Babies are precious, and there is nothing more important than your baby’s health. melslife is not a medical site. Instead we are a wellness community that offers healthy alternative information. We are not against traditional medicine, but there are ways that you can take care of your baby that you might not have thought of, and this is what we provide.

Whatever you believe, you should always consult your pediatrician at the first sign of any health problems and decide upon a treatment plan together. Whether to give your baby traditional medicines or homeopathic remedies is your decision. Weigh very carefully all the risks and benefits of any treatment. As with adults, a good, balanced diet and stress reduction will go a long way toward maintaining your baby’s health.

When it comes to homeopathic remedies, we do not recommend doses or strengths because every baby is different. You can go to your local health food store or Whole Foods and get help from their knowledgeable staff, or you can select one of the many natural baby and child care books which are available today.

Emotional Upset, Stress & Anxiety

Babies get upset. Whether it’s out of fear, anger, or sadness -- nobody really knows.

Treatment

• Nothing beats a soothing, warm bath. Add a handful of lavender and chamomile to a quart of boiling water and let steep for 15 minutes. Remove the lavender and chamomile and then add to your baby’s bath. You can also use tinctures of lavender oil and chamomile oil
• Avoid fatty foods, refined sugar, and caffeine
• Soft lights & soothing music can calm a fussy baby
• Refrain from fighting or arguing around your baby
• Chamomile tea – steep and cool – give your baby a dropperful at sign of being upset
• Cuddling & hugging – give your baby a safe and secure feeling
• Massage & acupressure

Vitamins, minerals, herbs or supplements

• Oat straw
• Skullcap
• Rescue Remedy & Aspen (from Bach)
• Homeopathic remedies can be quite useful in treating stress and anxiety in babies. Please consult your health practitioner or favorite book to help match your baby’s symptoms to the appropriate homeopathic remedy for your baby

Constipation

Constipation is a change in your baby’s bowel movements or habits, particularly a decrease in the frequency or consistency of his bowel movements

Causes

• Formula type
• Inadequate fluids
• Introduction of new or solid foods
• Too much fat
• Low fiber
• Excessive dairy products
• Food intolerance or allergies
• Foods – bananas, applesauce, cereals, breads, pasta, white potatoes
• Emotional stress & diaper rash
• Lack of movement or exercise

Treatments/Prevention

• Avoid high-fat, sugary or processed foods
• Increase fiber
• Switch formula
• Change diet
• Warm bath – you can add a small amount of Epsom salts
• High-magnesium foods – dark green and leafy veggies
• Foods – apples, apricots, peaches, pears, peas, plums, prunes
• Move baby’s legs in a circular motion (like a bicycle)
• Increase fluids – try serving warm liquids
•  Fruit juices – try using diluted apple, prune or pear juice. Dilute the juice to ¼ strength, to start with, by adding cooled boiled water to the juice. Slowly increase the concentration to ½ strength if necessary. Offer 1 oz of diluted juice to babies 2 - 6 months or 2 oz for babies over 6 months, twice a day, until the poop has softened. Give less rather than more to start with. Too much juice can result in abdominal gas, bloating and diarrhea
• Oatmeal cooked in flaxseed tea (good if your baby is having alternating constipation and diarrhea) – take a teaspoon of flaxseed and put into a quart of water, simmering for 15 minutes. Next add a half cup of organic oats and cook oatmeal as usual. Or you can add the tea (1/4 to ½ cup) to 4 oz of juice; give one dose daily
• Cool licorice tea – use a dropperful once or twice daily until problem is solved
• Liquid food-grade aloe vera juice mixed with fruit juice or applesauce
• Organic flaxseed oil – use a dropper and mix one to ten drops of organic flaxseed oil (per day) into baby’s food.

Vitamins, minerals, herbs & supplements

• Lactobacillus acidophilus or bifidus
• If you child’s stool smells bad, try chlorophyll

Colds

The common cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory system. Every baby is different, but most healthy babies who catch a cold can fight it off within a few days without any remedies or treatments. The average baby’s cold lasts about a week, with continuing congestion depending upon the strength of the cold. Because your baby’s immune system is developing, it is not unusual for your baby to catch colds often.

Prevention

• Clean hands & environment
• Have a balanced diet
• Adequate sleep
• Movement
• Reduce stress – play calm music or sounds
• Reduce sugar-dense foods
• Multivitamins

Treatment

• Increase liquids
• Feed diluted fruit juices – nothing too sweet
• Zinc foods
• Avoid aspirin or antibiotics
• Tinctures of cool to warm ginger or sage tea – three to four times a day
• Warm herbal bath with chamomile, calendula, rosemary, and lavender

Vitamins, minerals, herbs & supplements

• Echinacea
• Yin Chiao – liquid
• Please refer to your health provider or favorite book to help you match your child’s symptoms to the appropriate homeopathic remedy for your child

Colic

Colic is usually defined as long periods of crying cycles without the ability to console your baby. Though not proven, most experts believe that colic is a sign of gas pain.

