8 Homemade Baby Care Recipes (That Really Work)

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Wellness Mama » Blog » Motherhood » 8 Homemade Baby Care Recipes (That Really Work)
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If you looked at my bathroom countertops, you’d see them littered with natural skincare products. While there are plenty of healthy, natural products on the market now, I still like making my own sometimes. And when my kids were babies, I made almost all of their baby care products. 

Even if you’re not ready to jump on the DIY deodorant and toothpaste bandwagon just yet, you might want to try your hand at making baby care recipes. It’s an easy way to make sure that they’re using simple, natural ingredients that are gentler on sensitive skin. 

Their little skin absorbs what we put on it, and opting for homemade products can be an easy solution. These are the recipes I used on my own kids when they were little. I also give them to friends when they have babies.

Natural Diaper Rash Cream- Cloth Diaper Safe!

I started cloth diapering with my third child and I’m so glad I switched! Not only is it much cheaper, but it’s more natural and much easier than I expected. I had heard too many horror stories about the old-school cloth diapers from older relatives. Thanks to cloth diapers and better nutrition, my babies very rarely had diaper rash. 

However, on the rare occasion baby poops during the night and doesn’t wake up until morning or gets a rash while in the car seat on a trip, it can be a little tougher with cloth diapers.

diaper rash cream

Some conventional diaper creams can’t be used with cloth diapers. And some ingredients will even void any warranty on the cloth diapers. Anything with petroleum jelly or cod liver oil can coat the diaper and prevent it from absorbing properly. After much research (and trial and error), I finally created a diaper cream that’s cloth diaper safe and works as well as the medicated versions. For extra soothing care, infuse the coconut oil with calendula and chamomile flowers first!

Get the recipe for natural diaper rash cream here

Baby Oil Baby Care Recipe

Regular baby oil is petroleum based and most are packed with artificial fragrances! You can always use plain coconut oil, but making an infused oil adds extra soothing ingredients and speeds skin healing. Calendula and chamomile are both calming to irritated skin and have anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and soothing properties.

Here’s my favorite herbal infused baby oil recipe:

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Natural Baby Oil

A simple baby oil recipe infused with natural herbs.
Prep Time5 minutes
Infusion Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 5 minutes
Yield: 8 ounces
Author: Katie Wells

Materials

Instructions

  • Put the herbs in a glass jar and pour the oil over them. Put the lid on the jar and keep in a cool, dark place, shaking daily for 4-8 weeks.
  • A faster way is to use the stovetop infusion method instead. Add the oil and herbs to the top of a double boiler over medium-low heat. Heat gently for 1-3 hours, refilling the water in the bottom pot as needed.
  • Strain the herbs out with cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer.
  • Use like you would regular baby oil.

Notes

This recipe is very soothing and great for any irritated skin, including eczema!
homemade baby powder

Soothing Baby Powder

Up until recently, most baby powder was contaminated with asbestos (known to cause cancer). While brands now opt for cornstarch over talc, they still include other ingredients that aren’t great for babies. The iconic baby scent found in conventional baby skincare products is thanks to artificial (and toxic) fragrances.

Thankfully, there are now plenty of fantastic options when it comes to natural baby powder! You can find natural baby powder like this organic one from Eraorganics and Little Twig Baby Powder. If you prefer to make your own, it’s simple and cheap to do so. You can even customize it with herbs for added benefits.

Get the recipe for homemade baby powder here

homemade baby wipes

Homemade Baby Wipes

Eighteen years ago, when my oldest was born (has it really been that long??) I started to make my own baby wipes. Like most DIY recipes, it was cheaper and healthier than buying diaper wipes at the store. As any mom knows, between wiping little tushies, hands, and faces, it’s easy to go through lots of wipes! 

And I was already washing cloth diapers a few times a week, so it was no problem to throw the cloth wipes in with the diapers. You can also use the diaper wipe formula solution with paper towels to make disposable wipes. Not only are the cloth ones more natural and environmentally friendly, but they’re cheaper too!

Get the recipe for natural baby wipes here

DIY lotion

Super Smooth Baby Lotion and Lotion Bars

I’ve used my basic homemade lotion recipe on all of my kids and it’s gentle enough for baby skin. It uses soothing ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, and vitamin E for baby-soft skin. For really little ones, skip the essential oils and infuse the oils with herbs like calendula instead!

I also recently discovered homemade lotion bars are an even better option. They help protect baby’s delicate skin but still allow it to breathe. You can infuse the oil with lavender, chamomile, or calendula if you want, but the basic lotion bars work excellent on their own. I especially like using it for babies with sensitive skin or eczema. They’re even easier to make, last longer, and are fun for kids to use too. 

Get the recipe for luxurious lotion here or my lotion bar recipe here. Or try this baby balm recipe.

