Exodus from Eczema

Alright, maybe the title is a bit too much alliteration, even for me. But eczema is something we all want to keep far from our babies' complexions, as Glory from SAHM Queen can tell you. This morning I received an email from her, so with her permission I'm going to share it, along with my response.

From Glory:
Any advice on how to cure my 14-month-old of eczema? I use Arbonne cleansing gel to wash him (all natural). I also use All Free and Clear for my laundry detergent. My doctor wants me to use Aquaphor on him, but I don’t want to use mineral oil products. However, nothing has worked yet. Any advice?

My response:
Thanks for the question! It's good you use natural detergents and
cleansers. Scented stuff can irritate eczema, so the more natural and
the fewer ingredients, the better. I'd agree with you that it's best
to avoid the mineral oil products as well. My son occasionally has
eczema behind his ears, so I have tried a few different natural
remedies. My favorite one is a homemade calendula oil. You can
easily do this at home, and if you can't find dried calendula flowers
at a health food store, try www.mountainherbs.com. I've never
purchased from them, but they are quite reputable.

Take about a cup of the dried calendula flowers and place them in a
clean glass jar that has a tight-fitting lid. Cover the flowers with
a good olive oil, and let the mixture sit for one to two weeks. Every
day flip the jar upside down and back to help mix it. I like to let
my jar sit in a sunny window so the sun can help the fusion process.
(Just don't let it get too hot.) After a week or two, strain the oil
through some cheesecloth or a strainer into another clean jar. You
can rub this oil right on the eczema or put some in his bathwater.
The oil can be used for diaper rash too. It's good for adult dry skin
as well, and this one jar should last your family a long time.

While you're waiting for that oil to be ready, you can try a pure aloe
gel. (Read the ingredients - some of them have alcohol, of all
things, which could really sting!) Or some oatmeal in the bath can be
soothing. I haven't found these remedies to be a long-term solution
like the calendula oil, but they can provide some comfort until your
oil is ready for use.

If anyone else ever has a question about taking care of your baby naturally, please feel free to ask in the comments or email me at themommyspot@gmail.com. I'd be happy to look into it for you, because if you're wondering about it, chances are you're not the only one. If I don't have the answer, I'll definitely try and find it!