Archive for the ‘Baby Products’ Category

Most babies, when they turn one year old, enter the stage when they want to feed by themselves using spoon. However, some parents are reluctant to let their babies feed themselves since these tots often make a lot of mess, spilling food on the floor, the table, and on their clothes. However, like everyone else, babies need to learn how to feed themselves, so you, as parents, must let them.

To help your baby learn the basic skill of feeding him or herself, you must give your child the best tool. And what better tool that aid your child in learning self-feeding than a spoon?

Babies learn by copying or imitating your movements, so it’s important that you teach your children well. However, since babies’ grasps aren’t as firm as yours then it’s only fitting to find your baby the right kind of spoon.

The best and safest kind of spoon for the baby is one that the he can hold easily. It must be ergonomically designed, meaning it should be designed in a way that will best help the baby. The right kind of spoon has the right curve to help the baby put the food directly into his or her mouth. It should be small enough to fit into his or her mouth. The handle should be firm and made of slip-proof material so the baby can hold it firmly. The head must be made out of soft but durable materials so as not to injure his delicate gums. And most importantly, the spoon should have no trace of any harmful substances, such as Bisphenol A (BPA).

One recommendable product is Munchkin’s Soft-Tip Infant Spoons. If you are a big fan of sustainable and environment-friendly products, then you can check out the Bambu’s Bamboo Spoon and Fork Set.

You use them to clean your ears, remove excess eye makeup, apply medication to wounds, and more. They may be small, but they’re very much handy. Cotton buds, ear buds, cotton swabs, or Q-tips have become staple medical or hygiene products at home.

Cotton buds were invented back in the 1920s by Polish-born American Leo Gerstenzang. Since then, cotton buds are found in many homes, clinics, and medical institutions. Even though cotton buds’ physical makeup are quite elementary (a stick with a swab of cotton at each opposite end), their stems can either be plastic or paper. The question now is which is better – plastic or paper?

Call it odd if you want, but you’d notice that there is quite a difference between cotton buds with plastic stems and those with paper stems. Plastic stems tend to be more flexible, allowing the stem to bend while cleaning the ear. Paper stems, on the other hand are sturdier.

However, it’s not the feel, the sturdiness, or the flexibility that spells the difference between the plastic and paper stems. It’s the chemical makeup. You may have heard about the eco-debate paper vs. plastic. You know very well that plastic products do not disintegrate. They’re non-biodegradable, so the environment and the future generations to come are the ones suffering for them. The sad thing is, some people just used cotton buds down the toilet. As a result, used cotton buds became the second most common trash washed up in a lot of beaches. That means that even though a lot of people may have clean ears, the environment may be pretty filthy because of it.

So to answer the question which one is better? Well, you already know the answer.

We put baby oil in our child’s skin in order to keep their skin hydrated and moisturized, especially after they bathe or when the weather’s too cold or dry. What we don’t know is that what we may be putting in our baby’s skin to protect it may actually be causing more harm than good.

Some commercial baby oils have mineral oil, which is also a typical ingredient in creams, lotions, and other baby products. Mineral oil is clear unscented oil that will not spoil. It is produced through the distillation of crude oil or gasoline. Since it is abundant and quite cheap, it is therefore used by many baby oil manufacturers. The problem with mineral oil is that it has many harmful effects to the body, most especially to infants.

Mineral oil is difficult to be absorbed by the skin, so it can clog the pores of the skin, which can therefore slow down the skin’s capacity to eliminate toxins. Once broken down and absorbed by the body, it will absorb most of the fat-soluble vitamins, which is kind of stealing away the important vitamins that the body won’t be able to replace. This can then lead to nutritional deficiencies. Studies show that mineral oil can cause decreased lung function which is also known as lipoid pneumonia.

Mineral oil also has hydrocarbons which may not only cause stomach and lung problems, but may also cause the organs to stop functioning. Once ingested, mineral oil can cause a child to vomit and once it gets into the lungs, it can cause lung inflammation, which may then lead to death.

