I recently read that the average child comes into contact with over 400 toxins a day. This has spurred be into action to rid as many of these toxins from my home as possible. From now on our household will use only the finest of homemade eco friendly products prepared by yours truly! Here are a few recipes for those looking for home made baby products and cleaners!
Diaper Rash Treatments
Calendula Diaper Rash Ointment
1 lb. coconut oil (I use Nutiva, yellow & green label)
2 good handfuls calendula petals (health food store)
Comfrey leaves (Do Not Use if Pregnant)
Melt the coconut oil in a stainless steel pan. Add the herbs. Cook the herbs on low heat for about 30 minutes; the petals should be crispy, not burnt. Filter the ointment into jars. Allow to harden. Use as needed.
Diaper Rash Cream
1 teaspoon mineral oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch baby powder
2 teaspoons zinc oxide ointment
2 teaspoons triple antibiotic ointment
2 teaspoons Lotramin A/F ointment (optional for yeast infections)
Mix oil and cornstarch powder to a paste. Add ointments and mix well. Place in container with lid. Apply with cotton swab.
Other Natural Remedies
Powdered slippery elm bark makes an excellent dusting powder.
Dust cornstarch right from the box on to sensitive skin areas
Alternate milk of magnesia with Crisco after each diaper change
Add several drops of lavender, calendula or rose essential oil to a spray bottle of distilled water or colloidal silver. You now have a skin-loving, antimicrobial baby-bottom wash that’s totally chemical free.
Mix 1 drop of roman chamomile with 1 drop of lavender with some coconut oil (I use Nutiva, yellow & green label) and apply.
Try an oatmeal bath. Grind up oatmeal in your coffee grinder for a pleasant soak in the tub. Another way to get the benefits of oatmeal without the mess is to put some regular oatmeal (not baby oatmeal) in a small cotton bag and let it soak in the tub with your baby. Squeeze water through it every so often.
Extra virgin olive oil that has been steeped with fresh calendula. You can apply this oil at diaper changing time to help soothe and heal the rash.
Baby Powder
Easy Lavender Baby Powder
1/2 pound cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon lavender essential oil
Place cornstarch in a self-sealing plastic bag and add the essential oil drop by drop. Tightly close the bag and shake it to distribute the oil, breaking up any clumps through the bag. Let stand 4 days to distribute the essential oil. Use with every diaper change, or as needed.
Potato starch or arrowroot powder can be used instead of cornstarch.
Healthy Baby Powder
1 ounce powdered chamomile
1 ounce powdered marigold flowers
1 ounce oat or oatmeal powder
1/2 ounce comfrey root powder
1/2 ounce powdered eggshells
1/2 ounce cornstarch (optional)
Powder herbs in a coffee grinder. Sift through a very fine sifter, then bottle. If heat rash is a problem, add cornstarch.
Fragrant Baby Powder
2 ounces cornstarch
2 ounces arrowroot powder
1 Tbsp kaolin clay
10 drops sweet orange essential oil
5 drops ylang-ylang essential oil
5 drops rose geranium essential oil
Place powders in a self-sealing plastic bag and add the essential oil drop by drop. Tightly close the bag and shake it to distribute the oil, breaking up any clumps through the bag. Let stand 4 days to distribute the essential oil. Use with every diaper change, or as needed.
Baby Oil
Apply a thin layer of baby oil to the infant’s feet after bathing. Gently massage the oil up the legs and over the body. Small circular strokes on the abdomen are soothing and stimulate digestion.
Baby Oil for Bloating and Colic
2 1/2 tbsp. sweet-almond oil
2 tsp. St. John’s-wort oil
3 drops ginger essential oil
3 drops Roman-chamomile essential oil
Mix all of the ingredients in a dark bottle with a dropper top, which will help to preserve the oil and prevent bacteria from forming. Shake well before each use. The baby oil will keep for about 6 months.
Basic Baby Oil Recipe
¼ Cup Cooking Grade Almond oil
10-15 drops lavender essential oil
Pour your ingredients right into the bottle you’re going to use to dispense the massage oils. Just give a good shake to blend the oils and you’re all set. For a different scent, use rose essential oil in place of lavender and orange.
