Baby Shower Gift Ideas

As a last post in this series - Baby Showers. What do you buy that won't just get popped in the trash?

1. Cloth Nappies. Modern Cloth Nappies (diapers) are becoming hugely popular, which is wonderful for our environment as well as much healthier for baby bums. But it can also be a huge investment to get started. Receiving a couple quality covers or package of prefolds is a huge help.
2. Baby Soap/ Nappy creams. Try and buy local and natural. A good quality product is worth it's weight in gold.
3. Restaurant gift cards. Some days it’s just a juggling act and to have dinner taken care of is a complete relief. Grocery store gift cards and coffee shop gift cards are also very nice to receive.
4. Spa Packages. Being a parent of a new baby is pretty exhausting. Most days are considered a success if everyone got fed and mom got a shower. Giving a massage, hair appointment or facial/manicure/pedicure are all great gifts that celebrate the mum.   
5. White Noise maker. For first time parents, it’s nice to have baby used to noise while sleeping, so parents can vacuum, have the doorbell ring or talk on the phone while baby is napping and not worry about waking baby. It’s also great for the baby with older siblings, so baby can nap and the siblings can play.
6. Baby Proofing. Plug outlet covers are great, or a baby gate.
7. Camera. If you know the parents well and know what their camera situation is, this is an excellent idea.  Having a nice camera makes a big difference in picture quality.
8. Photo Session. There are many wonderfully creative photographers these days, and having sweet pictures of your family is really special.
9. Pamper with Smells. Gift an essential oil diffuser and a bottle of essential oil. 
10. Blankets. Just to warn you, most babies get a lot of blankets. But a good quality swaddle can be a life saver- these swaddling blankets are fantastic.
11. Books. It’s never too early for books.
12. Clothes. Ok, I’m going to be honest here: people love baby clothes and love buying baby clothes. The issue is that most of the clothes they give baby, just aren’t practical. I always had plenty of dresses for my daughter and cute sweater vest outfits for my sons, but what I really needed were some basics: Sleepers, bodysuits, pants, socks, a jacket and wool tie-on hat. Think ahead about what size you buy for what season, a summer baby won't want a summer dress in size 6 months!
13. Meals. Dinners are great, but if the family has a good support network and is receiving meals, how about some easy breakfast and lunches? Yogurt parfaits, granola, artisan bread, butter and jam or bagels and cream cheese are lovely gifts. 
14. Doula Service. If mom hasn’t given birth yet, doulas are amazing to have with you, Dad’s particularly love this gift. An experienced doula will help set the new parents mind at ease, and assist any support people in helping mom the best way possible.
15. A voucher for a cleaner for the first few weeks. Getting out of bed is hard enough in the first few weeks, knowing that someone will come in and vaacume and clean the toilet can be a big relief.
16. Offer to babysit the older kids. A day at the park or the museum so mum and baby can just sleep. 
17. A older sibling bag of goodies. simple activities and books/puzzles to keep the older ones occupied while mum tends to the baby.

 

Clearing a baby's snotty nose

 

A baby with a cold usually means two things - miserable days and no sleep at night. Every parents favourite thing, right? Luckily there are a few things you can do to help clear that little blocked nose and help them breathe easy.

1. Put some natural barrier cream on his upper lip to protect the skin from the constant wiping and use extra-soft T-shirts or super soft tissues to prevent irritating the skin.
2. Offer breastmilk/formula/water more frequently throughout the day. A well-hydrated infant will keep the boogs moist and easier to remove.
3. Find a good quality all natural chest rub and rub it on babies chest and soles of his feet before sleep time.
4. Place a pillow between the crib springs and the mattress, so the mattress is slightly raised.  The incline helps the mucus to drain better out of the back of the nose and down the throat.
5. Standing in a nice steamy room before bed helps clear the airways and loosens any mucous in the nose and lungs, making it easier for baby to clear. For an optimum steamy room start with a cold bathroom and run your shower on HOT - don't get in it or put baby in it though!!
6. Add a humidifier to your infant’s room.  Extra moisture is essential in keeping the snot from crystallizing and blocking up the nose, just be sure to open the windows and doors during the day to let the damp out again - you don't want the room getting mouldy!
7. During the day wear your baby in a sling in an upright or angled position.  Not only will he be soothed by your close presence, the angle will help with drainage.
8. Give your baby some probiotics to strengthen his immune system.  Kelly Mom shares  how to do this.
9. Put a few drops of eucalyptus or rosemary oil on a tissue and place near the bed (not in it) they are both natural decongestants.
10. Suck the snot out! You can either do it the old fashioned way (not for the faint hearted) or you can try a snot sucker like the bulb ones or the more sophisticated Nosefrida.

