Irritation: The most common cause and the one that has nothing to do with breast feeding. This most commonly occurs when a babies faeces mixes with urine and forms ammonia, this can irritate a baby’s skin and cause the nappy rash. As a general rule, babies have very sensitive skin, as such any new detergents or anything that comes into contact with your babies’ skin could be causing the reaction to occur.
Diet: If you’ve recently changed your diet and irritation doesn’t appear to be the culprit then it could well be something you’re eating which is disagreeing with your baby. If you can think of something new which you’ve been eating then stop eating it and see if the condition clears up. If it does then don’t eat that food again until your baby’s on solid foods.
Antibiotics: Any antibiotics you take will invariably get into your breast milk. This can eventually lead to yeast infections in your child which in turn leads to nappy rash. If you suspect this is the case for you then it’s advised you speak to your GP about switching medications or perhaps other treatment options.
Treatment: It doesn’t matter what’s caused the rash, once it’s there you need to keep the skin clean and dry which often means changing nappies far more regularly. If this doesn’t work then try an anti-fungal cream. It can take up to a few weeks for the condition to clear up and if you get worried for any reason don’t be afraid of speaking to your doctor about any issues you’re having!