Fun for Babies

• Play with clays
• Finger paint with food
• Color pencils

Baby Tip Lesson 5

Don't go overboard with the stimulation. Your baby will let you know when she had enough by crying or simply looking away from you. take these gestures as a signal that it's time to cuddle instead

Seize opportunity for learning

• Point out different colors and shapes or recite the ABC's while you and your babies are sitting in traffic or waiting for doc's appointment
• Talk about the things you see while walking around neighbourhood
• Tell him what you're doing as you prepare a meal pr give him a bath

For emotional/mental stress:

1 drop bergamot, sandalwood, geranium oils

For FATIGUE:

1 drop of rosemary, chamomile and lavender oils

For muscles aches: 1 drop of chamomile, geranium and jasmine

For nausea: 1 drop of fennel, coriander and cardamon

To calm: 1 drop of cedar, sweet orange, chamomile oil

To stimulate:

1 cup eucalyptus, lemon and rosemary oil

Give yourself a soothing facial massage. Combine a teaspoon of sweet almond oil or jojoba oil with a drop of chamomile or lavender oil and blend well.

Massage the mixture around your temples, jawline, cheekbones and brow line

Pure & Simple Body Wash And Shampoo

4 drops chamomile oil
2 drops lavender oil
1 bottle liquid castille soap

Place the oils in the container of castile soap. replace the lid and shake well.

To use a body wash, just squeeze out a teaspoon onto a moist cotton washcloth. You can also use this formula as shampoo.

" if a burn should occur, combine 2 tsp of sweet almond oil and 1 drop of lavender oil and gently rub into baby's skin. Or apply a small amount of 100% pure aloe vera gel to the area.

Here's another soothing burn remedy. fill baby's bath equal amount of warm water and apple cider vinegar.

the vinegar helps reduces redness and pain and restores the pit mantle of the skin"

Mommy's Best Sunscreen Oill

1/2 cup aloe vera gel
1/2 cup cocoa butter
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup sweet almond oil
Vit E capsules
10 drops lavender oil
8 drops chamomile oil

In a saucepan, combine cocoa, aloe vera gel, sesame oil and sweet almond oil

Heat the Cocoa until soften

Add Vit E and essential oils; stir and cool

Pour mixture into 2 or 3 small bottles

Shake and store unrefridegerated

Colic Relief Massage Oil~

1 drop dill oil
1 tbsp sweet almond oil

Blend the oils together in small cup

Spread the oil on your hands and rub your hands together briskly to warm them before massaging your baby

Silky Baby Blend

3 cups cornstarch
2 cups french clay
1/2 cup aloe vera powder
1/2 cup powdered lavender flowers
4 drops chamomile oil
2 drops lavender oil

In large mixing bowl, blend cornstarch, clay, aloe vera powder and lavender

Sprinkle the oils into mixture and blend well

Store the powder in tins, small glass jars or plastic containers with shakers top

Diaper Rash Prevention Cream

1/2 cup 100% pure aloe vera gel
1/2 cup cocoa butter
2 tbsp jojoba or sweet almond oil
3 Vit E capsules
6 drops calendula essential oil

In a small saucepan, combine the aloe vera gel, cocoa butter and jojoba or sweet almond oil. Heat on very low heat, stirring constantly until cocoa butter is completely melted. Stir in the contents of vitamin E capsules and mixed

Remove from heat and let cool for 5 mins; stir again

Blend in calendula essential oil

Pour the mixture into small sterile glass jars and let cool

SKINSAVERS

1. Fill a sterilized widemouthed canning jar with a solution of 1 cup of water, 2 drops of lavender essential oil and 1 drop of chamomile essential oil
2. Add multiple folded squares of pure cotton or cellulose sponge to the jar
3. Shake well and store at room temp
4. To use, remove a cloth, squeeze out any excess liquid, gently wipe over baby's skin
5. wash and reuse these wipes whenever possible

Baby Tip Lesson 4

For older babies, sunshine is are of the best cures for diaper rash.

when the weather permits, let your little expose her bum to the early-morning or late-afternoon sun.

Apply sunscreen first and limit the exposure time to about 10 mins to prevent sunburn

Diaper Rash Rescue

Diaper rash feels painful to your baby as it looks to you, Frequent diaper changes are neccessary to prevent a rash from getting a foothold.

But avoid using petroleum-based creams; though they might form an effective barrier from moisture, they're good for your baby's skin.