Do you have any tips or tricks to help clear your little ones snots?

Are you baby wearing safely?

 

There has been some controversy over the safety of baby slings this month, in light of 3 babies dying while being in baby slings in Australia (since 2010). There is a safe way to babywear, and an unsafe way. Below are some tips to ensure you are not putting your baby at risk, these can be remembered by the acronym T.I.C.K.S:

TIGHT – slings and carriers should be tight enough to hug your baby close to you as this will be most comfortable for you both. Any slack/loose fabric will allow your baby to slump down in the carrier which can hinder their breathing and pull on your back. Make sure the sling you buy fits you well, and if you and your partner are very different sizes, you may find you need two different carriers. If you are using a Moby style wrap or a Woven wrap, practise well to ensure you know how to do it firmly before you start carrying baby in it.

IN VIEW AT ALL TIMES – you should always be able to see your baby’s face by simply glancing down. The fabric of a sling or carrier should not close around them so you have to open it to check on them. In a cradle position your baby should face upwards not be turned in towards your body.

 

CLOSE ENOUGH TO KISS – your baby’s head should be as close to your chin as is comfortable. By tipping your head forward you should be able to kiss your baby on the head or forehead.

 

KEEP CHIN OFF THE CHEST – a baby should never be curled so their chin is forced onto their chest as this can restrict their breathing. Ensure there is always a space of at least a finger width under your baby’s chin.

SUPPORTED BACK – in an upright carry a baby should be held comfortably close to the wearer so their back is supported in its natural position and their tummy and chest are against you. If a sling is too loose they can slump which can partially close their airway. (This can be tested by placing a hand on your baby’s back and pressing gently - they should not uncurl or move closer to you.) A baby in a cradle carry in a pouch or ring sling should be positioned carefully with their bottom in the deepest part so the sling does not fold them in half pressing their chin to their chest.

Baby wearing was a life saver for us with a colicky and unsettled baby, and for parents chasing toddlers while trying to settle a baby. It is so simple to make sure you are doing it safely. If your current carrier is not able to fulfil these requirements, for the safety of your baby, please look into a better, safer carrier. Don't become a very sad, very avoidable statistic. We <3 SAFE baby wearing!

Image used with permission photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/manueb/4511359563/">Manue@PrettyKiku</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>

Understanding the reason behind the behaviour

This intuitive parenting approach makes parenting more cooperative, fun, and most importantly —customized to your individual child. Your children are telling you exactly how to parent them. Do you know what they’re saying? This infographic comes straight from thechildwhisperer.com and I believe it can give any parent some insight into the cause for your childs behaviour. Your children may be a mix of two or more types, but if you explore what is going on for them, you may find a simple solution like some down time, a simple cuddle or a grand adventure may make your day go so much more smoothly!

What makes a good baby swaddle?

 

Choosing swaddle for yourself or a loved one's baby can be a daunting task! We have looked at the 3 main types of wrap, weighing up the good and the bad points of each. First things first: What is swaddling? Swaddling a baby is simply wrapping them firmly in some sort of cloth to help aide sleep. Babies under 3 months sleep better swaddled, and many prefer to be swaddled much later than this. Swaddling increases the length of sleep, makes it easier to get baby to sleep and can reduce the symptoms of colic. So getting it right may make your sleepy times much easier.  There are so many different styles of swaddle available to choose from and they fall in to three main categories:

A simple flat blanket:

http://www.itibaby.co.nz/

Wings and a pocket for the feet:

http://www.miracleblanket.com/index.htm

or one that zips up the front/acts like an all in one suit:

 

http://www.ergopouch.com.au/swaddles/aircocoon-swaddle.html

There are good and bad points for all of these choices, and you need to think what works best for you and your situation.

