Not all diaper rash creams are created equal for your little one

Hi, hello, how are you?? Hoping this second week of 2026 has been better and good to all of you! We started this year quite sniffly and with some hard news but we are moving through it all as best we can. Something that has been on my mind is diaper rash creams. Not surprising— but not all diaper rash creams are created equal for your little one. Here’s a list of some of the ones we have tried:

• Desitin Maximum Strength 

• Boudreaux’s Butt Paste for Sensitive Skin Diaper Rash Cream

• Triple Paste

• Aquaphor 3-in1 Diaper Rash Relief

• A + D Original Diaper Rash Ointment 

Desitin Maximum Strength 

• We tried this one when our little one had some diarrhea while on antibiotics for an ear infection. It worked SO well the first application but the next day, I noticed that his bottom looked a bit raw. We immediately stopped use and found out from the pediatrician that the level of zinc oxide is high and that our baby’s skin may be on the more sensitive side. At her recommendation, we switched over to Boudreaux’s. 

Boudreaux’s Butt Paste for Sensitive Skin Diaper Rash Cream

• The original version of this diaper rash cream can be found in most grocery stores and even Amazon. We purchased ours on Amazon since we needed the sensitive skin version. This one worked ok. I feel like it’s more of a preventative rather than a rash relief treatment. I also was not too keen on how pasty the cream is. It would take a few diaper changes and wipe downs for it to clear up. I was afraid that by using this diaper rash cream, it could breed bacteria since our baby was having loose stool from the antibiotics. I’d say for us, this would be a great preventative and if we always had access to running water between diaper changes so I can wash baby’s bum up. We used most of the tube up by the time we tried something different.  

Tripe Paste Diaper Rash Cream

• I was fortunate enough to register for the welcome baby freebies at Target and this diaper rash cream was included. We tried it out for a few days and it’s very comparable to the Boudreaux’s Buttpaste. I knew there had to be something out there that works best with my little one for both preventative and actual diaper rash treatment. 

Aquaphor 3-in-1 Diaper Rash Relief

• This one came in a baby aquaphor set we got for our little one’s baby shower and I decided to give it a go. I absolutely loved this one! We purchased is 3 more times after this. It’s not too pasty or runny. Its also not too strong on zinc oxide. My only gripe is that when we transitioned to using pull -ups for the first time for my little one (boy), i couldn’t use this for the front area where he got a little redness from when “pulling” up the pull ups. This diaper rash relief ointment is only recommended for use around the rectal region. So I was stumped, do I go back to just using the plane aquaphor ointment or Vaseline? There had to be something out there for my son.  So I asked one of my closest friends who has kids of her own that are on the older side now and she recommended that I try out A + D. 

A + D Original Diaper Rash Ointment

• This ointment can be purchased at most grocery stores and on Amazon. I felt like it was a little on the pricier side for the size BUT I realized very quickly that it's so worth it! It comes out like an ointment comparable to the plain aquaphor ointment and Vaseline Petroleum Jelly. It’s not a paste at all which is a huge win for us because it can be used in other areas below that belt that isn’t necessarily the rectal region. And I’m not even exaggerating but when we apply it liberally to any redness in the groin or rectal region, by the next morning, the redness is gone. For my little one, we have found our holy grail of both preventative and treatment of diaper rashes. 

If there’s one thing that’s been solidified for more in this journey of motherhood, it’s that it’s all about trial and error. What may have worked so well for others, may not work for you or your little one. Don’t be afraid to try something else because honestly, you won’t know unless you try it out. And this mentality has continued to serve me well in other aspects of motherhood and has helped keep me from the “comparison game”. Everyone is on their own journey especially through parenthood. You’ll figure out what works best for you and your family especially through trial and error.