There are many diaper rash creams on the market and equally many online rash cream recipes. Many of us have tried to sort through the options and figure out what will work with cloth diapers and not harm the fabrics or cause repelling. Since switching to organic cotton diapers and wool covers I have discovered many things, one of those things is LANOLIN. I have a big jar of lanolin in my herbal medicine cabinet and we have used it for all kinds of skin ailments in our house.
When you diaper using organic fabrics and breathable covers like wool, and you change your baby promptly, you will very rarely encounter diaper rash. But sometimes diaper rash is the result of a food choice, for example, acidic foods. I know if my kiddos have a few too many tomatoes or certain dried fruits we are at a higher risk for rash or skin irritation.
When my baby ends up with a red bottom, I get out the lanolin. It's sticky and a bit messy, but what diaper cream isn't? Plus instead of 18 different ingredients, I only need 1, maybe 2. I have used both solid and liquid lanolin for tiny bottoms, sometimes to make it more spreadable I add a little almond oil or jojoba oil. Works like a charm!
Lanolin is a natural by-product of harvesting wool from sheep. When the wool is being cleaned the lanolin is spun out by centrifugal force. The wool from one merino sheep can produce 300ml of lanolin. As you can see it is a natural and very minimally processed product. The lanolin in a sheeps wool acts to protect the sheep from moisture and harsh weather (it waterproofs the sheep's wool, just like it waterproofs your diaper covers) but it also cleans, conditions, and protects the sheep's skin. Lanolin is very similar to the natural oil produced by our skin. You can see why it is the perfect solution for chapped skin or rashes! It also washes out cleanly in the wash. A little bit of soap and hot water and lanolin just melts away. I have never had an issue washing lanolin out of my organic sherpa diapers.
All you need to keep your baby's bottom clean, dry, and protected are some organic cotton diapers, a few wool covers, a jar of lanolin, and a bar of wool wash. We are hoping to offer pure lanolin and wool wash in the shop very soon. We want to be your one-stop shop for simple, natural diapering!