Application of coconut oil or sesame oil  prevents body-heat and bad exposure to cold winds to infants. Oil keeps the skin free from dryness and scabies. Oil is traditionally used in Asian cultures for centuries for preventing infections and skin texture in children. But sadly modern women out of fancy have switched over to the use of mineral or petroleum based baby oils. Unrefined vegetables oils have innumerable effects on babies. Click here  to read an interesting discovery by recent scientific study on the use of sunflower oil on decreasing infections in premature babies.

       We suggest to use coconut oil or sesame oil for babies. Olive oil tans the skin and so it is not recommended for brown skin. Unrefined coconut oil is the best for complexion.

Oil for ears

Add a few drops of unrefined coconut oil or unrefined sesame oil in both the ears. This cleans the dirt and prevents ear infections. But remember to add only clean oil and spoon to add into ears  Alternatively , the oil can be boiled for a few minutes and after it is cooled, store in a bottle and use within a few months.

      Adding a few drops of unrefined coconut oil or sesame oil to ears often (at-least once a week) is very good for healthy ears of the kid. This will prevent ear infections and keep the ear healthy and will prevent future ear  and hearing problems.

For the first three months its good to use coconut oil and then switch to sesame oil for the body and still continuing with coconut oil for the head. After one year, sesame oil can be used for both head and body and still continue with coconut oil for head only.

Oil baths can be given after third day of birth if the kid does not have any other problems.

Gently rub oil over the baby's head and body and after half an hour give baby a hot shower (do not directly use the shower instead use a vessel to pour water on the baby).  Applying oil every day and giving bath is healthy for the kids. Massaging with oil has innumerable benefits especially helping the kid grow and washing the toxins form the body.

Ear infections

Our experience shows that these healthy practices example with oiling ears of two day old baby for three to six months everyday and also massaging the baby's head and body with oil before bath has prevented ear infections and all teething problems regularly children get. The child also is resistant form any infections that are common in children. Since oil prevents bacteria from entering body's surface, it could be that oiling ears fight from the new born days for six months everyday and then doing once a week for life long prevents ear infections.

Soap

      Avoid using any sort of cosmetic to the infant. No baby oils, soap shampoo etc. Use mung dal flour. Mung dal flour ( mung dal is type of lentil) is available in Indian stores. This is a good shampoo and can be used to clean the baby's body and hair. Add a litle water and make a paste with the mung dal flour. If needed a pinch of turmeric can be added to the paste to prevent infections. Too much of turmeric will cause coloration of the baby clothes.

    Add a pinch of turmeric to the bathing water of the infant for first one or two months to avoid any sort of infection to the baby from water. Turmeric  also give some protection to chemicals in the water.

   Give head and body bath every day to the baby. This will give the baby good relaxation and hence sound sleep. If the baby has a cold or infection , it is better to avoid  head bath. It is good to make bath a practice so that when the baby grows up, bathing becomes a regular life style.

 Baby products are harmful.  Click here  to read about it.