Baking soda is a blend of sodium and bicarbonate ions. Because it easily dissolves in water, it is often used in many cleaning and oral hygiene products. Baking soda is used to get rid of bad odor, acidity, and bacteria. These properties are part of the reason that baking soda is so useful for use on the skin, especially for babies who are bothered by different conditions.
Another reason why baking soda for diaper rash is recommended is that it is known to be hypoallergenic. Unlike generic cheap non organic creams or ointments, there are no chemical additives or preservatives added to your baby’s bath. Additionally, you can keep adding baking soda to your baby’s bathwater as long as needed without the worry of overdose or adverse side effects.
Baking Soda Bath To Treat Diaper Rash
Moist, warm, and damp conditions make your baby’s diaper a perfect place for germs and bacteria to breed and multiply. This, in turn, can cause red rashes (diaper rash). Or, your baby’s sensitive skin may be irritated with frequent friction from the diaper. Both of these situations can be soothed by baking soda.
Preparing Your Baking Soda Bath For Diaper Rash
Baking soda, as mentioned earlier, is typically natural and hypoallergenic. However, just like any new product, always perform a skin test before preparing a baking soda bath for diaper rash. Place a small amount of baking soda paste or solution to a portion of the baby’s skin and observe for 24 hours. If no swelling or irritation appears, you can proceed to prepare the baby’s baking soda bath to help relieve his diaper rash.
Baking Soda Bath Instructions
A baking soda bath for diaper rash can gently remove germs and bacteria that irritate your baby’s soft skin. To use baking soda for diaper rash, take 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda and dissolve it in lukewarm water. Once fully dissolved, put your baby in the bathwater and soak the affected area for approximately 10 minutes. Baking soda in a bath for diaper rash may or may not work immediately, but you will notice relief from the itching and irritation. The redness or swelling will also disappear.
When finished, gently dry the affected area and apply an organic moisturizer made for babies. You may also use aloe vera or zinc oxide ointment during a diaper change. This will serve as a moisture barrier and lessen irritation when they urinate or defecate.
Other Baking Soda Bath Uses And Benefits for Babies
A baking soda bath can be useful for your babies overall health and wellness. It can also be used to treat the following conditions:
Psoriasis
Medicated baths are very soothing and helpful for both babies and adults with psoriasis. Individuals suffering from psoriasis symptoms often resort to oatmeal baths to help ward off itchiness and reduce inflammation. Adding one-and-a-half cups of baking soda to an oatmeal bath and three gallons of bathwater can help further reduce itchiness and other symptoms. Your baby can benefit from soaking in the bath. Or have the solution applied to their skin using a washcloth. Use a natural moisturizer that contains organic ingredients after the bath.
Nail infections and other Fungal skin irritations
Experts recommend baking soda as a helpful antifungal agent that helps fight various fungal strains that invade and infect human nails and skin. People with nail fungus (even babies) often find relief by periodically soaking their feet and hands in a baking soda mixture. Since babies tend to put their fingers and nails inside their mouths, applying a chemical-based topical medicine may do more harm than good. Baking soda is natural and hypoallergenic. Of course, parents are still advised to see a doctor. But soaking the infected fingers in baking soda may keep it from spreading and offer immediate relief to any discomfort the child might be feeling.
Eczema
Eczema, like psoriasis, can lead to very dry, botched, itchy, and inflamed skin patches. Seasonal flare-ups can be very painful for your little ones because the irritated areas can be very itchy. A baby may scratch the area, breaking the skin barrier. Scratching can create small open wounds that are susceptible to infection. Baking soda can help stop eczema flare-ups or reduce the irritation faster. Add one-fourth to one-and-a-half cups of baking soda to the child’s warm bath to help soothe dry, scaly, and itchy skin. Do not forget to moisturize the baby’s skin later. Babies with eczema require extra skincare, so make sure you have an organic baby moisturizer on hand.
Yeast infections
A lot of people contract yeast infections, and babies are no exception. Symptoms like swelling and itching can be quite uncomfortable. A baking soda bath may help the discomfort of a yeast diaper rash in babies and yeast infection. Even older children can benefit from a baking soda bath, as older children can develop yeast infections as well. A medical study even bolstered these findings by stating that baking soda can kill Candida cells. These are the fungal cells that are responsible for yeast infections [1].
Urinary tract infection or UTI
A UTI results in painful and burning sensations when one urinates. This health condition is caused by added acidity in the urinary tract. It can occur in both adults and children. Babies are extra vulnerable to developing UTIs because they are wearing diapers all the time. Both cloth diapers and disposable diapers are favorite places for bacteria to breed. Sometimes, if a baby’s diaper is not changed immediately, the excrement may have time to settle in the baby’s sensitive areas.
Baking soda baths can help reduce pain and any discomfort caused by the UTI. Place one-fourth cup of baking soda in your baby’s and let him soak for about 15-30 minutes.
Chickenpox
Chickenpox can lead to itching and other skin irritations which can feel torturous for young children, and babies. A warm baking soda bath can provide much-needed relief. Dissolve one to two cups of baking soda in a lukewarm bath. Soak for about 10-20 minutes three times a day for best results.
Outdoor Hazards
Poison ivy, sumac, or poison oak.
Baking soda can likewise facilitate healing of rashes which are caused by touching certain poisonous plant types. You can give children a baking soda bath if they come in contact with toxic plants. The bath will help prevent the skin from further absorbing oils that can lead to skin rashes. Furthermore, baking soda can help bring the swelling and itching down. Put one-half to a full cup of baking soda in a tub filled with lukewarm water. Adding oatmeal to the bath can also help relieve the itching.
A Last Word About Baking Soda Bath For Diaper Rash
Even without adding baking soda to your bathwater, soaking in a warm bath has valuable therapeutic effects. It warms muscles, releases toxins from the pores, and helps people to calm down and relax after a long and tiring day.
That said, incorporating this ingredient into a bath can offer relief from infection, irritation, or itching. A baking soda bath for diaper rash is one of its important applications.
The addition of baking soda enhances the water’s ability to heal and soothe the muscles and skin. Once dissolved in water, baking soda’s inherent properties can work on skin, making it an excellent cleanser.
If a bath is not enough to offer your baby relief, baking soda paste may be applied to a specific area that needs to heal.
