A diaper rash cream safe enough to eat?
Okay, so we don’t recommend eating any kind of skin cream, but you get the idea… The products we put on babies’ sensitive skin should be safe enough to eat. So it’s a major bummer to find out that even commonly used diaper creams contain chemicals you might not really want to put on your baby’s bum. (You definitely don’t want to eat them!) These chemical baddies (like BHA) are banned in other countries, according to the Environmental WOrking Group’s Skin Deep safety Guide.
The good news is you can make your own all-natural salve for your angel’s sensitive bum! This simple recipe is also a great soother for sunburn, insect bites, cuts, and bruises:
Herbal Booty Balm
4 oz. fresh dried *herbs (calendula, chamomile, comfrey, marshmallow root)
16 oz. pure vegetable oil (olive or almond oil are excellent choices)
1½ oz. shaved beeswax
12-15 drops essential oil (optional)—lavender, rose and chamomile work well
Heat gently, uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring frequently. Mixture should simmer on low heat, but not come to a boil. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool completely. Strain through cheesecloth and add beeswax to the oil and heat until wax melts. Pour into a jar and let cool before putting lid on. It’s important to use clean jars that are completely dry. Should last 6-12 months.
*To learn more about the herbs mentioned in this DIY recipe for pampering, read on…
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Diaper Rash Prevention Tip: Naked Time! Let baby sun her naked bum for 10 minutes a day (11am to 1pm is sun-safest). It’s healing, easy and free—and she will LOVE it! |
Don’t you love that feeling of turning to your aloe plant to heal a scrape, cut or sunburn? Get deeper in touch with that inner Earth Mama when you get to know these other natural healers—safe and gentle enough for baby, effective enough for you. You might even consider adding them to your garden this spring. (A safety note: please check with your health care provider before taking medicinal anything, particularly if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.)
Calendula: A beautiful flowering herb commonly used externally as an ointment or for burns, bruises and injuries, it also has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Calendula is great for sunburn, diaper rash, insect bites, or healing chapped skin.
Chamomile: This flowering plant (from the daisy family) has been used for centuries in Europe, in teas, tinctures, creams and compresses. It has anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, and anti-spasmodic properties, and is commonly used to ease digestive ailments and relieve insomnia. NOTE: chamomile should not be taken during pregnancy or breast-feeding, or by those allergic to plants in the daisy family.
Comfrey: This herb relieves pain and inflammation caused by injuries and degeneration. It’s best known for topically treating burns, skin ulcerations, lacerations, abrasions, insect bites, eczema, or any skin problem.
Marshmallow Root: Often used for herbal cough relief, this herb also soothes inflamed skin and is used in ointments for boils and abscesses.
