Simplifying Your Life -Part Three
Natural Baby Care
It seems as though, in this phase of my life, that most of my close friends are having babies. And with babies, comes many many disposable products and many things that pollute the environment.
But so many of us have been drilled on the convenience of these products, haven’t we? And we have also heard how little time a new mother has. But I still believe in the old fashioned way of doing things, and I also believe in living in harmony with the earth. I have also found that it is more economical to be ecological.
Homemade Wet Wipes
Below is a recipe that I have modified. It was originally to use paper towels, but it would be more environmentally and economically sound to use soft plush kitchen towels or any soft rag that you think best-something washable though.
2 cups water
2 Tbsp. baby oil
2 Tbsp. baby bath soap
1 empty round wet wipes container that you have saved
Mix the water, baby oil and baby bath soap together.
*Actually, I found a solution of this stuff at a health food store. The kit contained this and some ordinary soft kitchen towels. How silly when you can make it yourself at a fraction of the cost!
Here are some instructions for a basic salve, and then a formula for a baby salve you can use.
Directions for Making Salve
To make salve, we extract the beneficial properties of our herbs in oil, then add beeswax to harden the oil. My recipes are based on the Simplers' Method of calculating proportions.
These recipes require you to use parts rather than a specific volume of each herb. This technique allows you to easily adapt the recipe. If you want a small amount of salve you can choose one tablespoon as your part, if you want a large amount of salve you might choose
1/2 - 1 cup as your part. The amount of oil needed is enough to completely cover the herbs, plus an inch of oil above the level of the herbs. The tricky part of this is determining exactly how much beeswax is needed to harden the salve. You can approximate the proportions based on the following equivalents. One pint of oil will need about 1 1/2 ounces of beeswax, or one ounce of oil will need about 1/2 teaspoon of beeswax. There are about 5 teaspoons of beeswax in an ounce. If you intend to make your salve using freshly collected plants, you will want to clean them. Do this by shaking them to remove dirt then spread the herbs out to allow them to air dry for several hours ( until wilted ) to reduce the moisture content. Fresh chickweed, for example, contains a lot of moisture and this water content could cause your salve to spoil quickly. To begin your salve, measure the desired amount of herbs into an enamel or stainless steel pan, or into a crock pot. Cover the herbs with oil.
Use enough oil to cover the herbs plus another inch of oil above the level of herbs. Heat the herbs and oil over a low heat for several hours ( about 3 hours). If you are using roots you should heat the oil longer( about 5 hours). I
strongly encourage you to use a crock pot for heating your oil because it operates at a controlled low temperature which is less likely to be a fire hazard. If you don't use a crock pot then use a double boiler. After heating, cool your oil for awhile. Set up a strainer lined with cheesecloth then pour the oil through to strain. When most of the oil has filtered through the cheesecloth, pick up the cheesecloth, keeping the herbs enclosed, and squeeze as much oil as possible from the herbs and cloth. Add beeswax to the oil and heat it until all the wax is melted. To test to see if your salve is hard enough, put some on a spoon and set I in a cool place for a few minutes. If your salve is too soft, add more beeswax. If you are using essential oils, Tincture of Benzoin, or Vitamin E., you can blend them in now. Finally, pour your salve
into containers and label.
Baby Salve
1 part St. John's Wort
2 part Calendula
1 part Comfrey leaf
1 part Comfrey root
1 part Plantain
Olive Oil
Beeswax
Tincture of Benzoin or Vitamin E
* Rub a little Chamomile or St.John's Wort (in liquid form) on a baby's gums to ease the pain of teething.
* Try this delicious recipe for combating diarrhea: Peel four apples and add the peels to one cup of water. Simmer the peels with 1 teaspoon of honey for 20 minutes or until sauce forms. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve. The natural pectin in the apples firms up the bowels.
* The wonderful scent of neroli oil is reason enough alone to use it, but it also has many therapeutic properties. Known as an antidepressant and gentle sedative, it is also helpful for dry skin. It is incredible for the "baby blues" associated with post-natal hormonal shifts, or mood swings deriving from PMS.
