½ cup grape seed oil
½ cup wheat germ oil
Optional:
3 drops lavender essential oil
or
2 drops rose essential oil
or
3 drops calendula herbal oil (available at Mountain Rose Herbs)
Yield:
4 ouncesCombine all ingredients in a glass bottle with a flip-top cap. Shake well to allow oils to blend
uniformly.
Natural Diaper Area Care
There’s a saying by Canadian social reformer and educator Martin McLuhan: “Diaper backward
spells repaid.” One thing is pretty certain— a wise choice of diaper care products can be repaid with
quieter nights and happier daytime play.
Almost all babies develop at least one bout of diaper rash before they are potty-trained. There’s no
way around it. Frequent diaper changes, water rinsing instead of baby wipes when practical, a
regular application of lightweight baby oils, and use of all-natural baby wipes can help control, if not
completely prevent, diaper rash.
Sometimes diaper rash can be caused by the very diapers you use. Cloth diapers are more prone to
cause skin irritations, perhaps because the moisture is not quickly wiped off the skin, as it is by
disposable diapers.
Unlike many other green moms, I am not a firm believer in cloth diapers. (I already envision
skeptical frowns.) Before my baby was born, I stocked an ample supply of soft, fluffy cloth diapers,
woolen pants, and waterproof pads, none of which came cheap. After a month of daily diaper washes,
our water and electricity bills skyrocketed! The almost constant diaper rash despite frequent changes
and use of only natural detergents (Dr. Bronner’s soap and plain unscented soap flakes, not Fairy
liquid!) was also a decisive factor. We switched to biodegradable, chlorine-free disposables made
of corn, and my daughter hasn’t had a single episode of diaper rash since. With a monthly cost of $40
(instead of the $100-plus that advocates of cloth diapering claim the disposable diapers cost) and
substantially lower environmental impact, I am happy to use disposable diapers with biodegradable
liners and pack them in compostable diaper sacks. Even if you choose to use cloth diapers, keep a