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Parent24 : Focus : babycare : more : Wonders of baby powder

Wonders of baby powder

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One of the things to have in your arsenal is baby powder. Here's why.

By Sumanda Maritz

Pic: iStockphoto.com

Article originally in Parent24

It took me a long time to discover the benefits of baby powder. Just over 7 months to be exact. My oldest boy was born in early March. By the time summer rolled around again, I realised that I needed to find a solution to the chafing that gave my baby sore red skin, especially in the folds.

That’s when the clinic sister told me to use baby powder. It’s more than just a vehicle for that baby smell. Applied after each bath, the powder helps to keep the skin soft and eliminates friction. It also helps to keep baby dry in those soft folds of skin in the neck, armpits and groin. Oh and did I mention that baby smell?

These days baby powder isn’t just baby powder like in the old days. You get the very nice regular JOHNSON'S® Baby Powder with that classic baby fresh smell. But they come in loads of different flavours too. There's the Calming Lavender & Chamomile version and the Pure Cornstarch with aloe vera & vitamin E. You even get the JOHNSON'S® Baby Powder Medicated that contains zinc oxide to treat and prevent nappy rash.

So lets recap, the uses of baby powder is:

keeping the skin dry
preventing skin irritations
helps to calm them
and treat and prevent nappy rash

As if that is not enough, did you know that baby powder also keeps ants away? If you throw a little bit of baby powder where they enter your house, the ants will stay away! A healthy alternative to poison.

One thing that should be mentioned however, is to take care when applying baby powder. Don’t shake the bottle over your baby. Rather shake the baby powder into your hand away from your baby’s face, then apply with your hand to your baby’s skin. The fine airborne baby powder could irritate your baby’s lungs if inhaled.

What other uses have you found for baby powder?