A simple flat blanket

With a simple flat blanket there are endless ways to swaddle, a simple Youtube search will bring up many tutorials. These can get confusing and can be difficult to execute quickly and efficiently when they are required. They do need some practise to master - I recommend practising on a baby sized doll until you are confident. See the Iti Baby website for 2 methods that I recommend trying. There are some ways of folding that means their top half can stay swaddled while you change their nappies, other folds will have to be totally re-done each nappy change.
Flat swaddles come in a range of sizes and fabrics. You need a natural fabric with a good diagonal stretch, that is not too thick and can breathe when baby gets hot - ideal fabrics are merino, bamboo and cotton. Square swaddles are much easier to use than rectangle ones. In regards to size - I would not recommend any swaddle under 95cm square for a baby under 12 weeks. After 10-12 weeks babies need a wrap over 120cm square Any swaddle under these sizes are pretty useless to wrap with and you will get frustrated, and baby will escape. A larger swaddle can be used right from birth - making it a great investment. A merino swaddle can then be used as a great cot, TV, or travel blanket. 

Side note: Please do not use polar fleece to swaddle - babies overheat and are at greater risk of SIDS.

A swaddle with wings and feet pouches

These are great for Houdini babies, you strap their arms down and swaddle around them. Many people swear by them. However the aren't so helpful for babies who like their hands across their chest or near their mouths to self soothe. You need to be aware that babies will grow out of these - always check that baby has plenty of foot room. Many of these style swaddles you can change a nappy without removing the whole swaddle. These come in a range of fabrics, but are usually made from either merino or cotton knit - both of which are natural breathable fibres.

All-in-one swaddles

Similar in concept to the above swaddle, but they allow baby to have their hands up by their chest or face depending on the brand. They are nice and quick to put on, with no tricky manoeuvres to master. Again they have a size limit - you may think they are a cheaper option, until you find you need to buy several different sizes. These are very Houdini proof, but some babies find they allow too much movement to settle easily - defeating the purpose of swaddling altogether.

Many babies enjoy being swaddled well into the second half of their first year, some continue to sleep better swaddled over one year of age, so which swaddle you choose may be with you for a while - choose quality. A good quality wrap will last several children. Whichever choice you make, you need to make sure that baby can relax into a hip-healthy position when asleep.

Please remember: It is important that baby's face is kept clear at all times, and that a swaddled baby always sleeps on their back!

 

I hope this make swaddle choosing a little easier.

 

 

SLEEP - getting a baby to sleep and stay asleep

 

Sleep - we all need it, and most parents say they need more of it. It is one of the most argued about parenting topics, right up there with immunisation. Below are some time proven ideas, most of which will work just as well for a little baby as they will for a toddler.

First up it is Decision time:

 

Is your current attitude realistic?
You can't force a baby to eat, you can't force a baby to poop and you can't force a baby to sleep. The best you can do is to create a secure environment that allows sleep to overtake your baby. What you can aim for is a healthy attitude toward sleep: that it is a pleasant state to enter and a secure state to remain in. In the same way that daytime parenting is a long-term investment, so is nighttime parenting. There is no quick fix (sorry!).

Where does your baby sleep best?

There is no right or wrong place for babies to sleep, as long as it is safe. Wherever all family members sleep the best is the right arrangement for you and your baby. Some babies sleep best in their own cot in their own room, some sleep better in their own bed in the parents’ bedroom, other babies sleep best snuggled in the parents’ bed. Realistically, most parents use various sleeping arrangements at various stages during baby's first two years. 

 
A note on Sleep Training:
There are many different ideas and styles of sleep training but these sleep-training techniques are just variations on the old cry-it-out method. Use your inner parent voice to screen the advice: Does this advice sound sensible? Does it fit your baby’s temperament? Does it feel right to you? Don't get into a technique that doesn't sit right with you. If you can't stand to hear your baby cry, you are doing no long term damage cuddling them instead! Sleep training techniques seldom work on high-need babies with persistent personalities (like my miss 3).

