What Does Natural and Organic Mean for Babies?
There is a big push towards natural and organic food products and clothing for babies and toddlers. Benefits of the migration to natural and organic have varying degrees of support. One thing is for sure; buying natural or organic will cost more money.
If you are a proponent of natural and organic products for your baby, you certainly have been shopping in different stores, online and spending more time and money to incorporate this new life choice into your lifestyle. You're reading and getting confused about what cleaners to use, what sunscreens not to use and which fruits and vegetables you must buy organic versus which you can buy chemically treated. You're also finding that the selection of organic baby clothing is limited and expensive.
Other aspects altogether would include much organic food to buy at one time, cooking of organics to get the most nutritional value as well as storing of organics because they will go bad faster than pesticide/preservative treated foods.
To keep confusion to a minimum, don't "go natural" all at once. Address one food group or product at a time and slowly make the change. Chances are it's going to take you quite some time and testing to find for example, the right shampoo that works for your baby.
Remember: Just because a product or piece of clothing is "all natural" or "organic" does not mean your baby will not be allergic. There are plenty of natural things that people are allergic to like peanuts, flowers, animals, etc. Allergies can be triggered when products are ingested, come in contact with skin or are airborne. Be sure to test the new foods, fragrances and materials on your baby for the recommended 3 days before introducing another new agent. If irritations present themselves, stop usage and contact your pediatrician for advice.
Baby Onesie and Toddler T-Shirt Care – Drying
The easiest way to dry your baby's clothes is in a clothes dryer. A dryer is quick and keeps baby's clothing from getting stiff which can happen when air-drying garments. However, a dryer will shrink or temporarily shrink your baby's clothes because it uses high heat to dry clothing.
Seeing as baby is growing so fast and out growing clothes, you'll want to get the most wear out of each item before you'll need to move onto the next size. If the item is a baby novelty t-shirt or something you love to see your baby wear, you'll want to keep decals and screen printing looking like new and colors from fading.
To maintain longer life for your baby's clothes, you may choose to air dry certain items like t-shirts. Baby and toddler t-shirts can be re-shaped and even stretched after washing and laid flat to dry. You can soften the air dried t-shirt by putting it in the dryer on the air dry setting for 10 minutes or by rubbing the fabric against itself to remove stiffness.
Baby Onesie and Toddler T-Shirt Care – Washing
Your baby's skin is sensitive. It's best to use a detergent and softener that are mild, hypoallergenic, fragrance and dye free to prevent rashes and skin irritations. Just keep in mind that "natural" and "organic" doesn't always mean better. Your child can be allergic to natural things too.
All new clothing should be washed in a mild detergent prior to wear. This removes dust and dirt the garment picked up along its journey from fabric to sale rack. Some moms prefer to do a second rinse in the wash to remove leftover detergents and softeners.
Some detergents and softeners claim to be for babies or recommended by pediatricians such as Dreft, All Free and Clear and Seventh Generation. You can start with those brands. If your baby or toddler shows signs of a contact dermatitis, move on to other brands until you find the one that's right for your baby. ve a multitude of uses. Blankets can be used for burping, changing diapers, play places, stroller blankets, breastfeeding privacy and even security and teething.