Baby soaps, creams, powders.... what to get?

[megviolet]

My baby is due in 3 weeks, i'm looking for recs on what to have on hand for baby toiletries. With DD, we only used zinc oxide and burt's bees shampoo/soap bar. I didn't like the Burt's Bees, want something different this time.

I'm thinking store brand zinc cream for diapering, olive oil for moisturizing.... and hopefully someone can recommend a very gentle safe and natural soap/shampoo I might get some ground oats for baby powder, if needed.

I thought i'd post here rather than in pregnancy because, well, you all have babies already! lol

[JamieCatheryn]

I use my handmade cold process bar soap on my kids. It's made from 70% olive oil, 20% coconut oil, 5% hempseed, and 5% castor oil. If there's no oily, sticky, or sinky on them I just wash with water. I wash their hair with it too, just lather up the bar and use the lather (works great at least on short-ish hair).

[KSDoulaMama]

We use very little in terms of products, but what we do have is Weleda's calendula diaper care cream and California Baby calming shampoo/body wash, which we use occasionally on her hair. (My daughter has a lot of hair!) Love them both!

[Artichokie]

we used no diaper cream and never had a rash. We used cloth diapers.

the only soap we used was california baby baby wash. We also have CB baby lotion. That's it.

We never used powder.

[Drummer's Wife]

I really like California Baby products... but for the most part, when they are small, I didn't really need much. Like, they don't need their hair washed frequently or lotion applied regularly, or diaper cream (mine didn't until they started eating food - then it was rare occasions). It really depends on their skin, though, so I'd probably get a sampler pack, like CB offers (unscented) in case you need something.

[Knitting Mama]

I have Weleda calendula baby wash, but honestly, I use it way more than it gets used on her. I mostly just wash her with water. She has lots of hair, was born that way, and curls like mama, so I generally use a drop of conditioner to wash her hair on the rare occasion she needs it (I wash with conditioner too).

[rhiOrion]

We use California Baby body wash. We've only used it once, and that was after we went swimming, and I figured it might be good to give her a gentle clean. Otherwise we just use water.

We use California Baby calendula cream when she scratches herself and such.

I have some Aveeno baby lotion, but I made the mistake of not smelling it in the store, and it stinks.

[tammylsmith]

I really love Mustela Physi O Bebe no rinse cleansing fluid. Granted, maybe I am not crunchy enough, but this is not a natural and organic product though it is extremely gentle. (It might not be along the lines you are thinking of, but I thought I'd still mention it!) Ds rarely gets a bath, but I give him a swipe of this on a cotton pad or cloth wipe on his face, neck and little tush. He had no problems with baby acne, unlike my older dd, and I don't know what it is, but his skin just looks so healthy... even more than dd's did in similar aged pictures.

I happen to be a fan of powder too with ds, though I never used it with dd. I use the Burt's Bee's cornstarch powder (I know you didn't like the other BB's stuff, but the cornstarch seems nice to me). I rub it in really well, which makes his skin feel nice and dry and comfy. He is like his daddy, and HATES the feel of diaper lotions/creams, screaming whenever I put any type on him. The powder makes his skin dry, silky and happy, and I haven't had any problems with rashes since I started using it (I used a zinc cream in the beginning, and still battled a nasty diaper rash and yeast infection for 2 full weeks!)

[Miss Chris]

For both our kids we just drizzle a tiny bit of Dr. Bronner's into the bath water if they're really dirty and that's it. We scrub with fingers and wash cloths. We don't use shampoo at all unless my older daughter gets really extra dirty (sand in the hair, play-do, cookie dough... ) and then I use the same Kiss My Face shampoo for her that I use myself. It's organic and biodegradable with no pthalates or SLS. It's also fairly inexpensive and you can get it at regular grocery stores or drug stores.

I do sometimes put a little Cetaphil on the baby's cheeks because he's got some baby eczema there that gets pretty red and sore and I like it because it has no fragrances or colors and is very mild. My husband also has eczema and he said the Burt's Bees lotion stung when he put it on his skin. I hadn't thought of it before but even natural essences and oils are still additives and for very sensitive skin they can be too much. Our little guy smiles when I put the Cetaphil on him so I guess it doesn't sting and it heals up his skin really fast. Its the only cream I ever use and if it weren't for the eczema I wouldn't even bother with that.

