Baby Massage...it’s got to be organic all the way

Baby massage isn’t the latest craze to hit our fad-hungry society; we’ve known for many years that not only does it help with the all-important mother/baby bond (particularly in cases of post-natal depression for example, where bonding is often one of the biggest issues), but also with many common problems such as colic, reflux, sleep, teething and crying problems. It’s even been proven to be a factor in enhancing brain development and more importantly, in healing conditions such as eczema. A daily massage can be easily incorporated into part of the all-important bath-bed routine or as a regular relaxing diversion during the day to help at naptime, and is often just as rewarding and relaxing for the mum or dad giving the massage.

However what you may not know is that what you use to facilitate the massage is just as important as how you actually do it!

Choosing organic massage oils and baby products is the main way of ensuring your baby isn’t exposed to the many harmful ingredients present in run-of-the-mill baby products. 100% organic products such as Earthbound Organics and Essential Care’s baby massage oils will not only ensure paraben, synthetic chemical and toxin-free products for baby’s precious newborn skin, but also the healing properties of the organic essential oils they contain. Esselle’s Sweet Organic Baby Oil contains Sea Buckthorn oil, which has been used since the 8^thTibet to treat a range of skin conditions. Century in All these products are available on-line at www.buyorganics.co.uk

One of the reasons baby skin complaints such as eczema and nappy rash are on the rise, is the increased use of allergenic and sensitising ingredients in skin care products and washing detergents, chemicals in disposable nappies plus of course the pesticides present in non-organic cotton clothing which can remain in the fabric even after several washes. A good way to cut down your child’s susceptibility to conditions like eczema and even asthma is to ensure organic clothing and skincare products wherever possible and wash using eco-friendly washing products – which is also better for the environment of course!

So, you’re armed with your organic massage oil, and baby’s wriggling around on a soft, clean (preferably organic cotton!) towel in front of you (on the floor please – not on top of a raised surface – you’ll have to watch your back but it is possible!) what on earth do you do next? Here’s our quick and easy step-by-step guide to baby massage – the simple Six Step I Love You massage…

Pour the organic baby massage oil you’ve chosen onto your palms and rub together to warm both your hands and the oil – you can sing or talk to your baby whilst you do this and look into his eyes to increase that one-to-one bond (and distract him from rolling over before you begin to massage!).

Step One: Use two or three fingers to trace the letter “I” on the right side of his abdomen, starting under his ribs and stopping at the hip, with a firm but gentle pressure.

Step Two: Stroke from left to right across baby’s abdomen forming the long side of a sideways “L”.

Step Three: Use a short downward stroke on the right side of baby’s stomach, completing the “L”.

Step Four: Begin the last letter, an upside down “U” by stroking up from baby’s hipbone on the left side of his tummy.

Step Five: The middle of the “U” is made by moving your fingers along the top of baby’s tummy.

Step Six: Finish the massage with the other side of the “U” with a final downward stroke on baby’s right side.

You can repeat this as often as you like until baby falls asleep, you get arm or back ache, or you’ve both had enough!!

Use the organic massage oil after baby’s bath too to seal in moisture and keep skin smooth and free from dryness and nappy rash. It will also be good for your hands!

Is it really the Planet we need to save? Organic Advice

Every time I read some media article or personal campaign geared towards saving the Planet, I cringe at the over generalisation! Sometimes I think people are so mislead or mis-communicated too. The real ‘thing’ that needs saving in my opinion is not really the Planet, it’s us the Human Race and life as we know it! Not only will we wipe ourselves out if we carry on as we are, but our wildlife will go before us, if we don’t reverse what we are doing. Time memorial shows us that the Planet has been through cataclysmic change and come through the other side just fine, Mother Earth may have had to wipe out the Dinosaurs or create an Ice Age to get through, but she’s still fine and dandy. The Planet will adjust itself to all the destruction we are causing, either through global warming, changing weather patterns or more natural disasters.

For every action we take there is a reaction, either negative or positive. This is where the issue of Social Responsibility comes in. It is everyone’s responsibility, not just the educated few to help preserve the environment we live in. What I mean by that is the water for drinking and bathing that we take for granted, the heating that keeps us warm in the winter, the energy that transports us by car, plane, train or bus to where we want to go, the weather that allows us to live safely without natural disasters and enjoy a pleasurable outdoor existence, rivers that don’t flood and destroy our homes, beautiful wild habitats and animals for us to marvel at: This is what people are trying to save! Can those of you who say you don’t care about green issues, really not care about these things? Would it bother you if hurricanes and flooding affected your home constantly? Would it bother you if food and water and fuel were too expensive for you to afford? Without your home comforts would you be happy? Until now, this has been a plight suffered by people far away, but it is threatening western suburbia now, so will you still not sit up and take note?

Now more than ever we need a sense of community that extends beyond just our family and friends, but to our KIND. Instead of fighting wars we should be uniting to work together to preserve our environment, not by overpowering nature, but by working with it.

Now it’s not possible for everyone to become completely Green. Unless you resort to living in a hut in the forest with no heating and running water and killing your own food, you really are not doing our environment any favours. We really cannot begin to wipe out the industrial revolution! So lets start by getting REAL! Everyone even me, is a hypocrite in some form or another. We can none of us be perfect, and it’s about time that the Green Perfectionists got off their high horse and actually admitted to the fact that they are not perfect either! I am not and I don’t expect you to be.

It is however important to do what you can as much as you can. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY means you too! Here’s the low down on how everyone can start doing their bit on being a little bit more responsible. It may be simplistic when the problem is in fact much larger, but hey…everyone has to start somewhere.

1. Turn off your computers and lights at work when you leave, if your companies policy is to leave them on, challenge them
2. Recycle everything you can at home and at work
3. Plant at least one tree in your lifetime – more if you can
4. Don’t keep the Tap on when you brush your teeth
5. Put the lights off when you leave a room
6. Switch off plugs when electrical items are not being used.
7. Get a low petrol consumption car, thick curtains, a fuel efficient boiler and home insulation – it’ll be better for your pocket too!
8. Car pool if you can
9. Think about the products you buy, don’t buy the cheapest or the best marketed, buy the ones that have caused as little pain and suffering to animals and the people making them, and as little environmental damage as possible
10. If you are in a business, look at how you can change your product or service to make things better for our future – eg, in your use of resources or materials.
11. Switch to green electricity.
12. Switch to environmentally friendly nappies
13. Don’t get the supermarkets bags for life that are made out of plastic – it’s the same garbage, just with you for longer, get the hemp ones or cloth ones that biodegrade.
14. Don’t buy degradable it’s a scam only buy BIO –Degradable!
15. Swap one or two meals a week to non-meat based – plant based diets are much less intensive and use far less energy, as well as the cruelty aspect. Apparently a vegan driving a 4x4 is still using less energy than a meat-eater who uses only a bicycle!
16. Do continue to have fun and live life to the full
17. If you have a dream fulfil it! Even if it’s something not socially responsible, make sure you make up for it in some other way.
18. If you think you’re doing good, it’s likely that you are.

Now even if you can only start with a few things on the list, it’s a start. Your list maybe totally different. Make your own. Not everything is possible for everyone all the time. But sometimes is better than never at all. We all have to accept the fact that some people will never care, but if you do that counts. You have the time to integrate these things into your life, make it before it’s too late!

Remember a good place to start is to think organic and for that why not try buyOrganics. We are an organic conscious website that sells products such as organic clothing, food, wines, skincare and health care products toiletries and much more.