For those of us who want to use safer and more natural baby oils, there are safer products out there, such as Gourmet Body Treats GBT Baby Oil, Lavera Baby Neutral Skin Oil, and Badger Baby Oil.

It is important to regularly clean the baby’s mouth to keep it healthy. Even though babies drink only milk and water, oral hygiene for the baby is still as important as it is for adults. If you have a baby, you’d probably notice that your baby’s tongue is white or has these white patches on the surface. This can be either of two things – they’re either just milk residue, or thrush.

How do you know if it’s just milk residue or thrush?

Wet a clean cloth with clean warm water and then wrap it in your pointing finger. Using the cloth, gently try to remove the white coating or patches on your baby’s tongue. If they are easily removed or wiped off, then they’re only milk residue. Just clean the tongue thoroughly but gently and make sure you do this regularly to keep the baby’s mouth clean.

However, if the white patches can’t be removed, or when you are able to wipe a spot off and you see a red or bleeding surface underneath, then it might be thrush.

Baby’s thrush is caused by the fungi candida albicans. Thrush manifests as white patches or spots, like milk curds, in the baby’s mouth. It can be on the tongue, gums, inside the cheeks, and the roof of the mouth. Although it usually occurs in two month old babies, older babies can have it too.

Thrush is actually an infection which can be caused by several things:

• Babies have immature immune systems so their bodies are unable to resist infection.
• The mother herself has thrush so the infection is passed onto the baby through breastfeeding.
• The infection could have happened during the baby’s normal delivery.
• The mother is taking antibiotics even though she’s breastfeeding, which have reduced the number of healthy bacteria in the baby’s body, therefore allowing the fungi to spread.

Aside from the white tongue patches, another symptom of thrush would be the baby crying whenever he or she breastfeeds or drinks from the bottle.

To address this properly, see a doctor right away so that the doctor can give the baby an oral antifungal medicine. This needs to be applied to infected areas using your clean hands. The mom also has to receive antifungal treatments herself so that breastfeeding the baby won’t mean passing the infection back to the child.

Petroleum jelly is such a versatile product, that it serves not only as cream, but as moisturizer and lubricant as well. Petroleum jelly is usually an odorless mixture of hydrocarbons that is in semisolid form at room temperature. It is commonly used in a variety of industries and is sold in many drugstores and medical supply shops worldwide.

Although initially used by workers in oil rigs in the 1800s, petroleum jelly use has transformed, being used medically to seal off burn, cuts, and wounds to stop the bleeding and avoid microbes from penetrating the skin surface. And since it has become an effective skin protection cream, many people use it to avoid dry, flaky skin, especially during cold winter months.

Although the product is widely used, reports of petroleum jelly containing carcinogenic or cancer-causing contents have been surfacing. Such ingredients are infused in the product when chemicals are added during the manufacture process. And since the product is extremely cheap or affordable, manufacturers hardly bother checking if the raw materials contain harmful contents.

Petroleum jelly is likewise harmful if applied in and around the nose. People in cold regions apply the product in their nasal areas to soothe their chapped and runny noses. However, doing so can develop a condition known as lipid pneumonia, an infection of the lungs that develops due to the inhalation of fats such as those contained in petroleum jelly.

To answer whether petroleum jelly is harmful to health, the answer is yes, but only if it contains other carcinogenic chemicals and if improperly used. Generally speaking, petroleum jelly is safe to use. Consumers just need to check and recheck brand labels for presence of any harmful ingredient.

Babies can be extreme mess-makers, especially when they start eating soft solid food or those foods other than milk. Mashed fruits and veggies make perfect recipes not only for baby food, but for mess as well. They can also create mean and tough stains in babies’ clothes, making doing laundry extremely difficult. What makes it even more difficult is that laundry detergents and stain removers that we’re usually using may prove to be harsh on babies’ delicate skin. And forget about bleach. Not only is it harmful on babies’ sensitive skin, but it can also damage the clothes’ fabric.

