studying it and describing it here is because it seems to be the most instinctual way of feeding our babies into toddlerhood.  It maintains the following feeding guidelines:

1.  Exclusive Breastfeeding For At Least Six Months.  Allowing the baby to increase mom’s milk supply by sometimes constant nursing during growth spurts is necessary for this to work.  Supplementing a demanding baby’s diet with formula will begin a gradual decline in breastmilk production and thus signal amenorrhea (absence of menstruation) to end.

2.  Pacify Baby With Breasts.  Allowing baby to be pacified and fall asleep while nursing is an essential component to this practice.  This is a difficult one.  Most moms are so busy today that it’s impossible to allow baby to be pacified at mother’s breast.  If it is not practiced, however, a mother can become pregnant again much sooner no matter how “busy” she already is!

3.  Don’t Use Bottles Or Pacifiers.  Another difficult one.  However, the extra sucking that should be taking place at the breast instead of on a pacifier is what helps the mother remain in amenorrhea.  (Some mothers, including myself, have successfully used a pacifier on occasion and continued to prevent menstruation.  But because it is very habit-forming, it can be shaky ground to tread.)

4.  Co-Sleeping with Baby.  Yes, this means the Family Bed.  For thousands of years, babies have slept safely and soundly next to their mother’s warm breast.  Many cultures still adhere to this practice and are found to remain in amenorrhea.  Research demonstrates that babies who sleep next to their mother’s awake more often for nighttime feedings.  This can also mean that they do not sleep through the night for the first year or so.  While many moms immediately think of this as a curse, a mother can either lose sleep over a little one for longer or over many of them right in a row.  This practice allows us and the baby with more bonding and cuddle time before another family member is born.

5.   Nap Time With Baby.  Cuddling with baby and nursing him to sleep during the day is another essential piece of this custom.  A nap will basically tell your body that you currently do not have the energy needed to care for another young one yet.

6.  Nurse Frequently and Avoid Nursing Schedules.  This one's a no-brainer, because scheduled nursing is obviously rooted in American culture!  It is perfectly natural for babies to nurse even constantly (every hour or more) during some stages of their growth.  My little one even uses it as pain relief for teething and just for general comfort.

7.  Avoid Mother/Baby Separation.  Baby goes everywhere with mom--another easy one to see how it can be tainted by our culture.  The physical contact between mom and baby maintains a constant release of hormones that keeps milk supply up and mom's menstruation away.  The best way I’ve discovered to do this is to make use of a traditional-style baby carrier, such as a Maya Wrap sling or Moby Wrap.

As stated earlier, these practices have more benefits than just delaying fertility.  I know these principles can be very difficult for today's American mother to follow.  I am providing them because for those of us who are interested, I believe they provide mom and baby with a breastfeeding relationship the way God meant for it to be, before Dr. Spock told us to let our babies cry it out and pacify themselves.

In the words of a friend, "Imagine me saying to my husband, after a long, hard day, 'I need a hug,' and he says, 'You need to learn to self-soothe. Stick your thumb in your mouth and when you're done being manipulative, you can come out of your bedroom.' Do you think that would endear us to one another? Please don't say, 'It's different when you're 33 than when you're 3.' "

You can see how the practice of instinctual, extended breastfeeding can affect much more than a child's physical health.  And that is why I am working on abandoning what society tells me about breastfeeding, including how old to wean a nursling, and working hard to get back to our Creator's original intention.  As always, I believe God's original design for things is the best way to go!

And for those who still don't want to see me breastfeeding my toddler in public, I'll leave you with the words of a breastfeeding advocate:

'Think "extended" breastfeeding (past 1 year) is wrong? Well, Michael Jordan was breastfed to age THREE. Same with Albert Einstein. Jesus Christ, even LONGER. The day YOU have six NBA Championship rings, a Nobel Prize in Physics and the ability to walk on water, we'll talk. Till then, put a cork in it.'

Tired of Being Tired? Come Awake!

Afternoon slump.  Chronic fatigue.  Insomnia.  Are you tired of being tired all the time?  There are many causes for this modern-day problem, but it’s important to tackle this issue for more than just the purpose of not feeling tired.

