Do you think wetness = nappy rash?

After having some redness issues lately I decided to start using unlined nappies to see if it fixed things. So far so good and no hint of nappy rash. All I have seen on TV ads for disposables is the general insinuation that wetness means your baby will get nappy rash. I've also read it on numerous forums that its generally thought that if you dont use a stay dry liner then your baby will get nappy rash. Surely they are in water for 9 months though so wetness shouldnt be a huge issue as long as they get some nappy free time...

For us no liner has cured the nappy rash! Sooo do you think wetness automatically means rashes and redness?

um.....no. i don't get that whole thing either actually. although for a bit of extra protection i sometimes add in some wool interlock

Alesha gets red if we use liners, so has much better skin if bamboo is next to her skin which of course gets wet and stays damp x

After having some redness issues lately I decided to start using unlined nappies to see if it fixed things. So far so good and no hint of nappy rash. All I have seen on TV ads for disposables is the general insinuation that wetness means your baby will get nappy rash. I've also read it on numerous forums that its generally thought that if you dont use a stay dry liner then your baby will get nappy rash. Surely they are in water for 9 months though so wetness shouldnt be a huge issue as long as they get some nappy free time...

For us no liner has cured the nappy rash! Sooo do you think wetness automatically means rashes and redness?

Most of Fin's nappies don't have fleece or minkee inners and we haven't had any problems with redness or rashes. I didn't use one way liners with my previous two either.

Disposables have an inner lining to keep the absorbent gel in the nappy away from your baby's skin. The sodium polyacrylate gel in the nappy absorbs moisture (including the moisture in your baby's skin). Moisture doesn't cause nappy rash though (in fact it aids healing), the bacteria that is left on your child's skin (from poo or from not being cleaned properly) that is not absorbed into the nappy is what causes typical nappy rash.

It makes no difference what kind of nappy you use (cloth or disposable) or whether there is a liner in a cloth nappy, what matters is how long they are left in the nappy with bacteria on their skin and how well you clean them between changes.

Obviously an allergic reaction or thrush is different.

I think it's rubbish, but I'm sure it depends on the baby. I wipe DD with a cloth wipe soaked in water with lavendar and camomile essential oils - I don't dry her before putting her next nappy on, and only use a fleece liner if I think she's likely to poo in the next nappy (she normally uses the potty for poo now, so probably only once a day if that). We have never had nappy rash, not even a little bit, and I have never dried her, nor do I particularly give her nappy off time

Nope - in fact a lot of babies are better with natural fibres next to their bottoms. Same way that synthetic knickers can be a bit irritating too!

I think it depends on the type of rash - DS was in prefolds, often with no liner and he had nappy rash once - as nappynutter said - from a nappy that had been left too long.

DD had continual nappy rash, to the point where she is now in disposables. I've no idea what she's reacting to - but whatever it is, sposies don't bring it out! And we tried lined, unlined, different fibres, nappy free time etc etc etc

I think some of the synthetic materials - fleece, minkee can cause their own issues with rashes, so in that case, it's probably better to have a wet nappy next to the skin.

Not at all, i think it depends on baby...

When Scarlett was tiny she was very rashy due to constant BF pooping and sensitive skin. I generally found that unlined nappies were the best at limiting the rash caused by this, then at about 4months when things got a bit more reliable she started getting very rashy all over (not just on her bottom iykwim) and i discovered that lined nappies prevented it. I've tried unlined nappies occasionally and the same happens so it always has to be lined for us.

But i really do think it depends on baby and their pee/poop and i also think that some materials are better closer to the skin than others if using nappies unlined.

Wee on its own shouldn't cause nappy rash as unless there is infection it's sterile...

Wee in a nappy with build-up can as it reacts with the detergent left in the nappy...

Wee combined with poo causes horrible rashes

Being left in a soiled nappy too long (i.e. even for a few minutes in our case) especially if baby is teething causes the worst rashes in my experience but unfortunately you can't always tell when they've poo'd!

Soaking wet nappies can make Grace's skin sore and she's dreadful in unlined nappies because they seem to rub when wet... But all babies are different... Perhaps in unlined nappies you change more frequently too which might help I guess?