Abracadabra6 Reasons to treat your toddlers nappy rash with cornflour

When I told my son’s carers at daycare not to use nappy rash cream on him, they asked why. I told them that we don’t use it at home, which is true. What were they to do when he had a rash was their next question. I wasn’t sure how to answer that one. Up until then, I was using coconut oil, which provided my little man with a little relief but not as much as I would have liked. Without a solid reply, what could I say? So I yielded and agreed that if he got a rash and it was causing him great discomfort, they could arm themselves, and his bum, with the chemist bought stuff. In reply, they mentioned that another mother at the centre some years ago had insisted that they use cornflour on her tot.

That day, I went to the shop and bought cornflour, and I haven’t looked back.



Disclaimer:
Before you read on, I’m assuming you know what nappy rash is and what it looks like. But, be warned, a rash or sore red skin in the nappy area may not be what it seems. Other conditions, such as eczema, allergies, or infections can also cause nappy rash like symptoms. So, if you’re unsure, it’s not a bad idea to consult with your doctor and verify what it is you’re dealing with. This is particularly important if you’re dealing with a yeast infection. Why? Because the yeast that causes thrush apparently feasts on cornflour. And that’s definitely not the direction you want to take.

Remember, too, that each child is different. Even the skin of each child may behave differently at different times. When a child is sick, for example, they may be more susceptible to developing nappy rash than they ordinarily would be.

In any case, here are five reasons I use cornflour and nothing else to treat nappy rash.

Number 1: It works!
People often cry miracle this and miracle that, but I’m only posting this because I’ve seen it work. Chemist bought powders, creams, lotions, and potions might work too, but there are many reasons I steer clear of those. You may want to as well. In which case, give cornflour a go. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you’ll notice results.

Number 2: It’s Multi-purpose
Cornflour serves many purposes. Whether you’ve used if for cooking, cleaning, or taking the funk out of funky shoes, you’ve probably got some stored in the kitchen or laundry right now. Pull it out and try it out. Remember, unless it’s thrush you’re dealing with, you’ve got nothing to lose.

Number 3: It’s cheap
Cornflour is inexpensive. In fact, you can buy a whole kilo of cornflour for just $3.80 (AUD). Regardless of how big your little one’s bum is, that’s a whole lot of surface area covered. Alternatively, you could pay for other remedies. One popular and commonly available medicated nappy rash cream, which will remain nameless, will cost you $5.80 per one hundred grams. Living on a budget as I imagine most of us are? It just makes sense to do the swap.

Number 4: It’s safe
Unless you’re dealing with thrush or some other kind of yeast infection (yes, I will keep repeating this), cornflour is a safe alternative to readily available nappy rash creams, ointments, and powders. When you buy cornflour, you buy only cornflour. When you buy readily available nappy rash creams, you’re more than likely buying a list of ingredients that numbers into the teens. I concede that I don’t know a whole lot about the nappy rash products available for sale at the time of writing this, but I prefer to K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Silly) because I’m quite disillusioned with advertisers and their many claims. I also fancy the idea of steering clear of products I can’t eat. "If it’s not safe enough to eat, it’s not safe enough to put on my skin" remains an ideal.

Number 5: Have a laugh
At ours, we call cornflour “Magic Powder”. It puts a smile on the little one’s face, and we parents think it’s amusing — albeit a little inappropriate.

Number 6: Reduce your carbon footprint
While I have absolutely no scientific evidence for this claim, I’m going to claim it anyway. Surely it stands to reason that the production and distribution of a product comprised of a single ingredient causes less harm than the production and distribution of a product comprised of many ingredients. I could be wrong, but so what? I’ve just given you five other great reasons to use cornflour for nappy rash!

Huzza! Or should I say, “Abracadabra!”? Now that's what I call a recipe for a happy baby!




Sources:

- 13 Surprising Uses For Cornstarch | Care2 Healthy Living. 2016. 13 Surprising Uses For Cornstarch | Care2 Healthy Living. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/13-surprising-uses-for-cornstarch.html. [Accessed 28 July 2016].
- Parenting and Child Health - Health Topics - Nappy rash. 2016. Parenting and Child Health - Health Topics - Nappy rash. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=114&np=304&id=1677. [Accessed 28 July 2016].


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