Baby Shampoo or Wash

Babies don’t actually need soaps or shampoos for the most part. It’s best not to wash off the naturally protective oils in their skin. However, if you’re dealing with a major diaper blowout or another mess, then soap can be really helpful! 

If you do need a lathery soap to feel like baby is clean, I’d suggest Dr. Bronner’s sensitive skin soap. You can use it for both soap and shampoo. When my babies were little I just used a damp, wet cloth to wipe off messes most of the time. I’d follow it up with coconut oil or baby oil (above) when needed, which wasn’t often. If you want to take it a step further and make your own castile soap foaming baby wash, then try the recipe below!

Get the recipe for gentle foaming baby wash here

how to make chamomile tincture for kids

Natural Teething/Pain Relief

I don’t use children’s Tylenol or Motrin with my kids and I didn’t when they were teething either. Instead, I opted for more natural ways to help soothe teething pain. You can find lots of natural solutions for surviving teething in this post. 

Chamomile tincture is by far my most used tincture with babies and kids. I use it mostly externally on babies to soothe colic or teething and internally for older kids who have trouble sleeping or who have a headache or stomachache.

Get the recipe for chamomile tincture here for teething and pain relief. 

homemade vapor rub

Baby Vapor Rub

Having little ones with stuffy noses is no fun for them or their parents. Most vapor rubs on the market aren’t safe for little ones because they have menthol, which can cause babies to stop breathing. There are baby-safe versions, but many contain petroleum-based ingredients, also something I try to avoid. 

You can easily make your own vapor rub with baby-friendly essential oils. This helps move stuck mucus in the lungs and open up the airways for clearer breathing. Find my recipe for homemade vapor rub, plus natural store-bought options if you don’t feel like making it, at the link below. 

Get the recipe for natural vapor rub here

Final Thoughts on Natural Baby Care Recipes

Even though my little ones aren’t quite so little anymore, I still enjoy making homemade baby care recipes for friends. It can be an easy and inexpensive way to care for their delicate skin!

What are some of your favorite baby care products to use? Leave a comment and let us know!

These are natural baby care recipes including diaper cream (cloth diaper safe), baby oil, baby powder, soap, lotion, and wipes with calendula and chamomile.

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Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

313 responses to “8 Homemade Baby Care Recipes (That Really Work)”

  1. Zoe Avatar

    Could I use infused Chamomille/Calendula Infused Oil instead of flowers? If so, how much will I need to use and at what point can I add it into the mixture to ensure I don’t overheat the oil?

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      You definitely can. I’d add at the end and stir in gently, and probably a couple of tablespoons of oil, depending on the strength of the infusion…

  2. Maxine Avatar

    I made the diaper cream about 5 hours ago and its very liquidy, doesn’t look like its going to harden. I followed your ingredients to a T however, I heated the shea butter with the coconut oil. Is that bad?? I did it that way because my little guy was sleeping and I didn’t want to wake him with the blender. How can I save this? Should I add a bunch more zinc to the liquid or melt some beeswax and mix that in?

  3. Jen Avatar

    I made the diaper cream tonight. I skipped the calendula/chamomile flowers. I mixed room temperature coconut oil, raw shea butter and zinc oxide powder. I added extra zinc oxide because the product was so thin, but the end result is grainy even before I added extra zinc oxide. It’s like there are granules that didn’t dissolve or something. Do you know what went wrong and what I should do differently?

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      Was the coconut oil liquid or solid at room temp? Curious what made the mixture thin… If it is the zinc oxide, it should absorb and get smoother over the next day…

      1. Jen Avatar

        The coconut oil was solid, but I had whipped it previously so it was fluffy. Should I melt the coconut oil first? I wasn’t sure how warm it should be when mixing all ingredients, especially in order to keep the raw benefits of Shea butter.

  4. Nir Goldman Avatar
    Nir Goldman

    I made the diaper cream tonight, but it came out very goopy despite adding even more arrowroot than called for…???

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      It will probably thicken overnight… the melted oil can take a while to fully harden again

      1. Tara Fox Kirk Avatar
        Tara Fox Kirk

        Mine is very very runny. Should I have let the coconut oil sit before adding it to the Shea butter?

  5. Elysia Avatar

    Great info! I’ve been wanting to make a yummy, organic after-bath cream for my cousin to use with her baby and have been scouring the web for info and this has been by for the most helpful!

    I do have a question about the shea butter if you have a moment. I’ve made skin care for grownups so I have organic virgin coconut oil, apricot kernel oil than I infused with calendula & chamomile, jojoba oil and argan oil. Would some of these oils (I’d been thinking the 1st 3) be sufficient or does the shea offer benefits the others don’t?

    Baby girl still has some trouble sleeping so I want to use some relaxing organic essential oils like lavender but I don’t know how much is safe to use on a 1 yr old. Like, how many drops per cup of cream?? Any other EOs people recommend that are relaxing/soothing?
    Thanks so much for your help!!

