Almost every baby who is in diapers will experience diaper rash at least once. If you want to avoid harmful ingredients that are in many conventional diaper rash treatments, try these tips.

The old saying goes “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. You can minimize your baby’s chances of getting diaper rash in the first place by using cloth diapers with a breathable cover (wool or cotton for example). Cloth diapered babies, as a rule, experience less rash. Changing your baby as soon as he or she wets or soils the diaper is also a good habit. You can also experiment with Elimination Communication (E.C.). Doing E.C. even part time will have many benefits, such as reduced diaper usage.

If your baby is using disposable diapers, try switching to cloth for awhile and see if the rash improves. If you’re already using cloth diapers, remove the cover and let him wear pinned on prefolds so lots of air gets to his bottom. Try changing laundry detergents and double rinsing your diapers, adding a half cup vinegar to the first rinse, and see if that helps.

Removing the diaper completely for as long as possible during the day will help the rash heal more quickly. Again, you can try Elimination Communication part time when your baby gets a rash. Take off the diaper and watch baby closely for signs that he needs to eliminate. Sit him on a potty or hold him over a toilet or sink, make a “pssss” sound and see what happens.

Sometimes diaper rash is caused by an overgrowth of candida (yeast). Suspect yeast if the rash is bright red and shiny, especially if you’re nursing and also have signs of candida overgrowth (pain during nursing, vaginal yeast). Giving your baby acidophilus powder can help. Read package labels for dosage instructions. If you’re nursing, take the powder yourself also. Acidophilus is safe for young babies. Older babies who are on solids can also eat yogurt with live cultures. Remove sugar and white flour from the baby’s diet to help starve the yeast. You can also make a rinse for your baby’s bottom from one cup of water mixed with one teaspoon baking soda to help kill candida.

Don’t use baby wipes when your baby has a rash, as the skin is sensitive and wipes can dry out the skin and make it worse. Instead, rinse your baby after each diaper change with water.

If the rash is dry and scaly, open a capsule of Vitamin E and apply it to the rash. Calendula is also healing and is available as a topical ointment. Kaolin powder, made from a clay, can help if the rash is weepy.

If you’ve just started baby on solid foods, he may have a temporary rash as his skin adjusts to the ph changes of his urine and stool. If your baby has a rash around his anus (like a bull’s eye) every time he eats a certain food, take it out of his diet for awhile, as he may be sensitive to it. You can try reintroducing it in a few months to see if his digestive system reacts differently.

If your baby has severe or chronic diaper rash, suspect food allergies. Talk with your baby’s health care provider about an elimination diet. The typical suspects are dairy, wheat, corn, eggs and soy. Keeping a food diary can provide some clues, but the most effective way to figure out if your child has food sensitivities is to take the common allergens out of his diet. Then introduce them back one at a time, watching for reactions.

If your baby develops other symptoms along with his rash, like fever or irritability, or if the rash looks infected and doesn’t respond to care at home, check with a health care provider.

Technorati Tags: diaper rash, baby, natural treatment, food allergies, Calendula, candida, yeast

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Redecorating the room that will be home to a new baby seems to be a modern rite of passage for expectant parents. It’s a nice way to pass the time, sniffing all the sweet smelling baby laundry, arranging the adorable stuffed toys and choosing pleasing decor. However, we may unwittingly expose our babies to multiple toxic chemicals in their most vulnerable stage of life if we’re not careful. Here are some ways to ready your home for a new baby without endangering health.

Choose No VOC paints

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are solvents that helps give paint the right consistency. Some VOCs are known carcinogens and have cause liver or kidney damage, headaches, breathing difficulties, dizziness, and other symptoms. Thankfully you can find nontoxic and no VOC paints nowadays. Try a Google search for manufacturers. MilkPaint.com is one such company.

Minimize New Furnishings

New furniture typically offgasses formaldehyde, a neurotoxin. Look for furniture at local consignment stores. You can also save a lot of money this way. Be sure to research whatever furniture items you do decide to purchase to make sure items haven’t been recalled for safety reasons. Car seats should always be purchased new. Be sure to wash the car seat cover following the manufacturer’s instructions, to remove chemical residues from the fabric.

