Creating Homemade Baby Products

If you have a new baby at home, you want to give her the best care possible and for some people that means only using products you are familiar with. For children who have allergies or parents who are worried about using store-bought products, there are many products that can easily be put together right in your own kitchen!

Homemade Baby Powder

Avoid using talcum powder on your infant. Instead, opt for a simple cornstarch mixture. Talc may contain asbestos, so it should be avoided at all costs. Use cornstarch as a base for the powder. If you prefer, you can use rice flour or oat flour instead, or a mixture. Use four ounces of base powder (of your choice) and mix with four ounces of arrowroot powder, along with 22 drops of essential oil. Chamomile works well. If you don't have access to arrowroot powder, you can just use cornstarch. You can also mix a few drops of baby oil in, if you want extra protection. Combine the powders and mix well. Apply the essential oil and the baby oil to an absorbent pad. Place the oiled pad in a container with the mixed powder, stirring and shaking well. Allow this mixture to sit for 24 hours and then mix well again. Remove the pad and dispose of it. Carefully pour powder mixture into containers (salt shakes, old spice containers that have been washed out and things like this work well). This recipe will make approximately two cups of powder.

Homemade Baby Wipes

You can also make your own baby wipes. Some people choose to create the mixture and put it into a spray bottle and to use a washable washcloth or disposable dry wipes, spraying the wipes down before use. Personally, I would use quality, soft paper towels and an old baby wipe container, which has been washed out and dried. Pick paper towels that tear into quarters or halves or take a standard, decent quality paper towel roll and use a sharp knife to cut the entire roll in half. Take a throw-away Glad container or something similar that the roll fits in and carefully cut a slit in the lid that the paper can fit through. Use a piece of masking tape to temporarily cover the slit when not using so that the container does not dry out. Mix your solution and pour in the bottom of your container. Place the roll inside and close, allowing to sit for 24 to 48 hours or until the solution has absorbed into the roll completely. There are two recipes that I would recommend. Some parents choose not to use tea tree oil on their infants, however, if the child can tolerate it, it will help prevent infection and diaper rash.

Recipe # 1:
2 T. Good Quality Baby Wash, store-bought and natural
2 T. Olive Oil
2 C. Water

Recipe # 2:
¼ C. Aloe Vera Gel (available in most drug stores, such as Walgreen's or other pharmacies)
2 drops Tea Tree Oil
2 C. Hot Water

Recipe # 3:
2 drops Tea Tree Oil
2 drops Lavender Oil
2 drops Chamomile Oil
2 C. Water
The Contents of 1 Vitamin E Capsule

Please note that you can use your own mixture. Just mix two cups of water and either Aloe Vera gel, olive oil or a mixture of the two and a few drops of the essential oil of your choice. Lavender and chamomile oil work well and are gentle on baby's skin.