Natural Remedy Tips for Common Baby Issues

NATURAL REMEDIES 

I am thankful we never had to go to the doctor with Sparrow as a wee babe, nor with Phoenix in his first year. Today Sparrow is nearly 6 years old & we have always been able to approach any situations naturally without panicking or rushing off to the doctor. We did her routine wellness checkups throughout the first year and yearly milestone checkups after she was 1 year old, but we never had anything serious to deal with that we weren't able to address at home with natural remedies, rest and prayer. She had colds, fevers, an occasional earache, constipation, etc. 

We aren't the type that runs to the doctor at every sniffle or fever. We know the body is created to grow in strength to fight these things off. We know fevers are a good thing—it's the body's way of killing an intruder. We knew how to monitor her & we were ready to take her in if needed, but it never ended up serious. We also know there isn't much a doctor can do for these things & with the wealth of information that's available on the internet (do thorough research), it's best to treat at home first. In fact doctors and research will tell you, antibiotics are wrongfully administered every day for things they actually do not treat. My own doctor's office has a large poster stating this! 

If you are keen to approach things more holistically, here are a few helpful suggestions that helped us. 

Conjunctivitis (especially with newborns) 

This is when you notice one or both eyes have regular goop in them. This number one remedy is so easy. 

Breastmilk! 

Believe it or not! It's amazing. God made it packed full of antibodies and healing properties. Not only is it the best nutritious drink for baby because your body tailor makes it for him or her, but it heals up all sorts of ailments. 

When baby #1 had conjunctivitis after birth (and a few times when she was nearer to one year old), breastmilk healed it within a day or two. 

How: express a few drops into each of baby's eyes while they are laying down. They will blink and some will roll down their cheeks, but enough will come into contact with their eye that the healing will still take effect. Do this 3x a day until the eyes are healed. 

If it's a really stubborn case of conjunctivitis, dab colloidal silver with a cotton ball around the baby's forehead and eyes. You can put a small amount directly in the eyes if you wish. 

With baby #1, breastmilk always worked quickly. With baby #2, one eye was healed with breastmilk while the other didn't. So I just dabbed the silver around the eye area and the issue resolved in a day. I was so frustrated I hadn't tried it sooner! 

Colic

This is incessant (more than normal crying or discomfort). There is a mix of things you can do. Try avoiding dairy to see if that is the culprit (babies are unable to digest milk proteins so you might as well kiss dairy goodbye for the first couple of months and see if there is an improvement. If that doesn't help, drink herbal teas that will be pass along into your milk supply to help baby, give baby a couple drops of gripe water, see a physiotherapist who specializes in seeing babies. They can do gentle adjustments to make sure baby is in alignment. This blogger shares more ideas! 

Ear Aches 

Basil oil is the recommended oil of earache/ear infection, among others. Why give your young child harmful antibiotics if an oil will do? Research shoes that antibiotics DO NOT heal earaches. It took my daughter's ache away almost immediately. Dilute and rub around ears. If child allows you, put oil on cotton ball and place in ear for awhile so vapor is released into ear. There have been many testimonies about this working efficiently. Worth considering! Warning** Never drop oils into the ear canal. 

Eczema

Baby #1 and myself have had small bouts of eczema from time to time. The last time Sparrow had this on her stomach I used coconut oil. Within three days it was noticeably smaller and faded. By the end of the week it was gone. I can't recall what oils I have used for it in the past.

Congestion

ln cases of colds and the congestion that can accompany them, diffusing oils in the bedroom at night for the child is very beneficial. Do your research on which oils are OK at what age. There is contradictory advice out there. Here are some suggestions. We also used sleepy time oil when our child was sick to help promote relaxation. Young Living makes Gentle Baby & Hello Melba makes Sleep Sweetly. When they are 9 months and up, I would rub (diluted) Thieves or On Guard on the bottom of their feet 1-2 x a day for a couple days. 

For more, check on my post on the Basics of Essential Oils here! 

A guide to safe use for babies can be found here. 

Favourite Baby Products

It's time to share my favourite baby products with you. So much out there in the stores you don't end up needing. I would honestly recommend only buy the basics first and then buy items AS needed. It really is a waste of money to buy everything ahead of time. You will not use all of it. And it really is true that each kid is different. Ex: we made a point of buying a used swing chair and BOTH babies hated it! Another time we borrowed a baby bean bag (with straps) for baby #2. We used it a handful of times. It wasn't ideal. 

I also recommend buying things USED as much as possible. 

After having two babies in the house, I've come across a few smaller products that really stand out. Everyone has products they prefer for different reasons to suit different preferences and needs. Here are my go-tos for some must-haves!


BEST BOOKS to read BEFORE giving birth:

The Official Guide to Lamaze book (amazing, realistic and very encouraging & positive view on birth with lots of easy to understand information. a must read before birthing so you know what's going on with your body. Helped me overcome fear when I really understood the process & helped me to make very educated decisions during birth.)