A Safer Sleeping Space

If your baby is sleeping with you, be sure to follow recommendations for safe co-sleeping practices. If you choose to use a bassinet or a crib, be aware that most mattresses use polyurethane foams and polyester, and are possibly even made with toulene and formaldehyde, and offgas fumes that can be toxic to your young infant. Flame retardants are also placed into foam used in conventional mattresses, and these have been linked to brain and nervous system damage.

You can find non-toxic mattresses and bedding for your baby’s bassinet and crib. Search online retailers for “natural bedding”. You might find that some of these are made of natural rubber, organic cotton and other untreated natural materials. New babies spend a lot of time sleeping and in contact with the mattress so this is especially important.

Baby Toys

New research has found that so-called “educational toys” for babies, including videos, do no good and are certainly not a substitute for the ordinary contact that baby has with his loved ones. Talk to your baby a lot, sing to him, hold him for much of the day and breastfeed him, and he’ll live up to his genetic capacity for intelligence.

When your baby is old enough for toys, choose wooden toys that are solid wood, not particleboard that is held together with toxic glues. Cloth toys, especially those made from organic cotton and silk, are also recommended. Plastic toys not only lack aesthetic appeal, but they may contain PVC (polyvinyl chloride) which has been linked in some research to cancer and other health issues.

Many online retailers are now offering safer alternatives for your baby’s nursery, so you can have fun putting baby’s room together and breathe easier too.

Technorati Tags: baby, nursery, non-toxic, natural, educational, neurotoxin

Almost from the moments that many babies are born, their mothers lovingly wash and pamper their infants with a wide range of baby products. These products might include soaps, lotions, shampoos, and baby powders and they might be used several times a day.

But have you ever taken the time to read the ingredients listing for a bottle of baby lotion or shampoo? How would you feel if you found out that the products you have been using on your sweet baby are actually a witch’s brew of dangerous ingredients? Most parents would be very unhappy. They might feel as though they had been duped, and rightly so. Many parents put faith in the companies behind conventional baby products because it never enters their minds that products made specifically for babies could be harmful. Unfortunately, there are many baby products available today that have questionable ingredients. Some of these ingredients include synthetic perfumes, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Talc, and Parabens.

But what are they and why are they bad?

• Parabens are actually preservatives that have estrogenic qualities. They have produced abnormal hormonal effects following application on laboratory rodents, particularly male, resulting in decreased testosterone levels and other abnormalities. They have also been found to accumulate in the breast tissue of women with breast cancer.

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or SLS for short is an ingredient that gives a product like a shampoo or liquid soap its foaming ability. It is a known skin irritant and in fact when testing new a healing ointment or crème, SLS is the irritant they first rub on the skin to test the healing properties of their new product. SLS can penetrate and be retained in the eyes, brain, heart, and liver with potentially harmful effects according to the journal of the American College of Toxicology. In a baby product, SLS might cause rashes, eczema or other skin irritations. It is shocking that baby products contain such a harsh ingredient. To add further insult, products containing this ingredient are sometimes labeled as “natural” or organic because SLS is a detergent derived from coconut oil.

• Synthetic perfumes or fragrances can contain hundreds of chemicals. Some, such as methylene chloride are carcinogenic and others might cause headaches, dizziness, coughing, vomiting and skin irritation.

• Talc is white-gray mineral powder used as a baby powder. Moms might use it to keep their baby’s skin smooth and dry but unfortunately term long-term use can produce the same effects as those of asbestos.

These ingredients hardly sound appropriate for tender baby skin. So what can you do to avoid these dangerous baby products? First, read the ingredients and look them up online if you have to. Find out what they are and what they do. Second, find reputable companies that offer organic and 100% natural products. Since there is no regulation for organic bath and body products you might need to do some research to find the legitimately natural products. Third, try your hand at making some of your own baby products. If you make your own then you know exactly what is in them and you can feel comfortable that they are safe.