Sleep starts before bedtime:
 
Stay flexible. Develop a night time parenting style that works for you. No one approach will work with all babies all the time or even all the time with the same baby. If the “sleep program” isn’t working for your family, stop it and move on. And, be prepared for one style of nighttime parenting to work at one stage, yet need a change as she enters another stage. Follow your heart rather than some stranger’s sleep-training advice, and you and your baby will eventually work out the right nighttime parenting style for your family.
 
Give baby plenty of sleep cues. Make yourself a routine and stick with it. For example: Dinner -> Bath -> Massage -> Pyjamas -> Sleep sac/Swaddle -> Story -> Final feed/bottle -> cuddle/rock/sing/mobile.

Fill baby up your baby during the day. Babies need to learn that daytime is for eating and nighttime is mostly for sleeping. Feed your baby at least every three hours during the day to cluster the baby’s feedings during the day time.

Re-look at your day routine. Is is restful and calm?

 "A peaceful daytime is likely to lead to a restful night. The more attached you are to your baby during the day and the more baby is held and calmed during the day, the more likely this peacefulness is to carry through into the night." - Dr Sears

 
Getting off to sleep:

There are different ways to help baby off to sleep. If one isn't working after a while, move on and try something else to avoid getting tense and frustrated - baby will pick up on it and get tense too. Contrary to popular belief helping baby to sleep when they are young, does not mean you will have to do it forever. They will eventually work out how to get to sleep themselves.

1. Feed to sleep. Nestle next to your baby and breastfeed or bottle feed him off to sleep. The smooth continuum from warm bath, to warm arms, to warm breast, to warm bed is a recipe for sleep to soon follow.
2. Daddy cuddles. Put baby up on your shoulder. The vibration of the deeper male voice lulls baby to sleep.
3. Rocking or walking. Try rocking baby to sleep in a bedside rocking chair, or walk with baby, patting her back and singing or praying.
4. Nestling down. For some babies, the standard fall-to-sleep techniques are not enough. Baby just doesn’t want to be put down to sleep alone. After rocking or feeding baby to sleep in your arms, lie down with your sleeping baby next to you and nestle close to her until she is deeply sound asleep.
5. Wearing. Some babies are so revved up during the day that they have trouble winding down at night. Place your baby in a baby sling and wear her around the house for a half-hour or so before the designated bedtime.Wearing is particularly useful for the reluctant napper. When baby falls asleep in the sling, snuggled with his tummy against your chest or draped over your chest once you lie down, you both can take a much-needed nap.
6. Driving. If you’ve tried all the above transitioning techniques and baby still resists falling asleep, place baby in a car seat and drive around until she falls asleep. When you return home and baby is in a very deep sleep, transfer to bed. Do not leave baby asleep in a car seat as they are not in a safe neck position and risk suffocation.

Keeping them asleep:

While nothing is a sure thing with babies, these things will all help contribute to keeping baby asleep.
 

1. Swaddle: Try various ways of swaddling your baby at night. In the early months (and sometimes much later), many babies like to “sleep tight,” securely swaddled. A baby who gets too hot or too cold may become restless. Adjust the layering according to the temperature of the room and the sleep habits of your baby.  For swaddling tips read here.
2. Quiet in the bedroom. Since most babies can block out disturbing noise, you don’t have to create a noiseless sleeping environment, yet some babies startle and awaken easily with sudden noises. For these babies, oil the joints and springs of a squeaky crib, put out the dog before he barks and turn the ringer off on the phone. White noise in the bedroom can help mask these noises, try searching on youtube for a track.
3. Darkness in the bedroom. Keep the room dark even for day sleeps, you may find they sleep longer without the light waking them 
4. Music to sleep by. Try a continuous-play recording of your baby’s favourite music, so when she awakens she can resettle herself to the familiar sleep-inducing sound.  
5. Leave a little bit of mother behind. If you have a separation-sensitive baby, leave a breast pad or worn t-shirt in the bed.  
6. A full tummy. Tiny babies have tiny tummies, a bit bigger than the size of their fist. So, your baby’s digestive system was designed for small, frequent feedings, which is why, in the early months, babies feed at least every 3 to 4 hours at night and more often during the day. 
7. Lessen physical discomforts: Clear the nose so they can breathe. Relieve teething pain. Change wet or soiled nappies. Pre-warm the bed with a wheat bag. Keep the room at a comfortable temperature - 20-24 degrees.