Miss Chris

[miami mommy]

I use a bar of Dr Bronners soap on my DS, but I don't use it all that often because he just doesn't get very dirty. I use it as shampoo, too. I use coconut oil for diaper rash because it's antifungal/anti-yeast. For moisturizing, I use either olive oil or Weleda calendula baby lotion. My DS has amazing skin and I like to think it's because I mostly leave it alone, but it could just be lucky genes.

[Adaline'sMama]

When DD was first born we had a bottle of MotherLove apricot birthing oil that I slathered her with every day for the first two weeks. I also used it myself during labor. We use homade goats milk soap on her body and Earths Best baby shampoo. If you plan to CD, you won't want to use zinc from what i understand. We've never used powder. Also we use a mixture of witch hazel, h2o, tea tree oil and a tiny bit of dr. bronners liquid hemp castile soap as a diaper wipe spray.

[Knitting Mama]

Yep- if you're cloth diapering definitely don't use zinc creams. They'll make your diapers repel liquid instead of absorbing them. For my girl, I use a pump of Punkin Booty foaming wipes solution (Bite Me is a wonderful citrusy scent!) and I have a travel Chapstick container of Punkin Booty balm for the rare ocassion she needs it. She's never had full blown diaper rash; I've learned that giving her a chance to air out every diaper change for a few minutes means no rashes. But I've rubbed some balm on her tush when it's been red, and it has made the redness go away quickly.

[SilverFish]

can you get president's choice products where you live? we get them in ontario and quebec, not sure about BC. anyway, they have a really great natural baby wash in their baby care line... it comes in a copper tube, can't remember the full name of the product right now. i love it though. it has a really gentle citrus scent when soaping up, but is totally scentless when rinsed off. it does a great job of keeping all the milky, sweaty folds nice and clean. i LOVE the price the most though... way cheaper than the name brands.

the product i like to splurge on is earth mama angel baby diaper cream for cloth diapers. this stuff is AHMAZING! seriously. we were struggling with yeast rash and raw irriatated skin, and this stuff clears up red areas so quickly. i use it where ever she has irritated skin now... it's great on baby acne.

[MamieCole]

This is a great site that gives lots of detailed info on the safety/ingredients of baby skin care products/shampoos/sunscreens, etc. : skin deep

[belltree]

your baby does not need any soap. Just skip it.

[Boot]

I also use almost nothing on my babe - just water and a little bit of weleda cream if she gets red. I do also use a baby massage oil about once a week after a bath. It's simply organic sunflower oil. I plan on buying food grade oil to replace it once it runs out.

[NEastMomma]

Baby wash/Shampoo: We didn't use ANYTHING on DS until he was 6mos old. Washed him with only water. After 6mos we occasionally use Lafe's Organic Foaming Baby Wash. I love it! It is all natural and comes in Endocrine-Disruptor-Free packaging. Fairly expensive, but we have used 1/5 of the bottle in the last 4 months, so I don't mind.

For Diaper Rash/ skin stuff: We only use Aquaphor. Again, fairly expensive ($19/jar), but we've owned the same jar since he was born. (He's now 10 mos old) It cures any little rash in one day, and can be used on dry skin in winter. Leaves mommy's hands soft, too! DS almost never gets diaper rash. We cloth diaper at home, but use disposables out and about. Maybe that's why? Or maybe it is the Aquaphor?

I'm interested in Dr. Bronner's for both environmental and non-chemical reasons, but haven't tried yet.

Check out EWG's Safe cosmetics' database too. Good resource!

[Mawood]

I am using California Baby unscented for bath time as my daughter gets sticky when it is so hot outside. I am also using the Weleda calendula cream (without zinc) for the diaper area and try to let her be diaper free some time during the day. She loves to roll and turn naked and that way all the little skin falts can air out

[staceychev]

I just use a mild soap for body and hair very occasionally, and sometimes coconut oil from my pantry as a moisturizer. So far no diaper rash.

[hartfelt]

we use weleda calendula body wash and avalon organics diaper rash cream. i use a salve i made with comfrey and calendula if she has dry spots, it works really well on her bottom too. NAK