Technorati Tags: baby products, natural, toxic, safe, chemicals, SLS, talc, parabens

Many conventional baby products contain questionable ingredients such as parabens, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), talc, and synthetic perfumes and fragrances. All of these ingredients can have adverse effects on the health and well being of your baby, so it is no wonder that many parents have chosen to take matters into their own hands. Parents are now finding that it is easy, more cost effective, and safer to make their own baby products with natural ingredients. By stocking your pantry with a few key natural ingredients you can make all sorts of natural baby products for baby. You don’t have to be a chemist to create luxurious, baby friendly products that are all natural.

Here are a few easy recipes for natural baby products that are sure to please:

All Natural Baby Wipes Solution
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup Aloe Vera Juice
• 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon Calendula Oil
• 1 teaspoon grated, unscented soap 
• 2 drops Lavender Oil 
• 2 drops Tea Tree Oil

Mix in a jar and then pour over organic cloth wipes or paper towels. This baby wipe solution is anti-fungal and great for discouraging yeast diaper rashes.

Homemade Baby Powder (Talc-free)
½ cup corn starch
½ cup Arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon dried ground chamomile
1 tablespoon dried ground lavender
¼ cup finely ground oats
Blend well and put in a shaker style bottle. Now you can powder your baby’s little bottom in safety.

Baby Bath Milk
1 cup milk
¼ cup corn starch
¼ cup finely ground oats
2-3 drops lavender, rose, or chamomile essential oils

Mix ingredients together and put in a shaker style bottle. To use, sprinkle a small amount in warm bath water.

A Better Baby Oil

1 cup Grapeseed or Apricot Kernel oil
4-6 drops lavender or chamomile essential oils
1-2 vitamin E capsules (optional)

Squeeze the vitamin E capsules into the oils and mix together. Store in a dark colored bottle and use as a bath or massage oil.

Lavender Dryer Sachets
1 small muslin drawstring bag (you can usually get these at craft stores)
Dried Lavender
2-3 drops lavender essential oil

Fill the muslin bag with the dried lavender and add the essential oil. Close the bag tightly and throw in the dryer along with your baby clothes. They will be super soft and they will smell great!
The skin is the body’s largest organ and it has the ability to absorb things that is comes into contact with. With that in mind do you want to expose your baby to potentially harmful chemicals or safe and natural ingredients? Most parents would agree that ensuring your baby products are completely natural is worth it. These recipes should help you get started.

Making our own baby products with all natural ingredients is fun to do, it saves money, and most importantly it ensures that our babies’ delicate immune systems are not unduly taxed by harmful product ingredients. Most of the ingredients listed above can be bought at conventional supermarkets and natural food stores so you can pick some up on your regular shopping trips.

Technorati Tags: natural baby product, safe, perfumes, SLS, synthetic, baby powder, milk bath, homemade

Parents are becoming increasingly aware of the dangerous products and toxins that make their way into our homes these days. From the household cleaners under the kitchen sink to the lead in many lipstick brands it is not hard to find chemicals in the products we use every day. These dangerous chemicals are hidden in places we might never suspect though and shockingly they can even be found in products designed for the smallest and most vulnerable members of society, babies.

An industrial chemical called Bisophenol A or BPA is making the headlines all too often. Interestingly it is not getting so much attention because of it hormone-like qualities and dangerous ramifications as it is the fact that it can most commonly be found in products like baby bottles, sippy, cups, and baby formula cans. It is hard to understand why products aimed at babies would contain such harmful ingredients.

What is BPA and why should it be avoided?

Bisphenol A is an industrial chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. BPA is used to make lightweight, high-performance plastics that are tough and heat resistant. It is also used to make durable epoxy linings for metal cans. Immediately then you can see the benefit to companies in choosing to use this ingredient for things such as bottles, cups, and formula cans. This chemical has the ability to mimic hormones as well and several studies have linked BPA to weight gain, abnormalities that can lead to breast and prostate cancer, brain damage, abnormal organ development, and hyperactivity. The companies using BPA have declared their products only contain amounts considered safe but this does not address cumulative exposure from all the various products we use that contain BPA. When you consider all of the different products you may use that contain this chemical the exposure level does not appear to be so safe or small. In fact the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has declared that “human exposures are above the current U.S. safety limit.”