Heavenly Baby Massage Oil
4 ounces of oil (olive, almond, apricot, or sunflower)
5 drops lavender essential oil
5 drops orange essential oil
Pour your ingredients right into the bottle you’re going to use to dispense the massage oils. Just give a good shake to blend the oils and you’re all set. For a different scent, use rose essential oil in place of lavender and orange.
Calendula Baby Oil
8 ounces of oil (olive, almond, apricot, or sunflower)
1 ounce calendula flowers
Place the oil and calendula flowers in a crock pot on low temperature for about 4 hours to extract the beneficial properties of the calendula into the oil. Check very carefully that your oil is not getting too hot! Allow the oil to cool and then strain it using cheese cloth or a gauze diaper.
You can add a few drops of essential oils if you like. Try 5-10 drops each of orange and lavender or chamomile. For the ultimate luxury use rose essential oil.
Calendula is healing and soothing to the skin. It is excellent for massaging your babies! Calendula oil is also good for helping prevent the over-growth of yeast in the diaper area.
Baby Wipes
Once you have your solution mixed up, choose your baby wipes. A roll of paper towels (recycled is very cool) cut in half with a bread knife gives you a lot of wipes.
Or you can cut up a towel and finish the edges or use flannel or other cotton fabric. And what about those blue shop towels? Or inexpensive wash cloths?
As for storage, use a zipper baggie for travel or a small plastic storage container with a lid for home. Shoot — be subversive and recycle a commercial baby wipes container for your homemade wipes!
The Original Recipe for Baby Wipes
1/2 roll of paper towels (cut in half to make short rolls)
1/8-1/4 c. baby shampoo
1/8-1/4 c. vegetable oil (apricot or sunflower)
2 cups lukewarm water
1 plastic container that the rolls fit in
Mix liquid ingredients gently. Pour mixture over one half of paper towel roll in container. Dispense wipes from center of roll.
Basic Baby Wipes
1 ½ – 3 cups water
1/8 cup olive oil (apricot or sunflower too)
3-5 drops tea tree oil
8 drops lavender oil
Shake gently with 1 T (1/8 cup) baby shampoo (I like Mustela!)
Pour over either cloth wipes or 1/2 paper towel roll, or can be kept in a spray bottle near changing station.
Anti-fungal Baby Wipes
1/2 c. distilled water
1 tsp. vinegar
1/4 c. aloe vera gel
1 TBS. calendula oil
1 drop lavender essential oil
1 drop tea tree essential oil
Looking for something to gently discourage yeast diaper rashes? The vinegar and essential oils discourage yeast growth which means you shouldn’t have too much trouble with these wipes getting moldy. To prepare, use a glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Pour all your ingredients in, cover the jar and shake to blend the ingredients. Place your wipes in a container and pour on enough solution to moisten them. Store any extra solution in the fridge. It should stay fresh for a long time especially if you used distilled water. If a baby had a really red, raw diaper rash you might not want to use these wipes as vinegar may cause a burning sensation.
Herbal Baby Wipes
2 cups water
2 tsp. baby shampoo
1/4 cup aloe vera gel
1 tbsp. calendula oil
3 drops tea tree essential oil
3 drops lavender essential oil
Mix liquid ingredients gently. Pour mixture over one half of paper towel roll in container. Dispense wipes from center of roll.
Calendula Baby Wipes
2 cups water
2 tsp. baby shampoo
1/4 cup aloe vera gel
1 tbsp. calendula oil
5 drops lavender essential oil
5 drops tea tree essential oil
Mix liquid ingredients gently. Pour mixture over one half of paper towel roll in container. Dispense wipes from center of roll.
Castile Baby Wipes
1 cup water
1 tbsp. Baby Dr. Bronner’s liquid castile
1 tbsp. apricot oil or almond oil
2 drops tea tree essential oil
5 drops lavender essential oil
Mix liquid ingredients gently. Pour mixture over one half of paper towel roll in container. Dispense wipes from center of roll.
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