Just like there’s no one right way to parent, there isn’t one way to define yourself as a Natural Mom.
For some, it could mean they favor a drug-free birth and babywearing. For others, it could mean baby-led weaning or cloth diapers.
There are many parenting choices a Natural Mom can make, but the common thread is a desire to raise your baby in the most natural way that works for your family.
Going Natural With Pregnancy & Baby Products
The term “natural” appears on almost every single baby skin care product out there, and is extremely misleading. An ingredient that is 100% natural is not necessarily safe.
For example, Aloe Vera taken directly from the plant contains oil that can be highly irritating to skin. But Aloe Vera gel purified in the labs retains its natural healing properties without the irritating constituents. Purified Aloe Vera is way safer and better for skin than it is in its original form, but is it 100% natural? That is for you to decide.
The safest choice are products with ingredients that add value to the human body by providing extra nutrients, vitamins and minerals, and are derived from plant sources, like our BEB Organic Bubbly Wash.
Know your ingredient labels and avoid artificial fragrances, parabens, phthalates, phenoxyethanol, petroleum byproducts, or other harsh chemicals. These can be present even in baby products that say “all natural” on them.
Considerations for Babywearing Moms
Babywearing is the parenting practice of carrying your little one in a sling or a carrier.
Babywearing proponents say this provides security for babies as they experience the familiar movements and sounds that they knew in the womb: hearing your voice, feeling your heartbeat and your rhythmic breathing.
Many moms also enjoy the ability to respond quickly to their baby’s cries and the increased eye-to-eye contact of carrying their baby close.
Because babies in slings and carriers are not necessarily shielded from the sun the same way babies in strollers are, babywearers need to take care that baby is properly protected from sunburn.
Remember, a great deal of UV exposure comes from reflected light off the ground and other objects, so a hat or canopy is not quite enough protection. Use a broad-spectrum physical sunscreen with zinc as the active ingredient on baby’s exposed parts, like the face and backs of the hands.
Natural Balance
The common philosophy of most Natural Moms is that the body is best off with the least amount of “meddling” possible.
The human body was designed to balance itself and recover naturally, and the closer we can keep things to how nature intended, the better off our babies and we are.
Strengthening the immune system where possible through breastfeeding, infant massage, and minimizing exposure to artificial additives or chemicals can help prevent health issues later in life.
Massage, for example, enhances your child’s nervous system, immune function, circulation, respiration and elimination in addition to all the emotional benefits. Using a massage oil like BEB Organic Nurturing Oil with a high linoleic acid content will support skin barrier properties and help reduce inflammation and irritation.
Limiting contact with synthetic chemicals and supporting the skin’s barrier properties with pure natural and organic skin care products like BEB Organic Silky Cream can help build baby skin strength and thickness.
For your belly and baby, anything that boosts the immune system and adds nutrition to help strengthen skin is what the body needs.
BEB Organic products support Natural Moms to approach their child’s skincare with an easy to follow daily routine of cleansing, nourishing and defending. We recommend
- Cleanse with Bubbly Wash
- Spot treat with Soothing Serum (formerly named Healing Gel)
- Moisturize with Silky Cream
- Lock in moisture with Nurturing Oil
- Protect against diaper rash and other irritations with Diaper Balm
You’re a Natural Mom and we’re here to give you the best in natural baby skincare.
Sources
J Perinat Educ. 2000 Fall; 9(4): 44–46. Why Natural Childbirth? Judith A. Lothian, RN, PhD, LCCE, FACCE
Pract Midwife. 2010 Oct;13(9):21-2.
Babywearing premature babies. Ward V.
Pract Midwife. 2011 Jun;14(6):44-6.
Skin-to-skin contact. Part two: the evidence.Vincent S.
Br Med J. 1966 October 8; 2(5518): 845–846.
PMCID: PMC1944089
Bathing the Baby without Soap
Pediatrics. 1993 Dec;92(6):882.
What sunscreen should I use for my 3-month-old baby?
Morelli JG, Weston WL.
Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov. 2013 Apr 18. [Epub ahead of print] Allergy and Inflammation: An Immunological and Therapeutic Approach.Shukla S, Shukla H, Kumar S, Aharwal RP, Gupta VK, Sandhu SS.