Mosquito bites?

[raksmama]

It is getting hot here and DS has already been bitten by mosquitoes 5 times last night.
What do all of you use, if anything to 1. Prevent getting bitten 2. Put on the bites??
Up to now we have tried a spray with citrus grass from the natural food stores but it really stinks! So we always end up not using it.
The only thing I know about for after is "Afterbite" but it is not very natural.

[raksmama]

Anyone try taking B vitamins for this?

[raksmama]

bump!

[tanyalynn]

It's too early in the season for me to figure out if more B1, or with a different timing (maybe half an hour before I send the kids outside?) will help.

After bites, homeopathic ledum helps and extra vitC should help. We take a lot of vitC all the time, but it helped a LOT a couple summers ago when my DS put his hand in a fire ant pile and got tons of bites. I think it's the same theory--injected toxin that needs to be dealt with--obviously a very small, non-lethal amount unless you've got real allergies, but still a toxin.

[Learning_Mum]

Lavendar essential oil on the bites really helps.

[BookGoddess]

I find taking a slice of freshly cut onion and rubbing it over the mosquito bite helps take away the swelling and itchiness. There's an enzyme in the onion that breaks down the prostaglandins (inflammatory compounds) created by the body in response to the bite. So when there's no prostaglandins = no pain or inflammation.

You could also make a paste of plain old baking soda and water, but you have to let it dry on the skin for a while.

[es1967]

We use the Burt's Bee's insect repellent. A first I thought the smell was kinda strong but have grown to love it. Plus, everytime we use it someone else says it smells great and wants to know what it is. It really works well too and I don't feel bad using it.
Wanted to mention that it feels oily at first but then absorbs into the skin pretty quickly.

[es1967]

This morning I woke up and DS had about 8 bites all over his arm and a few on his legs. I sleep right beside him and did not get one bite. The bites are really red and look horrible. I'm going to try some lavender oil on them when he gets out of the bath. Any idea how many times one mosquito can bite?

[Meksmama]

We use lavender oil mixed with witch hazel in a spray bottle to spray on bites after they have been bit.

I am making my own bug spray to use this year as well to try and save on costs.

es1967- sounds more like a spider bite since it was so many bites.

[es1967]

How much lavender oil and witch hazel do you use? I actually used both witch hazel and lavender earlier today but a spray would be nice. I am thinking that the bites probably occured earlier in the day. DH took DS to these gardens yesterday morning and DS loves playing in the bushes. DH forgot to put on the bug spray and there are tons of them there. The only wierd thing is that I didn't notice the bites earlier in the day. Doubt it was a spider. Could be fleas that the dog brought in but I did not get one bite and I was next to DS all night. I put a little burts bees on him tonight just to be safe. I checked the room throughly and saw nothing-no fleas no mosquitos.

[Meksmama]

I make the soothing spray approx. 1/2 cup witch hazel and about 10 drops of lavender essential oil you could even add a little vitamin e oil a drop or 2 to help soothe as well.