What is the biggest problem with being tired all the time?  Because a tired person is too worn out or exhausted to accomplish God’s plan for their life.  Before I figured out the foods that triggered sudden extreme fatigue, I remember feeling completely out of commission within an hour of eating it.  I was no good.  I fell asleep sitting up on the couch and the baby was crawling up the stairs.  I would feel like I was going to fall asleep driving.  But even more dangerous, I did not have the mental or physical energy to do God’s work--from small things like encouraging those around me to big things like stopping to share God’s love with that homeless man under the freeway overpass.

I think Satan knows this.  In fact, I’m pretty sure he does.  I’m pretty sure he uses whatever he can to get us so tired that we can’t even begin to bother ourselves with God’s daily work for us.  We become walking zombies that float through life without fulfilling our mission.

That is why I want to cover this incredibly common health problem.  There is work out there for us to do--good work that leads others to God, encourages others, fulfills our purpose, gives us joy, and stores up rewards for us in heaven.  So take a look at the common causes of this problem and see if you can carry out God’s plan for your life!

Diet
There are many ways the Standard American Diet can cause fatigue.  I’m not just talking about needing a little nap either.  I’m talking about the knock-out kinda feeling you get after eating a meal.  Here are a few of the common culprits found in our diet:

1.  Large meals.  Overeating is definitely a factor in a subsequent knock-out.  The trick to avoid this problem is to eat only until that first clue of being full appears.  Eat no more!  (As an added bonus, eating until just barely full or right before you feel full will also cause your stomach to shrink within a couple of weeks, making it impossible to overeat.  This is a great way to lose weight!)  Eat smaller meals and more snacks.

2.  Sugar.  Diets high in refined sugar cause a person’s insulin levels to spike and then suddenly drop, causing energy highs and lows.  Cut back on or cut out refined sugars.  (Check out our 30-day sugar challenge for help!)

3.  Processed Foods.  White foods (like enriched flour, pastas, white rice, white bread, etc.), fried foods, fast food meals, and other processed foods drain our body of energy because they are so difficult to digest.  They also often deplete our body of nutrients (rather than adding them back in like food is meant to do).  Work on gradually reducing your intake of processed foods while transitioning to whole foods (foods in their most natural state).  Fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and legumes give us natural energy, just the way God intended!  Hippocrates knew this thousands of years ago: “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.”  (Watch for an upcoming post: Diet Transition 101 for help on gradually changing and improving your diet to natural, whole foods.)

4.  Soy  Products made with soy, especially genetically-modified soy (which is all soy products not labeled as “organic”) were the major culprit I discovered in my cases of that knock-out fatigue.  I was eating chips and crackers made with soybean oil in the late morning and felt that fatigue kick in around lunch time.  Other than chips and crackers fried in soybean oil, other soy products include soy milk, tofu, and vegetarian “meats.”  After cutting out this ingredient in my diet for months, I tested my theory by consuming restaurant food (almost ALL restaurant foods are made using soybean oil)--Chipotle to be exact.  Sure enough, an overwhelming feeling of fatigue came over me just an hour or so later, and it didn’t leave for TWO DAYS!  Ugh.  I won’t do that again!

5.  Dehydration is a common and often overlooked cause of fatigue.  Even being mildly dehydrated can cause a feeling of sleepiness.  Dehydration can reduce blood flow to organs, slowing down your brain--and you along with it.  To determine exactly how much water you need to drink each day, take your weight and divide it in half.  That is the number of ounces of clean (fluoride- and chlorine-free) water you need to be drinking each day.

Imbalanced Gut

Experts say at least 70 percent of your health is in your gut.  It contains one-half of your entire body’s nerve cells, so your health lies completely dependent on the condition of your gut.  A poor diet and use of prescription drugs, especially antibiotics, is the quickest way to destroy that condition.  In fact, that’s why it’s so common for people with neurological disorders like autism and schizophrenia to also suffer from bowel problems.  An imbalanced gut is a major cause of depression.