Instead, try also these natural methods for preventing and treating diaper rash.

Herbal Bath Bag

1 med square of cotton cloth
2 tbsp fresh or dried lavender, chamomile, lemon balm, calendula, yarrow or dill
1 6-8"length of ribbon or string

1. Place the herbs in the center of the cloth; bring the corners up to the center to form a bag. Firmly secure the top with ribbon or string.
2. Place the bath bag in a tub of warm water. Let the herb infused in the bath water for at least 5 mins
3. Remove the bag before placing the baby in tub.

The Herbal Bath

To a full tub of warm water, add  a drop of one of the following essential oils:

• chamomile
• geranium
• lavender
• yarrow

Distribute the oil in water with your fingers before putting your baby in the tub

Alternately, you can add the essential oil to a cup of milk before adding it to the bath water

You can use of cooled herbal tea in place of essential oil

"Condition your baby's skin with infused herbal oil. Blend 1 tsp of sweet almod oil or hazelnut oil with a drop of chamomile, lavender or yarrow essential oil and add to baby's bath water, dispersing the mixture into the water well with your fingers"

Cocoa Butter And slippery Elm Formula

1/2 cup sweet almond oil
2 tbsp powdered slippery elm bark
1 tbsp pure cocoa butter

In a nonstick saucepan over low heat, gently heat the sweet almond oil and slippery elm bark for 5 - 10 mins, until warm and well-mixed. And cocoa butter; constantly stirring, heat 5 mins longer

Strain the mixture through a mesh into sterilized jar; let stand until cool. Refrigerate until mixture is completely solid; then store in cool dry place

Apply the solid paste with your fingertips to areas with cradle cap before shampooing, gently rubbing with a washcloth or soft brush to loosen crusty patches

Baby Tip : Lesson 3

A soft, natural-bristle brush is not only good for young baby's hair, but also helpful for loosening and removing cradle cap.

Using 100% cotton washcloth on your baby's scalp while bathing will also help to loosen and remove crusty spot.

Give Cradle Cap The Brush-Off

Cradle cap is not a disease, but actually a sign of healthy skin growth. In adults, new skin cells are generated at about the same rate as old ones die and are shed. But in infants, new skin cells often grow at a faster rate than old, creating these telltale greasy, scaly patches.

Cradle cap is very common, but its rather unsightly when it comes off in large clumps or layers. And although your baby can't tell you directly if it feels uncomfortable, it seems likely that it could be itchy. To help soften cradle cap, massage a few drops of this infused oil before shampooing:

Blend 2 tbsps of sweet almond oil with 1 drop each of calendula and geranium essential oils

Help in Healing

Make your own herbal antiseptic powder. Combine a cup of cornstarch and 2 tsps of pure ground thyme. After bathing, dust the area around the cord with a cotton ball dipped in this powder.

Note: Always shield baby's face to prevent inhalation of powders.

Lavender has antibacterial properties and speeds the healing of skin. Mix 1 tbsp of distilled water with 1 drop of lavender essential oil. Dip a cotton ball into the mixture and gently clean the area around the umbilical cord. Soothe flaky, dry skin around the cord with this formula:

2 tbsp of sweet almond oil, 3 drops of chamomile essential oil, and 1 drop of rose essential oil

Massage 2-3 drops into the skin twice a day.

Incidentally, this formula may also help improve irregular skin pigmentation on other parts of the body, although birthmarks will only fade with time, if at all.

-A Delicate Area-

When you think about it, the umbilical cord is an amazing thing. But once the cord is cut and tied after birth, it looks a lot less interesting as it shrivels on your baby's belly on its way to becoming a navel. For most part, Mother Nature takes care of this process herself so don't do anything to treat it for at least 24 hours.

But since infection is a possibility, you'll want to keep the dry area free from bacteria until the final remains of the cord wither and drop off, usually within 7 to 10 days.

The Basics of Infant massage

Most babies love having their chest and back rubbed. But avoid doing so when baby have a fill tummy or is hungry.