Dream Pillow Blend
Hush Little Baby
4 parts hops
1 part lemon verbena leaves
2 parts rose petals
2 parts chamomile
1 part rosemary
2 parts part lavender
15 drops rose essential oil
15 drops lavender essential oil
Baby's "Sweet Dreams" Bath
Prepare an herbal tea with either chamomile, lavender, or orange blossom. Allow it to infuse for 10 minutes, then pour the tea into baby's warm bath water. Its light and soothing aroma will help calm fussy babies.
Natural Diaper Rash Ointment
In a 2-oz bottle, mix the following carrier oils. This natural blend will soothe the skin, heal and calm any inflammations. Apply directly to affected area.
1-oz Calendula
1/2-oz Avocado
1/2-oz Sweet Almond
Baby Bottom Balm
1 cup calendula oil
1 oz beeswax
1 oz mango butter
8 drops of lavender essential oil
Heat calendula oil, beeswax and butter until melted. Mix in lavender oil to the slightly cooled oil/butter mixture and pour into jars. Apply to baby's bottom in between diaper changes. This also great for chapped cheeks or drool-full chins.
Chamomile Baby Powder
2 tbs. crumbled dried chamomile flowers
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tbs. orrisroot
1/2 tsp. alum
Mix ingredients together in a bowl. Sift and store in powder shaker. Use to keep baby's skin soft and dry.
Herbal Shampoo For Baby
Leaves hair shiny and soft. Good baby shampoo, very mild and gentle.
2 cups (473 ml) distilled water
1 tablespoon (15 ml) calendula (pot marigold)
2 teaspoons (10 ml) rosemary
1 tablespoon (15 ml) nettle
2 teaspoons (10 ml) orange peel
2 teaspoons (10 ml) comfrey
2 tablespoons (30 ml) chamomile
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) essential oil of lavender
1 teaspoon (5 ml) jojoba oil (omit if hair is oily)
1/2 cup (118 ml) all-natural, gentle baby shampoo
Bring water to a boil and remove from heat. Add the herbs, cover, and allow to steep for 30 minutes. Strain mixture into a medium-sized bowl, add the oils and stir vigorously. Add the shampoo and gently stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour into a labeled bottle and keep refrigerated to preserve the freshness. You may keep a small bottle in the shower with enough shampoo for about one week, if you wish. Use approximately 1 tablespoon (15 ml) per application. This shampoo will not produce mountains of billowy suds as it does not contain strong foaming agents. It cleans gently with minimal sudsing.
Note: Before use, lightly shake shampoo to mix the oil that may separate from the rest of the ingredients.
Blends for the New Mom
If you are breastfeeding, you should avoid using concentrated aromatherapy products. Essential oils can penetrate the different layers of the skin and go into your bloodstream. But you can get around this rule by adding a few drops of essential oils into a spray bottle filled with water (6 to 10 drops per 2oz) and misting around yourself. Shake the blend often and vigorously before use in order to disperse the aromatic molecules. It will be very gentle and you will still enjoy and benefit from aromatherapy.
~Energy Boost~
-4 drops Orange
-4 drops Rosemary
~Relaxation Time~
-5 drops Lavender
-2 drops Roman Chamomile
~Uplifting Your Spirit/Postpartum Blend~
-4 drops Orange
-3 drops Grapefruit
-3 drops Ylang Ylang
~Enhancing Self-Love~
-3 drops Rose otto or Jasmine otto
Blends for the New Daddy
You are not forgotten! Here are three aromatic blends that will help new dads cope with the stress of becoming a new parenting, can boost your energy, and calm your fears of this new life.
In a 10-ml bottle, pour the essential oils and then add an organic vegetable oil to fill.
~Coping with New Responsibilities~
-6 drops Rosemary
-4 drops Cypress
-5 drops Cedarwood
Anoint the sacrum and solar plexus. Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale deeply.
~Energy Boost~
-6 drops Peppermint
-6 drops Orange
-4 drops Rosemary
Anoint the sacrum and solar plexus. Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale deeply.
~Easing Fears~
-2 drops Roman Chamomile
-4 drops Lavender
Anoint the solar plexus. Pour a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhale deeply.
That is all for this month. Hope I covered everything! Next month you will learn how to prepare herbs and remedies!