 
At the end of the day, your baby will eventually sleep through the night. How often do you see a teenager needing rocked to sleep? Some people by nature just aren't great sleepers, and that's OK too. As parents we can encourage good, healthy attitude toward sleep and create patterns and routines to train the babies brain that it is time to settle down and relax. Whether you co-sleep, feed-to-sleep or let your kids work it out for themselves, getting a baby to sleep well can be HARD. I hope these tips will help you find something that works for you and your family. And remember, it's only a phase, it won't be like this forever.

For more reading try these :
http://www.itibaby.co.nz/#!sleep-and-settling/cm3i
http://www.askdrsears.com
http://www.sleepstore.co.nz

Coping with Colic

I have heard a lot of new parents struggling with babies with 'colic' in the last few weeks. I thought it was about time for a colic blog post.

Both my babies had classic colic, and the second one had silent reflux as well. NOT A FUN TIME!

Colic is defined as: Unexplained crying for 3 or more hours a day, for 3 or more days a week, for 3 or more weeks.

What this really means is life is miserable! There is no known cause (though there are A LOT of theories) and there is no real treatment available. Colic typically starts around 3 weeks of age and seems to be gone again by 14 weeks. Leaving the longest 11 weeks of your life in the middle. 

It is often assumed that colicky babies are in some kind of pain, as they are not relieved by the comforts of feeding and holding, often writhe and grunt, may start and stop their screaming very abruptly, and have a shrill cry that resembles the sound they make when they are in pain, they are often said to 'pull up' their legs while crying.

 

One of the compelling reasons why colic is NOT something parents have to put up with or accept is that in a number of cultures, colic is virtually absent.

 

What causes colic?

 

Over the years many explanations have been put forward about the cause of colic. Common explanations have included that colic is caused by wind, by maternal anxiety, by tummy troubles, by a baby’s sensitive temperament, or by a baby’s immature brain.  The ideas of stomach migraines and early food allergies have also been thrown around. While there is an element of truth in all of these explanations, none of them fully explain colicky behaviour, or point to what we can do to calm a colicky baby.

The true cause of colic is what is now often referred to as a missing '4th trimester'. Human babies (as opposed to other animals) are born before their brains are fully developed, and before they are fully ready for the world.

 

Inside the womb, a baby is very tightly bundled, she is constantly fed, she is exposed to 80-90 decibels of ‘white noise’ 24/7, and she constantly swings and jiggles about inside a sea of amniotic fluid. These are the conditions that calm a baby in the womb, and unless we make a concerted effort to replicate these conditions once a baby is born, their absence will be a cause of considerable distress to a newborn.

 

Many other cultures will carry a tightly swaddled baby in a sling carrier the whole day, and co-sleep at night. These babies are breastfed as soon as they become unsettled and are not expected to self-sooth or go with out their mother for the first 3 or more months.

 

Interestingly these cultures also do not experience colic in the way the western culture does.

 

Your baby wants to be held, she will sleep in your arms or on your chest but not in her bed, she will wake as soon as you put her down. It is a survival instinct, they are too young to sleep alone naturally. They need your warmth and comfort, all the tricks in the book are really trying to replicate you, why don't we as a society accept that maybe baby just needs some parent time?

See our Sleep and Settling page or Swaddling page for more details

If you think of the times of day your baby gets upset and try and re-look at your routine at this time of day. It is often tea time - other children are tired and hungry and need their dinner/bath/bedtime routines too, so baby gets handed to someone else or left to their own devices while mum gets dinner ready.

 

Some suggestions:

 

- Pre-prepare dinner/meals when baby is settled

 

- Enlist some help at tea time - Dad, Nana, Aunty, an older sibling or a DVD (shock horror)

 

- Put baby tightly swaddled in a bouncer or pushchair by the dinner table and keep baby moving with your feet while you eat.

 

- Sling or wrap style carriers are great - pop baby in and have two hands free to continue with what you were trying to do.

 

- Use a pacifier to help soothe baby

- Some babies find a deep, warm bath relaxing.