• Massage is very soothing, esp if used in combination with story or song. It doesn't have to do anythingfancy - a constant circular motion on the back or belly will do. You can also gently stroke your baby's face or massage her hands. make sure the room in which you're giving the massage is warm and free of drafts
• Always pur together the massage oil in your palms. the perfect oil to use is plain sweet almond oil
• Remove baby's clothing - but you might want to keep diaper in place, esp if your lovely baby is a boy. Otherwise, you might be in for an unpleasant surprise. Also, remove any jewelry before giving a massage to reduce the risk of injury or irritants
• Always ask permission to massage before you begin, even if baby is too young to understand your request or to offer a respnse. This will help to instill a sense of body ownership and healthy touch when child is older
• To massage the head and face, use small circular motions with your fingertips around the forehead, brow line, temples and jawline. try to maintain a hand-over action so that one hand is always in motion during the massage. Do not massage near the eyes or fontanel (soft spot on the head)
• when massaging arms and legs, simple downward strokes are effective. Don;t forget about those tiny fingers and feet!

Guide to using Essential Oils For Aromatherapy:

Age : under 2 mths - 1-3 drops undiluted
2-12 mths - 3-5 drops diluted
1-2 years - 5-10 drops diluted

• Calendula: A natural deodorizer
• Chamomile: soothing, improves a variety of conditions
• Dill: has a calming effect and its traditionally used to induce sleep in a babies
• Lavender: relaxing, has antiviral and anti-inflammotary properties
• Mandarin: invigorating, reduces tension
• Neroli: enhances mood, has mild sedative effects
• Rose: relaxing; enhances mood
• Sweet orange: a natural soothing antiseptic
• Yarrow: has astringent qualities, reduces inflammation

Babies Tip Lesson 2

Always use pure botanical essential oils instead of synthetic fragrance oils; the latter often contain alcohols and other irritants

Avoid oils sold in clear glass or plastic as these containers expose the product to light and cause it to degrade

Scents abilities

Here's the simplest way to use aromatherapy in a small baby's nursery.

Add the essential oils to water in a simmer pot or even to a small pan of warm water (about 1 cup): place the pot or pan in the room out of reach of baby, siblings and pets.

note: if you're using diffuser, dilute the essential oils in 2 tbsp of base oil

The following combinations are especially soothing: using nursing aide:  1 drop of chamomile each, dill and sweet orage essential oils

Stuffy nose relief: 1 drop of lemon essential oil and 2 drops of eucalyptus essential oil

Sleepy Time Formula: 1 drop of chamomile each and dill essential oils

Making Scents For Baby

Smell is the only sense that is fully developed in humans at birth.

It's not surprising that babies respond quite readily to aromatherapy. A diffuser comes in handy when using essential oils for aromatherapy, but keep in mind that essential oils should never be used "neat" (undiluted) in a diffuser in a baby's room.

Their concentration is too strong for little lungs. Instead, dilute the essential oil in a base oil, such as jojoba or sweet almond.

Skin So Silky~

1 cup sweet almond oil
1/2 cup cocoa butter
2 tsp lanolin
1/2 ounce beeswax
2/3 cup rosewater
1/2 cup aloe vera gel
6 drops rose essential oil
2 vitamins E capsules

In a double boiler set over medium heat, combine almond oil, cocoa butter, lanolin and beeswax. Heat until completely melted

Mix with electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Scoop into sterilized jar and label

Store away from heat

Beautiful Baby Balm~

Use this balm during diaper changes to protect baby's skin

1/2 ounce cocoa butter
1/2 ounce beeswax
1 tbsp jojoba oil
1 tbsp glycerin
1 tbsp rosewater
4 drops chamomile oil
4 drops mandarin oil

In a double boiler set over medium heat, combine cocoa butter, beeswax, and jojoba oil; heat until completely melted. Add glycerin and rosewater; stir

Remoev from heat and add essential oils, scoop into a sterilized jar and label. Store at room temp.

Discard any unused portion aft 6 weeks

-Good Start Cereal-

1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup soy or rice milk
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 banana mashed

1. Combine all ingredients in microwave safe bowl and microwave high for 2 mins

2. For beginning eaters, pour cooked cereal into blender or food processor and blend with additional soy milk as needed to make smooth puree

Quote of the Day

The more people have studied different methods of bringing up children, the more they have come to conclusion that what good mothers and fathers instinctively feel like doing for their babies is the best after all.. -Benjamin Sparks

Baby Tips Lesson 1

For a natural spary disinfectant, fill a 22-ounce spray bottle with 1 cup of vinegar, 1 cup of water, and 15 drops each of thyme, rosemary, and tea tree essential oils. Keep a bottle inthe bathroom and one near your main-diaper changing area, stash a travel size bottle in your diaper bag and/or glove compartment for quick clean ups.