So what are baby-safe stain removers? For starters, you can use natural and safe products you can find from your pantry, like baking soda and washing soda. Use baking soda to remove stains from baby’s clothes, bed sheets, pillow cases, blankets, and bibs. Just sprinkle a small amount of baking soda onto the stain, pour a little bit of club soda, let the mixture bubble for a few seconds, and then scrub.

Use washing soda when removing stains from oil, creams, and lotions. To remove the oily substance first, pour over some cornstarch onto the stained area, leave it for 10-15 minute then scrape it off. To remove the stain, mix 2 tablespoons of washing soda with a bit of water to create a paste, apply the paste onto the stained area, and then wash.

If you don’t like the idea of mixing things in your own kitchen or pantry like a mad scientist, then you can just head on out to your favorite store and buy safer and more natural stain removers. According to product reviews available online, some of baby-safe stain removers available in the market today are Green Works Oxi Stain Remover, Oxiclean Laundry Baby Stain Remover, and BabyGanics Stain, Stain, Go Away! Stain Remover.

Summer is fun, but not when you get sun burnt. Sunburns are caused by too much exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation. A UV ray has three wavelengths – UVA, UVB, and UVC. The first two are the ones that reach the earth. Therefore, sunburns are specifically caused by UVA and UVB rays.

When a skin is overexposed to the sun’s rays, the skin’s living tissue is burnt. This burnt tissue manifests as reddish skin. Depending on the length of exposure and the amount of UV radiation, sunburns may either be mild like a suntan, or life-threatening like skin cancer. Sun tanning may be healthy if done in moderation. Since sun tanning can increase the amount of melanin in the skin, the skin’s natural defense also improves. Melanin is the dark pigment in the skin’s epidermis. It’s an excellent photoprotectant or a natural protection against UV radiation.

To prevent sunburn, avoid going out from 10am until 3pm. These are the hours during daytime when the sun’s rays are at their strongest. Stay in the shade as much as possible. If you really need to go out, apply some sunscreen at least 20 minutes before heading out. Use sunscreens with SPF 15 and above. However, if going out to the beach, choose sunscreens with SPF of at least 40. SPF means Sun Protection Factor. Choose sunscreens that provide protection against both UVA and UVB rays. Never apply sunscreen on the skin of children aged 6 months and below.

Wear hats and other sun protection gear like sunglasses. Use an umbrella if the sun’s too high. Wear only light-colored clothes during summer to keep you feeling cool. Moisturize your skin as frequently as possible. Apply lotion even when not going out. And last but not least, keep your body and skin hydrated by drinking lots and lots of water.

How’s your family’s summer? Have you guys gone camping or swimming? If yes, then good for you. If not, don’t fret because summer’s still not over and you have lots of time to finally make it happen. However, if your work or limited amount of budget is getting in the way, don’t worry. You can still have fun with your kids this summer without leaving the comfort of your home. Why not try doing some fun garden activities?

Some fun garden activities could be games that you and your kids can play. Garden games are a great way to spend summer with your kids. They’re also healthy since you and your kids are moving about, unlike when playing video games or watching DVDs.

Some fun summer garden games are the following:

• Giant snakes and ladder. Here, the usual teeny sized board game is blown up to a scale in which you and your kids become the counters. This game comes with a board about 3 meters in size and an inflatable dice as huge as a pillow.

• Giant pick-up sticks. Pick up a stick from a pile without moving the others. This game is a classic. And with sticks about 3 meters long, this garden game becomes a more fun and exciting one.

• Sack race. Sack race is a game often played in camps, but you and your kids can still play it at home. It’s not only fun, but physically challenging too.

• Quoits. Test your skill of accuracy and hand-and-eye coordination through this classic game. Just throw and shoot the ring into the pegs and earn points along the way. Whoever garners the most points, wins.