- If baby is unsettled it will do no harm to future sleep patterns if you spend the evening with baby napping on your chest in the lounge while you read or watch TV. In fact you will both be more relaxed and baby will probably get more sleep then trying to settle them alone in their own bed.

 

- If you choose to co-sleep it is recommended that you do so by using a 'side car' style bed - where baby has their own space.

 

http://spiritedmamadotcom.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/bednest.jpg

Warning: Bed Sharing /co-sleeping should not be undertaken by people who smoke, have been drinking alcohol or are under the influence of drugs, these things greatly increase the risk of SIDS (cot death). Do not co-sleep on a couch or lounger chair.

 

I hope this is helpful for those out there struggling. It's not an easy time, but it does pass (like most things with babies). If you are really struggling with your crying baby, put them down somewhere safe and have a break, call for back up if need be. Kia kaha.

 

 

Dealing with morning sickness - 23 natural ways to fight the nausea.

Morning sickness during pregnancy is largely caused by hormonal changes, however vitamin deficiency, low blood sugar, strong smells, foul odours, lack of exercise, fatigue, stress, constipation, anxiety and worry all add to it as well. Feeling sick is more common with your first pregnancy, if it’s a girl, or if you're carrying multiple babies. It usually turns up at around 6 weeks and lasts until around 12-14 weeks for most people, although some have it start earlier and feel sick right through to labour.

 

Some of the remedies below will help immediately, others help work on possible underlying causes. If you really can't keep food down see your doctor, some mothers get a condition called Hyperemesis Gravidarum and need to be hospitalised and given IV fluids to re-hydrate.
 

1. Increase B-complex vitamins and iron intake. Vitamin B-6, taken as 25 mg every 8 hours, has been shown to have a significant effect in reducing or stopping nausea and vomiting.

2. Take zinc supplements, 25 mg per day

 

3. Sip on some raspberry leaf, peppermint, or anise tea.

4. Massage your belly with Iti Baby's Mummy Morning Oil - the fresh scent of peppermint and Orange can help quell the nausea.

5. GINGER - Cut or grate some ginger root and pour hot water over it, then drink as a tea. or take ginger root in capsule form. Drink flat, room temperature ginger beer or ginger ale. Chew on crystallised ginger. Eat some ginger chews.

6. Take homoeopathic tablets: Nux vomica 6X or ipecac 30x.

7. Eat a protein-rich snack, especially right before bed.

8. Go for a walk or enjoy some mild exercise to relieve hormonal activity.

9. Keep a box of crackers by your bed and eat a few before getting out of bed in the morning.

10. Avoid spicy, fried, rich, fatty, and greasy foods. Also avoid any caffeine or artificial sweeteners.

 

11. Get outside and get plenty of fresh air and sunshine.

12. Suck on 1 drop of peppermint oil on a sugar cube. (Or drop the entire sugar/oil concoction into your tea.)

 

13. Wear motion sickness wrist bands like these.

14. Get some Rescue Remedy. 

15. Eat 5 to 6 small, frequent meals every few hours throughout the day. Make sure to have a balance of carbohydrates and protein to maintain blood sugar. Try not to eat too much at a time, but also avoid an empty stomach. 

16. Suck on lemon drops.

17. Drink brewer's yeast and tomato juice with lemon.

18. NAP! Being over tired makes morning sickness worse.

19. Drink ice cold lemonade.

20. Get acupuncture or acupressure treatments.

21. Chew on fennel seeds.

22. Stay hydrated. If water won't stay down, try frozen natural juice Popsicles, frozen grapes or simple ice chips.

23. Avoid anything that could potentially raise your oestrogen higher - reusing plastic drink bottles, using plastic in the microwave, farmed fish or any animal fed soy products, Soy products.

If you are finding the nausea overwhelming talk with your health care professional, there are some antiemetics that are considered safe during pregnancy if they are really required.

 

6 Chemicals to avoid putting on your baby

Choosing baby skin care products isn't as easy as it appears. If you think just grabbing the popular products off the shelves is a good idea, or even splashing out on something labelled organic is the way to go, then you have some reading to do! Unfortunately as much as the packaging may be super cute and the advertising very convincing, you cannot just trust what a company says at face value. They do however legally have to tell you what is in the products you are buying. To make products cheaper and cheaper, companies now use all sorts of chemicals that you don't find in nature. Some of these are totally harmless, others unfortunately are not.