Causes -- theories

• Iron imbalance
• Faulty feeding techniques
• Anxiety or tension
• Cow’s milk sensitivity
• Mother’s diet
• Parental temperament

Prevention & Treatment

• Feed every two hours – try clear liquids
• Avoid fats or sugary foods
• If using formula – try iron-fortified formula
• Postpone introduction of solid foods until at least four to six months old
• Hold your baby often and walk with your baby
• Change diaper often
• Give warm baths – try using lavender
• Provide soft lighting & soothing music
• Give frequent tummy massages
• Try herbal teas – chamomile, mint, fennel, licorice and vervain
• Rub under your baby’s nose a small amount of corn, wild rose or manzanita flower essences
• Cuddling & rocking
• Breastfeeding mothers – avoid dairy products, chocolate, caffeine, melon, cucumbers, peppers, citrus fruits and juices, spicy foods, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and beans

Vitamins, minerals, herbs & supplements

• Lactobacilluus acidophilus and bifidus
• Chamomile, fennel, peppermint or mint tea – steep and let cool. Give your baby a teaspoon of tea at least three times daily in his formula or in a dropper. Nursing mothers should drink a cup of ginger tea at least three times per day
• Homeopathic remedies (contact your health provider or refer to your favorite book to assist you in choosing the best remedy for your child)

Cradle cap

Cradle cap -- dry, flaking skin or thick yellow, oily, scaly patches, usually on the scalp -- is very common and usually shows up in infants between two and four months of age.

Treatment

• Avoid refined sugar
• Create or buy a conditioning, healing cream with Viola (Heartease) and calendula (marigold). If you are going to make a homemade remedy, go to Whole Foods -- or a similar store -- and ask for a “carrier cream,” which usually contains purified water, glycerin, and other natural ingredients. Add Viola and calendula along with your baby’s -- or your -- favorite aromatherapy. Mix well and apply to the affected area once or twice daily
• Nursing mothers should avoid saturated fats
• Rub vitamin E on affected area – cut open a vitamin E capsule
• Massage evening primrose oil on affected area nightly

Vitamins, minerals, herbs & supplements

• Homeopathic Sulphur
• Homeopathic Thuja
• Nursing mothers should take Lactobacillus, evening primrose or borage oil
• Formula-fed babies should take Lactobacillus bifidus with their formula

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is the body’s natural way of eliminating or flushing out toxins

Causes

• Bacteria
• Allergies & food intolerance
• Excessive vitamin C
• Teething
• Bladder or ear infection
• Irritable bowel syndrome

Prevention

• Good hygiene
• Frequent diaper changes
• Cooked foods
• Bottled or distilled water

Treatment

• Increase fluids to prevent dehydration
• Yarrow or meadowsweet, rosemary, red raspberry herbs
• Teaspoon of pureed carrot
• Tablespoon of room-temperature rice water

Vitamins, minerals, herbs & supplements

• Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidus
• Pro-Bio-Plex
• Slippery elm bark powder
  
• Goldenseal
• Kuzu root and umeboshi plum paste
• Homeopathic remedies (since these are symptom-specific, please consult your health practitioner or favorite book to help you determine which remedy matches your child’s particular symptoms)

Ear infections

Ear infections are quite common and usually follow colds

Prevention

• Avoid cigarette smoke
• Never give your baby a bottle to suck on while lying on his back
• Gently massage your child’s ear
• Avoid wheat, corn, oranges, eggs
• Avoid pet dander

Treatments

• Take a warm wash cloth or compress and place on ear or fill up a sock with rice – heat in a microwave until warm – be very careful that you have the right temperature before you place it on your baby’s ear
• Puree a garlic clove – strain it into warm olive oil – take a dropper and place a few drops in your baby’s ear – leave for about 5 to 10 minutes before draining it out
• Increase liquids
• Older babies – broth, herbal teas, and diluted fruit juices

Vitamins, minerals, herbs & supplements

• Lactobacillus acidophilus
• Vitamin C with bioflavonoids
• Zinc – be very careful of dosage (excessive amounts can cause nausea and vomiting; stick with the recommended dose)
• Echinacea & goldenseal
• Garlic
• Mullein oil – warm oil (not hot – make sure you can put your finger in it for a period of time) and place one or two drops into your baby’s affected ear
• Homeopathic remedies

Flu or Influenza

Flu is a viral infection of the respiratory tract.

Prevention

• Wash hands often
• Take multivitamin daily
• Be mindful of sanitary conditions
• Astragalus
• Practice stress reduction
• Echinacea & goldenseal
• Vitamin C with bioflavonoids
• American ginseng

Treatment

• Increase fluids
• Offer juices, applesauce, broths, herbal teas
• Avoid dairy products
• Rub eucalyptus or tea tree oil under your baby’s nose and on his chest
• Increase vitamin C and zinc foods
• Provide fresh air
• Try acupressure

Vitamins, minerals, herbs & supplements

• Vitamin C with bioflavonoids
• Zinc
• Liquid Yin Chiao
• A combination of boneset, fenugreek, peppermint, Echinacea and mullein in a dropper two to three times a day
• Homeopathic remedies

Impetigo

Impetigo is ringworm-like growths on the skin which are considered highly contagious.

