Alhamdulillah, this is a subject that is near and dear to my heart.  Babies are totally dependent upon us for everything, from food, to warmth, to clothing and care, to comfort, to love.  All of these fit under one word:  nourishment.  We nourish their bodies, their spirits, and their minds.  This article is about the first of these.

If you go shopping for baby care products, you will be inundated by choices, from numerous companies, for every aspect of baby care: lotions, powders, baths, gels, diaper creams, even perfumes!  In my experience, I tend to follow the "less is better" school of thought.  My favorite bath for the baby is simply ground oatmeal in a washcloth baggy.  I put this under the tap while the water is running, then use it to gently wash the baby, getting all those spots that are prone to irritation, like the underarms and at the top of the legs.  Towel dry the baby, and oil her with herbal infused apricot kernel oil.  That's it!  For rashes, I reach for a homemade herbal salve and powder combination.  After sharing these ideas so often with friends and families, I was led to create an herbal line of baby products that sold very well for me, and received rave reviews from everyone.  I am going to share my recipes with you.  I would like to say, first, though, that I often do NOT use any essential oils in these, but that I did find that customers enjoyed a light scent of lavender or sweet orange.

Baby Powder
2 parts white (kaolin) clay
2 parts arrowroot powder
¼ part marshmallow root powder
¼ part each dried lavender and calendula blossoms,
ground very finely
lavender essential oil (and if you wish, one of the
following: sweet orange, tangerine, or tea tree)  I
don't put a lot in, just "to taste" to give it a light
scent

Mix the first two ingredients in a large zip lock baggy.  Set aside.

Grind the marshmallow root, lavender and calendula in a coffee grinder.  Then, push through a very fine mesh strainer, and repeat if you have to make a very fine powder.

Mix them in the zip lock baggy with the clay and powder and mix thoroughly.

Add essential oils, a little at a time. 
Spread out to dry for a day or so.

Package as desired.  I like a baggy in a nice drawstring bag, or a cardboard powder container.

Basic Baby Oil
1 part  calendula infused apricot kernel oil
1 part avocado oil
a teeny bit of wheat germ oil (depends on how much of your other oils you use- don't use much, because it smells, well, interesting)
You could also add some vitamin E oil
Lavender essential oil "to taste" sometimes with one
of the following:
    Roman Chamomile or sweet orange/tangerine         essential oil "to taste"
Again with the essential oils, tread lightly for the babies!

Baby Bath Mix
1 part rose buds
1 part chamomile
1 part lavender
1 part calendula
2 parts oatmeal
2 parts powdered milk

Grind the herbs in a coffee grinder (they don't have
to be as fine as for the powder)

Grind the oatmeal in the coffee grinder.

Mix everything together and scent with Lavender essential oil sometimes with one of the following:
    Roman chamomile or sweet orange/ tangerine      essential oil "to taste"

Leave out to dry for a day or so, and package as desired.  I make little cotton flannel "tea" bags, with elastic around the top. I put two of these and a zip lock baggy of the above mixture into a fabric bag that I make.  It has a Velcro closure so that when baby is older it can be used to contain herbs for a sleep pillow.


Baby Body Butter
1 ounce calendula infused avocado oil
1 ounce chamomile infused apricot kernel oil
1 ounce jojoba oil
1 oz coconut oil
1 oz shea butter
1 oz beeswax pellets

For a stubborn diaper rash, add some usnea when infusing the calendula or chamomile oils.  St. Johnswort is also a nice addition.

Make the herbal oils ahead of time, so they can infuse.  I make a whole 32 ounces of each, so I can use it in other products.  They are really nice, nourishing oils!

Melt the oils, shea butter and beeswax gently, in the top of a double boiler.  As soon as the beeswax melts, remove from the heat.  If possible, I try to melt the shea butter separately from the others, as it gets grainy if overheated.  When everything is melted, stir thoroughly and briskly.  Let it cool a bit and add your essential oils, if you choose to use them.  As with my other products, I use

Lavender essential oil, sometimes with one of the following:
    Roman chamomile or sweet orange/tangerine
Add a little at a time, as you don't need much for a
nice, mild scent. Personally, I wouldn't use any, but
my customers like a bit of a fragrance.

Pour into your wide mouthed jar and allow to solidify, then put the lid on.

~ Khadijah Lacina

DISCLAIMER:  This information is for educational purposes, based on the study, education, and experience of the author, and is not meant to replace the advice of a trained physician.  Soapnuts and the author are not responsible for any outcome of your use of this information.