In the news today there’s (unfortunately) yet another good reason to use natural, chemical-free products for children.

The FDA is warning women not to use or purchase Mommy’s Bliss nipple cream, marketed by MOM Enterprises, Inc., because it contains “potentially harmful” ingredients that may cause respiratory distress or vomiting and diarrhea in infants. Oh, and the warning signs? A decrease in an infant’s appetite, difficulty in awakening the child, limpness of extremities or a decrease in an infant’s strength of grip, and a change in skin color. The ingredients that cause this are a muscle relaxer (yeah, seriously) and a preservative- chlorphenesin and phenoxyethanol.

From FDA.gov :

“Chlorphenesin relaxes skeletal muscle and can depress the central nervous system and cause respiratory depression (slow or shallow breathing)in infants. Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that is primarily used in cosmetics and medications. It also can depress the central nervous system and may cause vomiting and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration in infants.”

Okay, scary stuff. And apparently when those ingredients interact with each other the potential risk for harm is increased and the effects are even worse. So, obviously, if you or someone you know has used this product, throw it out and contact your child’s pediatrician, or seek more immediate medical attention if you need to.

It’s advised that nursing moms contact a lactation consultant or other professional who can recommend an alternative.

I remember I was told to only use 100% natural lanolin when I was nursing. And since natural lanolin products are sold just a widely as this recalled cream (I bought mine at Target), it shouldn’t be hard to get your hands on a safe, natural, chemical-free product if you need one.

I’m really excited (no, it doesn’t take much) because I just finished ordering some of the new Method baby care products. I already love Method stuff for natural cleaning around my house (ooh, and their creamy handsoap too!), and now they’ve come out with a great natural & safe baby skin care line. They’re very reasonably priced for the sizes too, with nothing costing more than $6.99.

Obviously the greatest thing about this baby line is the safety factor, because it’s all free of parabens, SLS/SLES, numbing agents, and animal by-products… Plus they’re tear-free and hypo-allergenic, and the packaging proudly states the product has “never been tested on rubber duckies.” Ha!

The only minor problem I had ordering this was the decision about which scent to try. The choices include Squeaky Green Apple Crisp, Squeaky Green Fresh Peach, and Squeaky Green Rice Milk + Mallow. The products offered are 3-in-1 washes, hair & body washes, bubble bath, body lotion, and diaper cream. So in the end I went with the product pictured above, Rice Milk + Mallow hair & body wash. I’m impressed that Method really thought about the people & kids using the products, and made the pump-covering cap into a rinsing cup. I adore multi-functional features, so that just sealed the deal for me.

Now I just have to patiently wait for it’s arrival..!

The new Method baby and kid skin care products are available at Drugstore.com for $6.99 each (8-10 oz. ea.).

Hopefully the water your children consume is bottled or filtered in some way to protect against sediment, chemicals, and even prescription drugs found in common tap water around the country (see this post!). Now shower and bath water filters have been developed especially with kids’ safety in mind. I suppose it’s just one more way to protect your baby against toxins, since it seems we’re becoming aware of more and more contained in common things everyday. (Yeah, like water..!)

From The Baby Shower: “For a healthy start in life, bathe infants the the kitchen sink using the faucet adapter (included). As the infant grows into a toddler and young child, The Baby Shower easily connects to any existing shower arm, using the bracket (included). The easy to hold handle helps direct soap and shampoo away from baby’s eyes. The handle size and gentle water spray are a perfect fit for infants and children alike. ”

$59.99 at GreenNest.com

From The Bath Ball Tub Filter : “The Bath Ball is for people who want a quick, messless way to fill their bath with clean, filtered water…The new PowerDisk will eliminate dirt, sediment, odors and chlorine that causes dry, itchy, flaky skin, brittle hair, eye, lung and sinus irritation. Added benefits are your bathtub will stay cleaner longer because the filter reduces lime scale, mold, and mildew deposits and helps to soften your water naturally (without salt!!) leaving your skin supple and smooth and your hair soft, silky and manageable.”

Hey, that actually sounds great for adults, too… especially the cleaner bathtub part!

$59.95 at GreenNest.com

I’m convinced that diaper rash is a plague of Biblical proportions and until recently, I just assumed it was something we had to suffer through, hoping that the old standby Butt Paste would do the job (sometimes it did, sometimes it didn’t). Any parent who has had to listen to their child cry in pain with each diaper change wishes for a miracle cure.

Guess what? I’ve discovered that miracle! It’s called Angel Baby Bottom Balm and I’m here to tell you that this stuff works within 24 hours. Made by the great people over at Earth Mama Angel Baby, not only does this stuff work like no other cream or home remedy we’ve tried, but it’s also free of all phthalates and 1,4-Dioxane.

I could was poetic about this stuff, but instead I’ll just tell you this: it works. Try it.

Bumps and bruises are a standard part of toddlerhood, as every parent knows. The best way to fix an ouch is a kiss to make it better and now you can top off a kiss with these great Monkey Bandages.

Be a hero and fix the boo boo!

Just $4.99 at Amazon.