A Homemade Salve for Baby Bums

When it comes to common problems that can be addressed with homemade and herbal remedies for mama and baby, we couldn’t forget about this one: the fearsome diaper rash. Baby bums call for special care, and this salve uses wholesome ingredients for a gentle result.

Imagine the adult version of diaper rash. Imagine how uncomfortable you might be if you had to walk around with a rash in your nether regions, and didn’t have the cognitive ability to understand what was going on. You’d probably be crying, too.

To help ease baby’s troubles and put the pain, ahem, behind them, we offer this homemade diaper rash salve. In contrast to commercially made diaper rash creams that only offer a protective barrier to moisture, this salve offers the healing power of medicinal herbs along with a protective barrier, healing the rash as it prevents moisture from further irritating the skin.

The herbs included in this blend were selected for their curative properties. Calendula — my all-time favorite herb for treating sensitive or sensitized skin — is extremely soothing to irritation. Lavender calms the skin and the nervous system with its scent. Comfrey leaf and St. John’s wort have both been used since antiquity to heal wounds and treat damaged skin. Chamomile is included for its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

This recipe calls for a little planning ahead, as it requires at least three hours of stove time, and upwards of six hours to cool, but the results will be well worth the investment of time. You’ll know exactly what is going onto your baby’s precious skin because you made it.

The cheapest and easiest source for most of these herbal ingredients is often your natural health-food store, where you can usually buy these specialty herbal ingredients in bulk. Buy just what you need (not a whole bag) for less.

If you don’t have a good natural foods store close by, we like to search for dried herbs at Mountain Rose Herbs, Bulk Apothecary, Penzey’s, and Amazon.

Makes about 10 ounces salve

Supplies
1 tablespoon calendula flowers
1 tablespoon lavender
1 tablespoon comfrey leaf
1 tablespoon chamomile flowers
1 tablespoon St. John’s Wort flowers
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup grated beeswax

Equipment
Double boiler
Cheesecloth
Glass jars or tins for the finished salve

1. Warm the herbs and olive oil in a double boiler for 3 hours: Place the herbs and olive oil into your double boiler. Warm gently for at least 3 hours. Gently warm the mixture over a very low heat for at least three hours, taking care to not allow the oil to heat up too much. You want the oil to stay warm and not hot.
2. Strain out the herbs: Pour the herb-oil mixture into a cheesecloth to strain out the herbs. Gently squeeze the cheesecloth to make sure all excess oil has been removed. Discard herbs.
3. Melt in the beeswax: Return the oil to the double boiler, making sure it stays warm, and add the grated beeswax. The beeswax will melt into the oil. Stir to make sure the mixture is thoroughly combined.
4. Pour into tins and cool for 6 hours: While it is still warm, pour the mixture into your glass jars or tins and allow the salve to cool, undisturbed, for at least 6 hours while the mixture sets.

• Store the salve away from direct sunlight (it will melt again!). The salve will keep for up to one year.
• If you are prepping for an expecting mother and have a few weeks to spare, you can add a few steps and make a solar infusion. Just place herbs in a Mason jar, cover with oil, and place near a sunny window for two weeks. The heat from the sun assists in infusing your oil with nutrient-dense herbs.

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