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

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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