An imbalanced gut is also very likely to cause malabsorption problems.  When our bodies do not absorb the vitamins it does consume, a person usually becomes deficient in one or more nutrients.  Anemia is one that is very common in this situation and is a very familiar reason for fatigue.

Knowing these things, it’s easy to see how our gut health can affect our energy levels.  Consequently, a healthy diet and a good source of daily probiotics (good bacteria) is essential to a life with energy!

INACTIVITY

Exercise is a natural energy-booster.  Most recently, it was even discovered in one study to boost energy levels and strength to fight cancer in breast cancer patients on chemotherapy.  More than 90 percent of studies done on this topic proved that sedentary people who completed a regular exercise program improved fatigue compared to people who did not exercise.  The studies also proved that exercise has a better effect on energy levels than medications.

Another study also discovered that participants who exercised regularly also fell asleep much easier at night and stayed sleeping better than those who did not exercise regularly.

Unfortunately, if diet issues are not addressed, many people will not even have enough energy to think about exercising.  In addition to making dietary changes, you can start by turning off the television!

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS/SLEEP AIDS

As a result of these lifestyle factors, many insomniacs resort to prescription drugs and over-the-counter sleep aids to help them sleep rather than addressing the underlying problem.  While these remedies may work at first, research is proving that they do more damage in the long run.

In fact, the U.S. FDA has had evidence for over 15 years that over-the-counter sleep aids such as Tylenol PM don’t offer significant benefits to consumers.  They are found to offer only slightly better results than placebos.

Prescription selections like Ambien have been proven to be effective for only about two weeks.  They also cause people to gain weight, eat while sleeping, increase a person’s risk of getting in a traffic accident, and increase drowsiness throughout the day.  (Ambien ranks among the top 10 drugs found in the bloodstream of impaired drivers.)  As a final and very dangerous side effect, these drugs are also addictive.

STRESS

Stress, worry, and anxiety can be directly attributed to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, headaches, stomach ulcers, lowered immune function, insomnia, diarrhea, and yes--chronic fatigue.  While the average American is likely to brush off the health warnings of this type of lifestyle, King Solomon knew of the link between our emotional health and our physical health thousands of years ago:

Proverbs 14:30: A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones.

Proverbs 3:7-8 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.  This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Sometimes, we stress ourselves out over the future.  God is in control of that.  Jeremiah 29:11 says, “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’”  Proverbs 16:9 says, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” (NLT)  No amount of worrying about our future will change the outcome.  I guess it will, in fact, since it will adversely affect our physical health.  But it will definitely not affect it in a positive way.

Sometimes, we stress ourselves out over what other people are doing.  The Bible says in Matthew 7:2, “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

The only cure to this is God--trusting Him, giving Him control, relinquishing judgment and vengeance to Him, and believing His plans for the future.  We were not meant to go partake this difficult journey of life on Earth alone.  If you do not have a one-on-one relationship with God, I encourage you to pray and seek Him.  The next verse of Jeremiah 29 (12-13) tells us the Lord then says, “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

LACK OF PURPOSE

Like stress, living without a sense of purpose can drain the physical and emotional energy of someone completely out in a short period of time.  We were created for a purpose and true life can only be found in fulfilling that purpose.

But what happens when we don’t know that purpose, or even believe that there is only one specific purpose for our lives?  Fatigue.  Depression.  Lack of joy.

Andrei Bitov, a Russian novelist, grew up under an atheistic Communist regime.  But God got his attention one dreary day.  He recalls, “In my twenty-seventh year, while riding the metro in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) I was overcome with a despair so great that life seemed to stop at once, preempting the future entirely, let alone any meaning.  Suddenly, all by itself, a phrase appeared: Without God life makes no sense.  Repeating it in astonishment, I rode the phrase up like a moving staircase, got out of the metro and walked into God’s light.”  (Excerpt from The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren)

Colossians 1:16 says, “Everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.”  (MSG)  As Rick Warren says, “We discover that meaning and purpose only when we make God the reference point of our lives.”


So what will you do?  Will you wake up and fulfill God’s purpose for your life?  It’s worth far more than anything else you could pursue!  As the following song says, “Come awake, let us rise up from the grave!”