Hi Tuta,
What I have found that works well is water mixed with bicarbonate of soda to wipe the bottie with. I use cotton wool balls. Also, I use the camillosan nipple ointment on Henry's bottom when it is red and within 24 hours it is all gone. I might even at night put the camillosan on first and then a zinc and castor based barrier cream over that.
I have never had the Bepanthen cream, but have heard it works very well. I just had loads of camillosan left after I stopped breast feeding. I am still on the first tube and we use it often, as when it just lookslike H's bottie may be pink, I lather it on.
Just bear in mind that if the rash has been there a while - and even sometimes only for a short while
- they may have an added infection with thrush, which makes the acidophillus/probiotic a great idea. I sometimes make my own mixture of canesten cream mixed with the zinc and castor barrier cream - did that probably 3 months ago. Worked like a charm as well. Of course, nappy free time is great too, but Henry has a wonderful way of weeing everywhere, and as we only have carpets, I do not do it often enough. The wet skin is a breeding ground for thrush, so having the nappy area open lets it 'breath'.
HTH
DI