The concern you feel when you peel back your baby’s nappy and see bright red skin is nauseating. Nappy rash can strike at any time; from tiny newborns to teething toddlers.
There used to be a cream on the market called Metanium, affectionately referred to as ‘yellow bum cream.’ It was miraculously effective at clearing up sore bums. At the first sign of redness, a tiny dab of that stuff would sort it out. Alas, a few months ago, word spread that Metanium was being discontinued. Supposedly, the manufacturer had difficulty sourcing some key ingredients. Whatever the reason, panic ensued, with parents desperately trying to get their hands on one last tube.
The cheeky manufacturer of yellow bum cream has actually repackaged an alternative product called ‘Everyday Cream’ to make it look like the old reliable, but unfortunately, it’s not the same stuff at all. Original Metanium was in a league of its own. Parents have flooded Letterkenny Babies Facebook page with questions about possible alternatives for treating nappy rash. A recent question on the topic garnered one hundred and sixty responses!
Lots of remedies were offered and it goes without saying that any well-meaning suggestions need to be carefully considered by parents to judge if they are suitable for their child.
One parent wrote; “The best remedy I found was to make a chamomile tea with a spoonful of manuka honey. When the tea has cooled, soak a piece of cotton material; I cut up an old t-shirt. Ring it out and place on the skin overnight with the nappy on top. The chamomile will soothe the skin and reduce the redness and the honey has antiseptic and antibacterial properties.”
Many others suggested egg whites. “Paste it over her bum and try to leave the nappy off till it completely dries in. Don’t use any kind of wipes, not even the water wipes. Try keeping her nappy off as much as you can.”
Others urged caution with the egg white approach, in case the child has an egg allergy! “Please be careful if you try the egg white method. From experience, I got an awful fright within seconds of applying it. My child came out in a rash that spread all over her body. It turned out that she was allergic to raw egg. This was confirmed by an allergy test afterwards.”
Baking soda was another popular home remedy; “Try sitting her in a lukewarm bath with baking soda for a good fifteen minutes.” An epsom salt bath was also recommended. Applying cornflour or dry starch was also mentioned frequently, as was liquid paraffin.
There are plenty of over the counter options to try too; Weleda, drapolene, bepanthen, Aldi Mamia nappy cream, conotrane, aquaphor baby healing ointment, calendula, sudosalve and sprilon spray and Duffy’s healfast cream all got votes. Some of those, I’ve never even heard of, but they might be worth looking into if you’re currently in your nappy rash era!
Many parents warned that fungal nappy rash may need a specific prescription cream and that sometimes, professional medical advice is required to treat nappy rash effectively, despite our best efforts.
There’s a final product that lots of parents swear by that has been around for years: “Have you tried caldesene powder? It is really good!”
To any parents in the trenches without beloved yellow bum cream, I don’t envy you! But hopefully you’ll find something that works among all the suggestions offered.
Louise Flanagan is an admin of Letterkenny Babies Facebook page and the author of the children’s book series, Dragonterra and Dream Beasts. www.dragonterra.ie
