It’s 70 degrees in brooklyn and spring is officially here. At least in our minds, as it may dip back to 30 just to spite us. We’ve been busy cleaning out the corners of our homes, organizing our workspace, and preparing our gardens for new life. This post is devoted to cleaning your little ones.
Infants
Babies are pretty clean when they are still trapped in one place, just watching all the action from mother’s arms. They do get burp-up on their chins and neck folds, and of course, the diaper area needs daily washing. But their heads, trunks, and limbs don’t need too much scrubbing. During wintertime, we don’t bathe our tiny babes more than twice a week. Now that the weather is getting nicer and the air less dry, baths are less drying on baby’s skin. We use Baby Moon Milk Bath as perfect gentle cleanser for daily use. It’s so simple: Organic oats, organic cultured (probiotic) milk, organic chamomile & lavender flowers. We like to fill a muslin bag with Milk Bath and float it in the water to avoid any tub residue from the powdered flowers. You can then use it as gentle wash sack. The botanicals actually help little ones to relax and feel sleepy at the end of the day.
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Mother’s Wisdom
Chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla, & lavender, Lavandula, flowers have traditionally been used for soothing and calming the body’s nervous system. Oats, Avena sativa, have long been hailed as healers due to the way oat polysaccharides become gooey in water and leave a fine protective film on the skin and its saponins gently remove dirt and oil. Oat proteins and fats maintain the skin’s natural barrier function and moisture. Cleopatra was partial to milk baths, and with good reason. Milk is full of healthy fats and vitamins which moisturize skin. Lactic acid in milk is mildly exfoliating. Probiotics assist in neutralizing destructive bacteria. I’ve noticed that my own skin is softer and more naturally moisturized after bathing with my little girl in Milk Bath.
People ask us often about cradle cap. We used Infused Organic Coconut Oil massaged into little one’s scalp and left to sit for about 30 minutes before bath time, then gentle wiped with a soft washcloth in a warm bath. It is gentler than soap or (ugh) harsh shampoos sold for that purpose. Plus, how can you scrub at a baby’s soft spot? I was always terrified I’d give her brain damage.
Toddlers
When babies turn into tots, as has happened to both Emma and I, crusty food residue and mudpies become an integral part of each day. We still relax with Milk Bath, but have added Baby Moon Baby Wash to dissolve the real dirt from sensitive skin and hair during bath time. In general, we don’t like suds because they are largely caused by industrial cleansers that strip our skin of all moisture. But our Baby Wash contains a gentle skin-safe surfactant derived from coconut and palm oils, which sounds similar to SLS but is in fact quite different.Â
Our surfactant has a much larger molecule size that forms bubbles and lather but does not penetrate the skins surface and strip it of needed oils. Plus, bubble are fun! I wash my tot’s hair about once a week, and granted, she doesn’t have much, but it never is greasy or dirty. (By the way, we don’t need to wash our hair that often! Over-washing your skin can cause an over-production of oil, and the same principle goes for your hair).
What about those dirty diaper moments when you need something wonderful to clean baby’s bottom? We use Baby Moon Bum Spray instead of commercial wipes to get everything super clean and bacteria-free. I have to admit to using it on myself on occasion. Please don’t tell. Here’s how it works. Spray a few pumps on a clean soft cloth, wipe wipe wipe, and done. Very nice! I use it on my tot now even after she goes on the toilet to make sure she’s all clean since toilet paper alone can be a little harsh on her.
For the teen years, visit our article Holistic Self-Care for Teens
Writing by Molly Watman
Molly is co-founder of Brooklyn Herborium. A trained artist and graphic designer, she started studying herbs after her first child was born. Though it had always been an interest, it took on more importance in her life as she took on the role of mother.
That’s a beautiful baby. And yes, Brooklyn’s weather patterns have been very frustrating recently, but today is GORGEOUS!