Cradle Cap

Baby Massage

The subject of cradle cap has come up several times in recent weeks – possibly because of the weather and our skin tending to be drier in the winter.  Cradle cap is a fungal skin condition which is very common in babies.  Most people are advised to use an anti-fungal shampoo, but my personal experience, and reports from others, has proved that this is not the best way forward – in my experience it dries the skin out too much which can often cause the baby to scratch and then get reinfected and very sore.  Tui Bee Balme (which I give all my baby massage clients) is excellent for all dry skin conditions, even on the face, as it is entirely pure and organic, but I have found the best thing for cradle cap is calendula oil. Calendula has natural anti-fungal properties and because it is infused in a base oil it doesn’t dry the scalp out.  Massage some into your baby’s head, leave for at least ten minutes, then brush vigorously using a circular motion with a soft bristled brush.  The scurf should just lift off.  It may take a few days of repeat treatments, but I found it to be the most effective.

To buy calendula oil ask at your local health store, or order from any reputable aromatherapy oil suppliers.

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Suncream

Baby Massage, Doula

With any luck the summer is approaching and I have been doing a bit of research in to sun creams. If, like me, you worry about the chemical content of most things we put on our skins, then my latest recommendation is Jason Sunbrellas range. I put two of their sun creams to the test when I was skiing, and even my very resistant husband liked them! Unlike a lot of other organic/chemical-free suncreams they are really easy to use and smell great! You can get Jason products at As Nature Intended, Whole Foods and online at iloveorganics.co.uk or Amazon!

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Cranial Osteopathy

Baby Massage

Cranial Osteopathy is something that seems to be invaluable for many babies. The Foundation for Paediatric Osteopathy, based in Clerkenwell, is a charity set up to offer cranial treatments to all kids on a donations basis. They now have a satellite clinic operating out of St John’s Hill Therapy Centre on a Friday (booking essential). This is what they say about treatment.
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