Menu:
Baby Herbs-Herbal Soaps and Oils for Small Baby Care
The postpartum baby needs to be provided with the utmost care. It is only the mother who can offer the right tender care for her baby. However, some special herbs obtained from Mother Nature can also provide a mild but effective baby care while working as accompaniment to mother’s care. Such herbs can be used as oils, soaps, creams, powders and tonics for external application. They offer protection and cure from minor irritations with their antiseptic and therapeutic properties while toning up the body muscles and skin and helping strengthen bones with their nourishing capability.
The baby as well as the mother can benefit from the natural and non-invasive preparations made using herbs. A number of precious herbs which have a mild soothing, pampering and antiseptic effect on the skin and hair are used in formulating the herbal soaps and oils meant for small babies. Sandalwood, almond and Tulsi (Holy Basil) are some such herbs that are used in baby soaps and oils.
Herbs may be included in a glycerin soap which is mild and suitable for tender skin of babies. Pure sandalwood, almond or olive extracts may be included in the soap to nourish and make the skin of babies supple and glowing while bestowing it with health. Aloe Vera renowned for its mild soothing and moisturizing properties if used as an ingredient in herbal soaps meant for babies will help prevent the dryness usually observed after soap wash. Honey also achieves the same objective.
Babies are very much prone to rashes. This occurs more particularly in the diaper region. Herbal soaps containing antiseptic ingredients, flower and fruit extracts will help prevent and cure the skin infections and rashes. These will also prevent prickly heat which babies tend to develop quite easily and relieve the itching and discomfort associated.
The ideal baby oil should be non irritant and mild that is light and quickly absorbed by the baby’s skin. Pure olive oil can also act suitably as baby oil. In India, the sesame seed oil (Til oil) has been commonly used for massaging babies. Special oils having special therapeutic properties may be prepared using various valuable herbs to be used as baby oil. The baby oil can usually be used for application on body (skin) or hair.
Herbal ingredients like rose, lavender, sandalwood, arnica, apricot, almond and honey have a gentle and nourishing and protective effect on skin. These are used in formulating herbal soaps and oils for massaging on baby skin and hair.
The herbal oil massage on skin and body of babies is deemed to be a very good way of making the body toned up and making the bones strong. Special herbal oils prepared for baby massage as per some Ayurvedic recipe is all the more better. This also acts as an emollient and protects the baby’s skin from getting chapped which is very common in winter months. The oil is to be especially massaged on elbows and knees of babies that get rubbed and scratched very easily.