 

To be labelled "organic" a products does not even have to have 100% organic ingredients! Your skin is your largest organ, and it absorbs many things straight into the blood stream. This is helpful for trans-dermal pain/nausea relief in the medical world, but it is scary considering how much we put on our skin in our daily lives. Safe baby products are even more important than adult products as a baby's skin is much more fragile, sensitive and thin, meaning they absorb more through their skin and react more strongly to chemicals.

A lot of conventional baby products that are marketed for sensitive skin contain ingredients that will cause irritations, rashes, teary eyes, rashes and more. All things you would never wish upon your new bundle of love.

What can you do? While you may not be able to avoid all the chemicals around, here are 6 that are worth avoiding. Read your ingredients lists, and avoid products with these chemicals.

 

1. Synthetic Colours

By definition, synthetic colours are made up from petrochemicals and Coal tar. These are too often a major contributor to many skin irritations, synthetic colours used to supposedly make a cosmetic “pretty” should be avoided at all costs, along with hair dyes. They will be labelled as FD&C or D&C, followed by a colour and a number.

Some products may use natural methods of creating a colour but more often than not, the colour in baby bathes, washes and lotions is achieved by adding synthetic colour's.
 

 2. Mineral Oil

By definition, mineral oil is a distillation product, a by product of petroleum. It is used as a moisturiser, lubricant and laxative. Many companies use this product because of the low cost. Involved in mineral oil’s production is sulphuric acid, absorbents, solvents, and alkali's which is not exactly what I’d want to put on my baby’s skin!

It acts as a coating, basically suffocating your skin (think: having plastic wrap coated on your body) and, if there are any beneficial ingredients in the product, mineral oil will not allow them to absorb.

3. Propylene Glycol

By definition, propylene glycol is a liquid alcohol used as a solvent, in anti freeze, and in the food, plastic and perfume agencies. Meaning, if products have the word “fragrance” in it, there is a large chance that propylene glycol is included. In baby products, you can find propylene glycol in baby wipes and you may even find them in ointments, shampoos/conditioners, etc.

Propylene glycol may not have such high concentrations that it could seriously hurt your baby, but the fact that it does have irritating, allergenic properties should be enough to keep it away from your baby’s gentle, sensitive skin.

4. Parabens & Other Preservatives

By definition, a paraben is any of a group of compounds used as preservatives in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products and in the food industry. The whole reasoning behind using parabens is to prohibit the growth of any kind of microbe in cosmetic and personal care products. Parabens are found primarily any products that contain significant amounts of water, as water can encourage the growth of microbes. Parabens can be found as any of the following ingredients: Ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben, other ingredients ending in –paraben.

The biggest concern with parabens is they are known to disrupt hormone function, an effect that is linked to increased risk of breast cancer and reproductive toxicity. Parabens have even been found in biopsies from breast tumours. There have been no studies confirming the safety of paraben preservatives for babies.

 

5. Fragrance

 

By definition, a fragrance is a pleasant, sweet smell. The word fragrance is a trade secret, which means they are not required to disclose fragrance is. There can be up to 12,500 separate ingredients that make up the word fragrance, so that vanilla smell may be a concoction of who knows what.

Baby products are no different! It seems many companies put all sorts of “sweet” smelly ingredients to make mama’s feel all warm inside, which makes the product sell better. The bottom line is this, most synthetic fragrances are an irritant. It’s best to stick to unscented or products that use natural essential oils as the fragrance.

6. Triethanolamine (TEA)

 

By definition, triethanolamine is an alkaline substance used as a surfactant and pH adjusting chemical. Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension between two liquids or between a liquid and a solid.

The concern with TEA is that it may be linked to organ system toxicity or infertility and can be irritating to the skin. TEA — and it’s cousin’s DEA and MEA — can be found in a range of baby lotions and creams.

What Products Could You Use Instead?

Have a read of the ingredients list on what you buy, if you can't pronounce it, its probably not natural and unprocessed. Find a brand that uses natural ingredients, the more simple the list, usually the better. Iti Baby proudly makes all natural baby care products.