Natural Vs. Conventional Baby Health Care Products
If you're a new parent who's trying to figure out which products are best for your baby, you're no doubt inundated with ads, promotions, and well-meaning, but often strident, advice. Stepping back a bit and looking at what you want in general for your child can help you tame this information monster. For example, with products meant to help with the baby's health, look at how natural or conventional products might affect your child's health and your ability to care for the child.
Convenience and Fast Care
When you have an infant who's not feeling well, being able to find a remedy quickly is of the utmost importance. Natural products, bought from a location like Sutton Apothecary, are becoming easier to find in stores, but if you live in an area that's far from a city with natural and organic groceries, you may have to resort to using conventional products if the weather is making long trips unfeasible, for example. If it's the middle of the night and raining heavily, and your child develops a rash, a quick trip to the local drugstore to get a conventional product is really the best thing if you can't find a product with natural ingredients.
On the other hand, if you live near a health food store that stocks natural care products, and the store is open, you can use the natural product if you prefer to use something that's less chemical-filled. And remember, you can always use a mix. Stock up on the natural products you like but identify conventional products that you're willing to use if needed.
Knowledge About What Your Child's Exposed To
Natural products tend to use ingredients that are identifiable. Many avoid ingredients that have a harsh effect on skin, hair, or another body part, and they shy away from ingredients that are controversial, like parabens or sodium lauryl sulfate. (Note that some natural products may still contain these, but you're more likely to find products that skip these ingredients.) If you want to protect your child from ingredients like these, and you want to have a better idea of what exactly your child is encountering, a natural product is best.
Note that even natural products can contain allergens (remember, hypoallergenic does not mean non-allergenic, and just because most people don't have an allergy to something doesn't mean no one will have an allergy to it). If your child has a lot of skin allergies, you may have to resort to using a conventional product that does not contain the allergenic ingredients.
Cautions
Both conventional and natural products are subject to recalls and research. Always run products by your pediatrician before you use them to ensure the products are appropriate for your child and that they have not been recently deemed unsuitable. For example, it's now known that conventional cough medicines are considered inappropriate for children under 2 years of age.
If you want to find natural products that are gentle and less likely to contain irritating ingredients, check out the products available at health food stores. Your pediatrician may be able to recommend brands as well.