Treatment

• Apply a goldenseal powder paste, usnea moss, or tea tree oil to the affected areas twice a day
• Wash skin sores slowly and carefully with calendula, then apply calendula cream
• Avoid dairy, red meats, refined foods and nut butters
• Feed zinc foods and, primarily, broths, veggies, grains and fish or soy-based proteins
• Acupressure
• Give frequent baths

Vitamins, minerals, herbs & supplements

• Combine Echinacea, chickweed, and astragalus -- give to your baby three to four times per day
• Acidophilus
• Vitamin C with bioflavonoids
• Chlorophyll
• Grapefruit seed extract
• Garlic
• Homeopathic remedies

Lice

Head lice are common small insects that invade human scalps, and spread by direct contact.

What to do?

• Don’t stress. Lice cannot survive without a human host more than 24 hours
• Vacuum regularly
• Wash bedding daily
• Avoid popular chemical-based lice sprays and gels – they can be toxic and cause more health problems than lice, especially for children under the age of two or breastfeeding mothers

Treatment

• Place drops of tea tree oil or Balsam of Peru on a fine-toothed comb and comb hair thoroughly twice a day for at least two weeks
• Buy any number of homeopathic remedies and gels at Whole Foods or your local health food store
• Shampoo your baby’s hair nightly. Making sure to protect your baby’s eyes, use natural lice shampoos – and add a tincture of thyme oil and tea tree oil. To clean your baby’s eyebrows, dilute the shampoo with water and use a Q-tip to gently rub on the eyebrows. Immediately wash off with a warm wash cloth. If you want to make your own lice shampoo, mix 4 cups of apple cider vinegar with 4 cups of water, add 1-2 tablespoons (depending upon the lice outbreak) of oil of thyme and mix well. Use at room temperature.

Vitamins, minerals, herbs & supplements

• Garlic
• Goldenseal
• Homeopathic Sulphur

Rash

Rashes and babies seem to go hand in hand.

Prevention

• Use cloth diapers with breathable covers
• Change diapers often
• Combine 4 ounces of water with 2 ounces of baking soda and mix well. After each diaper change, rub mixture on the diaper area. Or apply evening primrose oil or lotion to the same area after each diaper change.
• Air your baby’s bottom often
• Avoid commercial diaper wipes – try chemical-free wipes instead
• Avoid baby wipes at first sign of rash and use warm wash cloth instead

Treatment

• Rinse baby’s behind with warm water and let dry naturally
• Apply calendula cream or lotion
• Open a vitamin E capsule and apply to rash area
• Expose to fresh air and sunlight

Vitamins, minerals, herbs & supplements

• Homeopathic Sulphur
• Homeopathic Thuja

Teething

Teething generally begins around six months and can last for up to three years.

Treatment

• Massage gums – use a clean finger and massage your baby’s gums. Try adding a drop of olive oil or clove oil to slippery elm bark powder or licorice root -- mix with a little water to create a paste – dip your finger into the mixture and apply evenly on your baby’s gums. Another solution is ginger root. Take a small piece of exposed ginger root and gently rub it on the gums
• Soak a wash cloth – freeze it -- and let your baby suck on the cloth. Brew some chamomile tea – soak the wash cloth in it – freeze it – then give to your baby to suck on. The chamomile tea provides a very nice, calming effect
• Create a homemade teething ring using frozen bagels, waffles, or banana
• Keep several sterile, hard rubber items frozen and use when needed
• Homeopathic remedies are available at almost every health food store

Vitamins, minerals, herbs & supplements

• Calcarea carbonica
• Chamomilla

Vaccinations: Pros & Cons

Immunization is a controversial issue and you should research what’s best for your child, discuss the pros and cons with your spouse, and consult your pediatrician for advice. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Pros

• Rid diseases
• Protect society

Cons

• Skeptics counter that sanitation, purified drinking water, and nutrition (not vaccinations) rid disease
• Not enough research to determine the frequency and severity of potential complications and side effects
• Possible severe reactions

If you decide to have your child vaccinated, give your baby a dose of Bach Flower Rescue Remedy immediately after the vaccination. If your child experiences discomfort or skin irritation at the injection site, give your child some homeopathic Thuja.

Family bed

Pros

• Relaxes baby
• Reduces baby’s stress
• Fosters love
• Provides inner strength and feeling of security
• Helps mom sleep better and promotes breastfeeding

Cons

• Fosters dependency & insecurity
• Could make it more difficult for the child to adapt socially and accept rules
• Causes separation anxiety
• Teasing among kids
• Lack of intimacy with your spouse
• Lack of individuality