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      Shea butter has special antibacterial and moisturizing properties, but those other oils would work great too. If you use the lavender oil, I’d just use a few drops…a little goes a really long way with babies!

  6. Christina Guza Avatar
    Christina Guza

    Hi!
    In regards to the Chamomile tincture, how do you evaporate the alcohol? Does it need to heat, or can it be left exposed to air in order to do so?

      1. Andrea Avatar

        Hi, regarding the tincture how long should I leave the jar open for the alcohol to evaporate. I am afraid it will go bad or wont be as effective.

        Thanks

  7. Rebecca Vest Avatar
    Rebecca Vest

    Can you add Chamomile essential oil to the infused Calendula oil for the diaper rash cream, baby powder, and baby oil as a substitute for using the dried flowers? How much would you put in? 10 drops?

  8. Amy Austin Avatar
    Amy Austin

    Hey there. You use tsp/tbsp measurements for the herbs, but MountainRose is all about oz’s…. so how many tsp would 4 oz of flowers be????

    1. Rebecca Salter Avatar
      Rebecca Salter

      Just an FYI, the 4 oz of flowers is a massive bag…you won’t use a fraction of it for this…

      1. Echo Avatar

        No joke, I ordered 2 bags because I was worried I “wouldn’t have enough”. I have plenty now! 🙂

  9. Mother of Lionheart Avatar
    Mother of Lionheart

    Hi! Was so happy to find this post on one of my google searches. I hope you don’t mind that I found myself compelled tweet it and also share with the readers of my own blog. Keep up the good work 🙂

  10. Sasa Avatar

    Hi, me again. I’m waiting for my ingredients to arrive, it should be with in a week or so, and I can’t wait to make the cream,and oil. But I have another question, this time regarding the baby powder. I see you use arrowroot powder as the base, but is it O.K. to add zinc oxide, and if yes how much in %? Thanks.

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      It is fine, as long as it is a pure source that you trust. I’d start with about 5% and work up if needed…

    2. Roxanne Avatar

      Also make sure that the zinc oxide is bulk and not nano or micronised as these can penetrate damaged skin and have been linked to respiratory and immunotoxicity.

  11. Sasa Avatar

    Hi. Thanks for the great recipes. Can you tell me approx shelf life of the products?, mainly the diaper cream, and the baby oil. The reason I’m asking is that I need to buy a minim of 8 doses worth of ingredients, and they all have to be shipped to Europe so I would like to know how long are they safe to use after making. Thank you.

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      They should last at least several months if not indefinitely, as they have shelf stable ingredients…

  12. Cheyenne Avatar

    Hi there! I plan on making most of these products but wondered how long they last? I’m not due to have our first baby until the end of the month, but we all know that babies come when they’re good and ready! If I were to make the products now, would they keep for a few weeks if she comes later rather than sooner? Thanks so much!

      1. Chanda Avatar

        How long does the diaper rash cream last though? Also, any reason why you don’t use just coconut oil alone? I heard and read that it’s pretty good for diaper rashes too. Thanks!

  13. Brookie-Lee Glaser Avatar
    Brookie-Lee Glaser

    For teething pain Baltic Amber Teething necklaces are the most effective pain relieving, drool reducing, miracle! I’ve used them on four children and hundreds of friend’s children with amazing results. I buy mine from happybottomus dot com.

  14. Natalie Avatar

    My husband is extremely allergic to Shea butter. Can you suggest anything I could use as a substitute in the diaper cream? The last thing I need is an excuse for him to not change diapers 😉

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      Cocoa butter, mango butter or illipe butter all work great too 🙂

  15. Debbie Avatar

    Thank you for all the fab recipes! One question about the baby powder – does it clog pores and is it safe in the air? The concern around lots of comercial baby powders is that the baby breaths it in and it can clog their pores (besides the talc and cancer scares).

    Considering the products are all natural I am not too concerned, but would like to hear your opinion. Thank you!!

    1. Phyllis Avatar

      Diaper rash powder from pioneer’s
      days: take regular flour “brown” it in a cast iron skillet and apply.

    2. Roxanne Avatar

      Just plain cornflour works really well and feels like it was never there when I am changing him. I just put it in a little icing sugar shaker container so it comes out nice and fine.

  16. Walela Avatar

    I make my own butt spray for my son. I use coconut and grape seed oil, 5 drops lavender eo, and 5 drops rose hip seed oil. I spray on his butt after each diaper change and use it as a body oil after baths and hes never had a rash or irritation. He’s 10 months old today, and used it since day 1. The faint lavender scent helps to calm him for bedtime also. 😀

  17. Stephanie Elliott Avatar
    Stephanie Elliott

    Do you use dr. Bronners on your kids? Or just the microfiber cloths and water? Thanks!

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar
      Wellness Mama

      I’ve used the unscented Dr. Bronners, but usually just stick to Microfiber now.

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