What can you do to avoid BPA?

The good news is that consumer demand has prompted several companies to refrain from using Bisphenol A in their product formulations. If you use baby bottles in the home you can find safe alternatives from companies like Born Free, Nubi, and Green to Grow. They all offer plastic baby bottles that do not contain BPA. Classic glass baby bottles are another good alternative as well. They are quite durable and since they are plastic free they are also BPA free. If you are worried about possible breakage there also a few companies like Siliskin and Wee-Go that sell glass bottles covered with protective silicone sheaths.

In lieu of sippy or toddler cups that commonly contain BPA parents might opt to use stainless steel sippy cups and bottles from Klean Kanteen or Thermos. Sigg makes an aluminum alternative with a water based epoxy lining on the inside and a large array of kid friendly designs. Born Free also makes a safe sippy.

Breastfeeding would reduce or even eliminate the need for bottles or formula and subsequent exposure to BPA. For parents that need to use formula though it is hard to find companies that are not using BPA to line their cans of powered or liquid formula. A new study from the Environmental Working Group has discovered that 4 out of 5 formula manufacturers acknowledge using BPA in their formula cans and while some did not acknowledge using BPA, they could not provide documentation of their alternative packaging. Their study also concluded that powdered formula has 8 to 20 times less BPA than liquid formula. So parents who need to use formula should look to powdered formula to reduce overall exposure to BPA.

While BPA exposure should be a concern for parents they can take comfort in the fact that there are a growing number of alternative products that are designed to keep our babies safe.

See also BPA free popsicle molds.

Technorati Tags: BPA, Bisophenol A, baby bottles, sippy cups, baby formula cans, chemical

Co-sleeping, also known as the family bed is a controversial topic today, but very quickly it is gaining supporters.  Co-sleeping is exactly what it sounds like it might be, sleeping together as a family in one bed, mom, dad and children.  Parents choose to co-sleep for a variety of reasons including ease of breastfeeding, a close bond with their children, and to establish a consistent sleeping routine for themselves and their child(ren).  There are numerous other reasons as well but it is gaining popularity among parents because they are finding more and more that it works out for all family members.

There are many arguments against co-sleeping, however one could easily find fault with these arguments.  Many of the arguments address potential problems, such as not sleeping with your child if you have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol, not allowing a toddler to sleep next to an infant, and not sleeping with your child if you suffer from sleeping disorders.  These obstacles are rare or can be overcome with a little creativity or planning.

Most parents who do choose to co-sleep are very responsible adults who choose to sleep with their children to reap the many positive benefits, such as the bond it creates between a parent and a child, the positive sleep pattern it allows into their lives, the ease of breastfeeding a child in the middle of the night.  All of these things paint a wonderful picture of a positive parenting relationship between parent and child. 

Co-sleeping is a natural way of taking care of our children that our ancestors did for many years.  The mothers of children for many years even carried their children around with them throughout the day, never allowing their infant to even leave the comfort and closeness of their bodies during the daytime, much less during the night.  This begs the question, “If it’s not broke, why fix it?”  If this process worked for so many years before us, then why do we question it so quickly today? 

Co-sleeping might not work for everyone, but it is definitely something that should be considered as a positive parenting technique and as an opportunity for a restful nights sleep to be had by all.  If you do decide to co-sleep especially with an infant, there are some precautions to consider.  Do not use heavy bedding, as the infant can suffocate.  Do not allow the infant to sleep on the outer edge where falls can occur.  Investing in bed rails might be a good idea.  Make sure your mattress is on the firm side so that the surface your baby sleeps on is as level as possible. This will help everyone get a restful sleep if they are not tossed when the person next to them turns.

After taking the needed precautions and reviewing the benefits, try the co-sleeping arrangement for yourself and see how rewarding it can be for the whole family.

Technorati Tags: cosleeping, family bed, co-sleeping, parents, children, baby