The great thing about making your own baby products is that it's much easier than you might expect and you know exactly what's in them; you can even use organic ingredients and herbs right from your own kitchen or garden.
My favorite at-home baby product I made was a blend of sweet almond oil and olive oil; it has so many uses. For infant massage, pour a small amount into your palms then rub together and gently give him or her a massage. It helps reduce colic and promotes blood circulation. It can even be helpful to relax baby.
Another use for this oil blend is to use it in place of conventional baby oil that is made from petroleum. Use it after a bath, for mild cases of cradle cap, eczema, dry skin and chapped or peeling lips. Breastfeeding mothers can also use this for chapped areolas.
Another product I made myself is baby wipes. I couldn't find a brand of wipes out there that didn't have some kind of toxic chemical in it, so I made my own. If you're cloth diapering, this is a no brainer. I used about 25 baby washcloths, folded them in half and placed them inside a rectangular tub (a recycled wipes container). Measure 1 1/2 cups of boiled water and add 1/2 cup of aloe vera juice (optional) and 1 tablespoon of grated unscented natural soap (or liquid castile soap). Pour the mixture over the cloths and they're ready to go. Toss the used wipes in with the diapers for laundering and be sure to wash the container between uses.
If you want a disposable option, you can take a new roll of unbleached paper towels, cut through the whole roll lengthwise and then either fold in half or cut in half a second time and place into a tub to be soaked in the same mixture as above.
Teething is never a fun time for baby or parent. Instead of numbing his or her gums with something like Orajel, try giving him a slice of frozen fruit such as mango or peach wrapped in a wet (and cold) baby washcloth to chew on.
Don't forget, before baby products came on the market, mothers all over the world utilized the ingredients in their homes to create safe baby products. If you talk to the older generations in your family, you might just discover a wonderful remedy they used with babies in the past.
Shannon Staples writes about parenting. Check out her blog, Lullaby Baby http://www.lullabybabycarriers.com/blog/ for more information. Copyright (c) 2009 Shannon Staples. This article may be republished provided this information is included and links are live.
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