 

And this is a MUST READ about getting baby to sleep through the night.. Read BEFORE birth. On Becoming Babywise ! This is an absolute must. A life saver! Soooo glad we read this!!! Worked perfectly with our two kids! We witnessed many friends struggle with their kids waking multiple times a night from age 0-2. The majority of these parents did NOT apply this method. We are so thankful a friend lent us this book. It's an easy read. 

Long-sleeved Onesie 
This is absolutely perfect. Soft, cosy, & SO easy to use. This is the best part: it has a zipper. The worst thing about regular bodysuits/long-sleeved onesies is the myriad of buttons. Changing a baby is hard enough. Who needs a heap of difficult buttons to fuss over while baby is twisting and turning all over the place? The zipper is two-ways, making for easy use. Another amazing aspect is that there is extra fabric that helps you add on "mittens" over the hands or "socks" over the feet. The stretchy fabric moves with the child and because of the extra fabric, this can be worn so much longer than a one-sized, non-adjustable bodysuit onesie. Seriously, babies grow so fast. It's great to have an outfit that lasts them awhile. Our baby wore this at night and in the day. Made in Australia by BONDS brand, this was gifted to us by a friend. I've never turning back!

Fabric Nursing Pads
This is a must-have while nursing your wee one. Especially in the first couple months when milk is flowing abundantly and over the nighttime when baby starts sleeping through the night and your milk supply is adjusting. Save money and save yourself from toxins buy opting for fabric, reusable pads. I recommend searching Etsy.com where you'll find limitless options.

Sore Gum Soother 

This looks like a great brand because of the hole at the end. Babies drop things ALL THE TIME. So having it secured to them would keep you from having to keep washing it over and over. Purchase here.

Amber Teething Neclace
Yes, believe the hype. Available anywhere these days. Here is on Amazon. 

Swim Diaper
Sometimes it takes a few tries to find a product you like. We bought a fabric swim diaper for our first child that used velcro to secure the sides. It was alright but never felt quite secure enough. I always felt concerned that if she pooed in the pool, it wouldn't contain it. Then for baby number two I stumbled across this brand: Beau & Belle. We love it! Not only do their swim diapers were amazingly well but they are very cute. These have a snap system like cloth diapers, and the leg holes and top have elastic sewn in to create a very secure and comfortable fit. Buy here: Beau & Belle

Spill-Proof Sippy Cup
We noticed our niece using this when we visited America & we were impressed!! Available at Target, by Munchkin.

Post-Birth Recovery Tips

POST-BIRTH TIPS.

Here are some things that helped me get through post-partum time! Every birth is different but here is what helped me. 

EMOTIONS 
First of all, no matter what your specific physical recovery looks like, most women could attest to the reality that adjusting to a new baby is hard. It's new. It's unfamiliar. You face challenges. You're tired. Your emotions run wild. You face a mental exhaustion that you couldn't have prepared for.  I want to encourage you when you're in that YOU'RE NORMAL. Often there is nothing more comforting at times to just know you aren't the only one. 

• Give yourself grace and time to recover. 
• You have just created a human & it is NORMAL to feel out of sorts. 
• You have a new family member to adjust to & are exhausted. 
• With recovery, it will look different to everyone depending on their birth experience. 
• On hard days remember, this is just a season. It too shall pass! You can do this. 
• Most likely, you and baby WILL figure out nursing & he or she WILL sleep through the night. Be patient in the process. Don't give up. In an age of quick fixes, stick in it for the long haul to reap the rewards. 

OVERALL WELLNESS

Bouncing back physically can take a little time depending on your birth. With my first birth it took 7 months to feel normal again. With my second, it was a matter of weeks. In addition to healthy eating, I took a slew of vitamins & supplements to help lift my mood & fuel me for the day:

• Multivitamin from Garden of Life
• Individual vitamins I took as well: iodine, zinc, iron, vitamin D, fish oil (these help with energy, strength, immunity & fighting depression)
• Evening Primrose Tablets (this combats post-partum depression but don't take in excess, read up on recommended use from a variety of websites before taking. It gave me heartburn so I took this sparingly the first few weeks after birth.)
• Essential Oils for mood: I took turns putting on Clary Sage Oil & Balance Essential Oil Blend from doTERRA. I put two drops on my wrists on in the morning and rubbed into my arms with a carrier oil (almond). These both help balance your hormones. I felt I could tell a difference. 
• Tea: I drank Red Raspberry Leaf Tea to help tone my uterus, and I drank mother's milk teas that you can get at natural grocery stores. Other brands: Euphoric Herbals  (they create pregnancy, post-partum and nursing teas). 
• Sunshine & Exercise. These two are very important to lift your mood & perspective. Get outside when you can. 
• Brain food: walnuts, flaxseed, chia seas, etc. 
• At night after dinner I took a probiotic
• Once in bed I took magnesium (really does help with sleep and stress) 

PHYSICAL RECOVERY

Healing Your Perineum Tear. If this happens, I have a remedy for you! 