There are more garden games and activities you can play with your kids. It’s just a matter of creativity. However, before going outdoors, remember to protect your children from the sun and the bugs. Use naturally safe but effective sunscreen lotions and insect repellents. Doing so would help protect you and your kids while enjoying the rest of summer.

There really is nothing wrong in giving your kids some toys, that is, if the toys do not contain any harmful chemicals like lead.

Lead is toxic. It can adversely affect your child’s health. Unfortunately, when tests were performed on over 1,200 kids’ items, 35% contained lead in levels exceeding federal standards for lead paint. Only 20% of the toys showed no traces of lead or any other harmful chemicals. Even toy giant Mattel recalled over 21 million of their China-made toys for not being lead-free. Mattel discovered that their toys’ lead levels are 200 times more than the acceptable amount.

It is your responsibility as parents to make sure that what you buy for your kids won’t end up hurting them. Lead poisoning is something to be taken seriously. The American Academy of Pediatrics released a recommendation stating that 40 ppm of lead is the maximum amount of lead allowed in any children products. Anything beyond this amount can result to permanent learning disabilities, behavioral problems, seizures, coma, or even death.

An example of unfortunate lead poisoning happened to a 21-month old baby. Before the poisoning occurred, the baby was showing perfectly healthy learning abilities, even surpassing developmental achievements fit for her age. She was speaking in full sentences, knew colors well, and could count. However, after a few weeks, she just stopped talking. After undergoing a mandatory blood test, results revealed that she had 26 mcg/dL of lead in her blood, an amount dangerous for children her age. It was later found that the lead poisoning was caused by crayons.

What the baby showed are just symptoms of lower levels of lead presence in the body. Symptoms of high levels of lead presence in the body include tummy aches, headaches, confusion, vomiting, seizures, muscle weakness, anemia, and hair loss.

So protect your kids. Before giving your child any toy, make sure it is absolutely safe and lead-free. To find out which toys have lead and other toxic chemicals present, go to http://www.healthystuff.org/.

Having a baby at home is just pure joy, except on days when he or she gets cranky. Babies get upset and cranky due to a number of reasons. One of these is diaper rash. You see, a baby’s skin is super sensitive, but how sensitive is it?

A baby’s skin produces less melanin compared with older children or adults. And when the skin lacks enough melanin, it is more prone to irritants and allergens.

Another reason is thin skin. Babies, especially newborns, have thin and delicate skin. That’s why there’s just no room for any harsh substance.

One more reason behind a baby’s sensitive skin is genes. Sensitive skin can be passed on from the parent to the offspring. So if you, as a mother or a father, have sensitive skin, then your child would probably have it too.

To take good care of a baby’s sensitive skin, remember these key tips:

• Regularly bathe your baby. Use baby baths, soaps, and shampoos that are especially made for baby’s sensitive skin. Clean less exposed skin areas, like behind the ears, knee pits or spots behind the knees, and the diaper-covered areas.
• Use mild soaps and warm water when bathing your baby. Rub gently. Don’t use talcum powder on a baby after bathing as this can cause allergic reactions and asthma.
• Don’t use strong or harsh creams and lotions. Since a baby’s skin can quickly absorb applied creams and lotions, use those with mild formulations. According to GoodGuide.com, the best reviewed natural and safe diaper creams are Miessence Baby Barrier Balm, Miessence Baby Bottom Mist, Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Diaper Ointment, and Badger Diaper Cream. However, there are products that are kind of playing under the radar, but are still getting positive reviews. BabyGanics’ Hiney Helper™ Diaper Rash Cream, for example, has received positive reviews from parents in sites like Nextag.com and Diapers.com.
• Always use clean beddings, blankets, pillow cases, and bed sheets. Make sure they’re all free of mites and bedbugs.
• Let your baby wear loose and comfortable clothes. Don’t dress your baby in tight-fitting clothes as these block airflow, which can help turn sweat into rashes.
• Don’t ever use strong perfumes or colognes on babies. Perfumes or colognes may contain harsh alcohol or oils that can irritate the baby’ skin.