Gift Basket for First Child

Hi J.,
My daughter was given an Amish cookbook, and in it was a recipe for baby wipes using Shaklee's Basic H. I do not know the exact recipe, but I know you don't need a lot of Basic H to do anything. You can take a roll of paper towels (not bleached with chlorine) and cut it in half and put half a roll in a coffee can and pour your gentle solution over to absorb. You can pull out the cardboard center and pull wipes from the center. Or Seventh Generation does make wipes for sale in stores. I used to just wash my children in the sink with soap and water. I have some concerns about all of the chemicals that are being put in products and put on children. My daughter buys Seventh Generation organic diapers, because they are not bleached with chlorine and are not sprayed with chemicals for a longer shelf life, like other brands are.
You sound like a great thoughtful sister. If you are into green and natural stuff and don't know where to get Basic H, check out my website, M. Goes Green.
Happy gathering,
M.

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Hi J.
For wipes I used soft cotton baby sized wash clothes, and most often just warm water sometimes with a bit of Dr Bronner's soap. Here's a site I found that has a bunch of recipes for wipes
http://ezinearticles.com/?Make-Your-Own-Wipe-Solution&amp...

A nice organic baby oil, body wash... I like california baby (Burt's Bees was bought by Clorox I just read, not so sure about there quality after the article I read)

My favorite gift was a little book that was passed around at my shower for guests to wright in baby tips. Like baby soxs are to tiny to find the match to, buy all the same kind and don't worry about it. And mothers milk is great for stuffy noses and goopy eyes, it's the right ph and has all the good antibodies was from my Doc.

Have fun, A. H

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I have the same recipe as Kathy V. except I add 1 tablespoon of baby lotion too.

As far as things for mom, how about burts bees chapstick. I personally needed a lot of that after having a child in the winter. You could also make her a neck warmer with a sock and rice, so she can microwave it when she is nursing and be relaxed. You could make a bobby pillow with natural stuffing and 100% cotton outside. Burp rags with the baby's name on it, made of again 100% cotton. You could make up some magic butt cream for the child and just put it in a dish for the basket. That's all I can think of now, but I'm sure there is more out there:)

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1 regular size toll of Bounty, cut in half
2 Cups boiling water
1 Tbsp of baby oil
1 Tbsp of baby bath

After bringing water to a boil. remove from heat. Add baby oil and baby bath. Pour over 2 Bounty halves. Remove cardboard center of Bounty. Pull towels from the center

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For wipes: Water is just as good as anything to clean a bottom (and it is very handy for sore bums. I had to rinse the wipes we had due to diaper rash and soreness.)

A basket I made for my SIL's baby:
I made sure to include a hand painted photo frame or two as this always is a treasure~ especially if it matches to room. Organic cotton t-shirts and socks and night wear (can't have enough!), a 'safe' plastic bottle and Good Night Moon.

I too, love herbs and oils, but my SIL has very sensitive skin, and I knew she would never use the herbals and oils - even with instructions.

I made a basket like what you are talking about for my Grandmother, but she also never got into it. When she passed (from cancer), I received the package back much to my sadness.

I would recommend that you make sure your sister is 'safe' with the items you plan to include. I find Patchouli to be too harsh for mom's sensitive smell, but Spyknard is also grounding and not as strong. (I use this to spray my room to clear it before my work.) Also; make sure whatever oils you are purchasing are from a reliable source as I have found that many brands (such as Tisserland and Aura Cacia to have 'fillers' in them. I used these years ago without results. (After my classes, I learned that the prices can be a big tip off about quality.)

Good Luck and I do think whatever you give your sister will be treasured! :)
Congrats to the soon to be Aunt!

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hey J., what about a salve made w/ some of the oils you have and beeswax. susun weed's herbal for the childbearing year has some great recipes. a salve made w/ the infused oil of plantain is one of our families favs for diaper rash. a small bottle of nice olive oil would be good for treating cradle cap and dry skin. a glycerin based tincture of echinacea and the ear oil made w/ garlic,mullein &lavender would be great. nice to have on hand, just in case! chamomile tea is safe for babies too.

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For a solution for baby wipes there is something called Honey Chunks. You mix them with water and put in a spray bottle and make any kind of rag or piece of cloth a baby wipe, especially helpful if she's planning on doing cloth diapering with her child, but still probably good to wipe faces and hands and what not if she's not. There is an organic variety you can buy. They sell them a store in Ann Arbor called the Little Seedling (just changed its name from Tree City Diapers) and you can buy them online from them at www.treecitydiapers.com.

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J., I love oils and natural things, too. I made a basket for a pregnant friend with some bath salts that I made. I just put epsom salt, a pinch of baking soda and a few drops of therapeutic grade essential oils. (I make them stronger for non-pregnant people!) I made up some lavender and citrus salts and some serenity...she loved it. The jars for bath salts are not expensive.
There are some other items I have because I used to sell aromatherapy items and make gift baskets...let me know if you want me to send some your way. I am talking spritzer bottles and little lotion bottles and pocket diffuser/inhalers...nothing big time!
Have fun...I am sure you will do a great job! S.

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All Babies get teeth. I personally LOVED the Hylander's baby teething gel - and so did my twin boys. It's all natural. You can find it at health food stores (Whole foods).

I have the Arbonne products - they are okay.

Love Burt's Bees though. I really liked their baby oil to rub on my stomach during and after pregnancy because it had Vitamin E in it and helped with stretch marks. You could also get her some solid cocoa butter and vitamin E to help with stretch marks.

If she's the type of person who's feet get cold - then Alpaca Socks are the way to go - they are nice and warm (warmer than wool) and super soft. They keep my feet toasty warm throughout the winter....I love wearing mine. They are made here in the USA too. My parents raise Alpacas so I get my socks from them. :-)

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Hey J. -

I'm a big fan of sweet oil. You can get it at any drug store. It's wonderful at breaking up excess ear wax buildup and stopping mild ear infections. You can also apply it to cradle cap to help break up the flakes and moisturize the tender skin underneath. It's also good for softening nail cuticles (for mom!).

Good old hydrogen peroxide is good (when diluted with water, for a baby) for cleaning out ears as well. You can also apply water-dilluted hydrogen peroxide to diaper rash areas via cotton ball to help neutralize acids and germs on broken and raw skin, as well as drying the skin of excess water to help with the healing process.

100% pure shea butter (found at health stores) is an AWESOME lotion and hair lotion. Both mom and baby can use it. Mom can apply it generously to her feet after an evening bath, put on socks and go to bed. The next morning her feet will be so soft!

Tea tree oil (dilluted with a carrier oil) is good for skin - deodorizing feet, clearing up adult acne, and treating eczema.

For homemade wipes, mix water, a couple of drops of baby wash, tea tree oil, baby oil, and maybe just a drop or two of an aromatic oil.

Hope this helps!

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A few drops of Lavender oil, tea tree oil, and a teasp. olive oil, mixed with 1/2 cup witch hazel in a spray bottle is what I use for my cloth wipes.

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If you would like some really great products for mom and baby....

www.earthmamaangelbaby.com

Love their products!

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I know that Trader Joe's carries baby items, and maybe Whole Foods does too. Arbonne has a great line of baby items that might fit into what you are looking for.

For the wipes, you can use lavendar and eucyliptus (sp?).