• BATHS: I took nightly sitz baths for the first couple weeks and then about 3x a week after that. Do as many as needed. Find a time that works before for you in the day. For me, I did it after dinner before baby went down for the night, which family was hanging out with him. I purchased a sitz bath herbs packet from Eurphoric Herbals. Follow instructions given to get the maximum effect. This was a relaxing part of my day. 
• OIL BLEND: With research, I created a blend of essential oils that help bring healing that you can gently rub onto the tear area. You will find that area is very inflamed/puffy. I put the oil remedy on 2-3x a day & found the tear practically healed in one week! It was amazing! In a small bottle with a dropper lid or secure lid, combine 5 T carrier oil (almond oil, coconut oil), and 10 drops geranium rose oil, 10 drops lavender oil & 5 drops frankincense oil. Be sure to use 100% pure essential oil. 
• While healing from this tear, do not sit up for long periods of time in the same position. Reclining or lying on your side or back will be very helpful. A reclining chair would be very helpful. Most of the chairs/couches in my house were very uncomfortable. I found a rocky chair with a pillow underneath me was the most comfortable.

YOUR BEDTIME 

• NIGHT ROUTINE: When you are introducing sleep-training after the first week, it can be helpful to create a night time routine. 
• Sleep Training: Read "Babywise" and reference this website for the "Cliff Notes Version" Do the same thing everything with baby, whether it be bath time, dim the lights, sing a song, cuddles on the couch with nursing, a change and swaddle. Routine helps signal to them what is coming next: sleepy time!
• You need a routine for yourself too. In the early days, baby is going to wake a few hours after they fall asleep, so it's best to get to bed as soon as you are able to get in some sleep while they sleep. 
• For me this meant every night laying out fresh diapers, wipes and onesies for quick and easy changes. 
• I draped a dark burp cloth over the side lamp to keep the room dim for every night feed. This helped us both stay sleepy. 
• I made sure I had my water bottle and a light snack available. You are feeding someone many times in the night. Your body will get dehydrated and hungry if you don't fuel it. 
• I ran sleep-inducing essential oils in the room through the diffuser
• I took my magnesium supplement to hep with sleeping soundly 
• I prayed for God to wake me a few minutes before every feed so that I was mentally ready when baby woke instead of being shocked awake each time from a cry. Believe it or not, God did this for me every night, every feed. Ask and you shall receive! It helped me have a good atitude while nursing and not me so exhausted and resentful. And then I was able to go back to sleep fairly easily. 
• I nursed baby #2 while lying down on both our sides with our eyes closed. This kept both of us relaxed and staying in sleep mode. With my first, we had brighter light because I was pumping. Noah would feed Sparrow pre-pumped milk while I pumped nearby. It was long and annoying. Baby #2 was much more of an easy process. 
• I chose not to change baby unless it was a particularly full pee or he had poo'd. If it's only mildly wet, I wouldn't bother because it actually wakes them up further by changing them.
• For the first month, baby slept in a bassinet in the room. Once baby started snoring at night, I moved him into the walk-in closet 5 feet away from me. I could still hear him but it wasn't as much of a disturbance. I am a light sleeper so I was able to always wake (plus God would wake me beforehand anyway!) 
• Once he outgrew the bassinet, he was moved to his sister's room into his crib. 
• Sleeping on stomach vs back. Every kid is different but we found that both our children slept much more soundly and LONGER while on their tummies. We started them on their backs until we could witness they had consistent neck strength to turn their heads from one side to another. With each child we would test that out during naps and observe their ability. We'd pray about the decision and then chose to always have them on their tummies. This, paired with consistent eat/sleep routine, baby #1 slept through the night at week 8. Baby #2 slept through the night at 7 weeks ( 9pm-730am). 
• Utilize the help you have. I was fortunate to have help the first month. My mother-in-law would take Phoenix when we woke at 730am so I could sleep another hour. This was a life saver & gave me enough energy for the day ahead. (I would nurse him around 7/730am & then she'd come get him while I napped). 

NURSING 

• It is my belief that God created nursing as a means to nourish your child with the best possible food. It's exciting to see western culture move back into accepting this. The rest of the world never left this truth but "modern society" moved away from it for awhile. It's good to see that shift happen where it's become normalized again. Science has proven it's mighty benefits. Your body "reads" what your child needs & then makes the exact nutrients & antibodies he or she needs. 

• Remember, you are just like EVERY other new mom, learning for the first time & so is baby. Be patient. Give it time. Give it a whole month to really give it your best shot. 

• Even if you find yourself crying in pain (this happened to me a couple times), remember it is NOT like this forever. Seriously, it magically disappears around two weeks & and you VERY quickly forget the pain you had & are so glad you stuck to it. Baby needs this nourishing natural sustenance. It is Liquid Gold!

• Be encouraged that this is just a season. At first baby nurses often but after you establish your routine, nursing will be a little less often and eventually only a few times a day as they start solids.
• You're a mama now! Your baby needs you! You're going to do amazing, mama out there!