wool and yeast

[lmgeenw]

We have thrush and yeast diaper rash right now and I have been using only wool covers. I can't do the standard hot water and sun with them. Any other suggestions?

[Naked Camper]

Wash in TTO :shrug Maybe a vinegar wash? TTO is probably the best. You could also mix some grapefruit seed extract in the wash.

Putting natural yogurt on baby's bum is the best yeast treatment I've found. It's cooling on baby's skin and the acidophilus kills the yeast :tu

[2sunshines]

Are you asking how to eliminate yeast from the wool covers? Or how to treat the baby while in wool covers?

Assuming you're asking the first, I'm not sure, that's a great question. But since the baby's bottom never actually touches the wool, I'm guessing that the yeast might not even be on there right? :think

From what I understand, you can still use the sun with wool. You obviously don't want to hang it or anything, but laying it in the sun won't hurt it.

I can't imagine GSE would hurt the wool, maybe mixing a few drops in the sink of wool wash would be fine. :shrug

[Moon]

When we had yeast I didn't give our wool any special treatment past washing more often (once a week instead every other week). Wool has natural qualities that make it not very susceptible to holding infections, and as much fresh air as the wool gets, I didn't really worry about it. :-)

[lmgeenw]

Yep, I meant how to get the yeast out of the covers. I will try the GSE. I wonder if I could hang them in the sun when they are dry and if that would kill the yeast and not shrink them. :think

We are taking probiotics. Maybe I could try putting them directly on her bottom and it would work like the yogurt..

I battled yeast for 3 months with my other DD and it was such a pain. It just kept coming back again and again. So this time I just want to do everything I can to avoid recontamination and I want to get rid of it before it gets bad!

Thanks for the suggestions!

[2sunshines]

I wonder if I could hang them in the sun when they are dry and if that would kill the yeast and not shrink them.

I asked this question before and was told that it's the combination of heat AND agitation that felts wool. Mostly agitation. So putting wool in the sun shouldn't do anything. That's the theory, I can back it up in that I've dried my wool in the sun and it's never affected it. But I've never left it out there too long either to be safe.

[lmgeenw]

I hung them out in the sun most of the day and it didn't seem to affect them at all. :)

[Moon]

I asked this question before and was told that it's the combination of heat AND agitation that felts wool.

This is correct. It takes temperature shock with agitation to felt wool. :-) That's why you're not supposed to wash wool in cold or hot water, room temp is best.

[lmgeenw]

I am going to add to this because I just happened to read the instructions on my wool breast pads today and they specifically tell how to boil the pads if you have yeast problems.


It says to place the pads in a pan with lukewarm water and slowly bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes and remove pot from heat. Keep pads in the boiled water until it has cooled to lukewarm. Wash with lanolin soap, allowing pads to soak in soapy water for 5-10 minutes to that fibers are saturated and replinished with lanolin.

So, I guess if you have a bad yeast problem, that is the answer!

My baby's diaper rash is better, but now she has this rash all over under her neck and arms. Now I am wondering if it is yeast. We do have thrush, but maybe it is heat rash...

[2sunshines]

:think Wouldn't boiling felt the wool though? I guess in breast pads felting wouldn't matter but in shorties or longies it would (unless of course you want them felted).

[Moon]

I'm betting the wool breast pads have already been somewhat felted. I wouldn't trust a soaker in a boiling pot. :shifty

[Rabbit]

The danger with wool in sunlight is that over time it can damage or weaken the fibers, same as too much sun can damage your hair.

[lmgeenw]

Hmmm. I don't think the wool pads are felted. It says in the directions to not use hot or cold water or it will felt them. Maybe they could be partially felted? I am new to wool! :shrug