Product Spotlight Series: Health and Safety Products

blaf322

Don't be shy, & remember everyone in the community is welcome to comment on threads like these throughout our time here, not just when it's a certain product's week in the spotlight. Big thanks to everyone who participates!

For this week, we're talking... healthy & safety products! See the prompts below for an organized way to discuss, and as always links/pics (in spoilers) are super appreciated. Here is a link to some health and safety topics. (copied this from another BMB so I know nothing about this link or it's validity... but leaving it here out of laziness... and in case it helps someone lol)

For S+TMs:
What specific items did you find were essential to have on hand for the early days of health care and safety?
What categories of items did you find necessary?
What other items/brands did you love?
What other items/brands did you hate?
Additional thoughts?

For FTMs:
What specific products/category of products are you considering definitely having on hand? Any you are considering skipping?

Please ask any questions you may have about health and safety here.

blaf322

What specific items did you find were essential to have on hand for the early days of health care and safety? 
-cold: Nose Frida for when they're stuffy
-medication dosing: talk to your pedi first, but I always used this chart to help me with medication dosing- https://www.pediatricassociatesnyc.com/dosing-chart.html
- Moms on Call (book) is a GREAT resource for helping you figure out what to do during situations (fever, constipation, vomiting, labored breathing from respiratory illness, etc) when they're really little. I knew a lot about babies going into motherhood and still found this book to be an incredibly useful quick reference guide b/c you ALWAYS question yourself when they're really little and something is off. I also HIGHLY recommend this book for your eat/sleep/play schedule.
- rectal thermometer... for both temp checking and getting their bowels moving when they're really little
- gas issues: Windi ... these things are great!

meanjellybean

So we got really lucky with DD who didn't get "sick" until she was well over 6 months old, so this is a really dumb question, but is there a certain kind of thermometer that is specifically for taking a rectal temp? Or do you just use a regular one? We had a forehead one (still do) but our ped always said they would ask for a rectal temp if under a certain age, so I feel like I should get one to be prepared. We just luckily never needed to take it until she was older.

Agree 100 percent with @blaf322 on the Nose Frida. And it would be good to have some infant tylenol and motrin on hand, so you don't have to run out and wait for the store to open when your infant gets their first fever (personal experience, obviously lol). And honestly, that was from when she got a mild fever after shots and we probably didn't need to medicate her anyway. Ohhh silly worrisome FTM! (just kidding).

Also not sure that nail clippers belong here, but for actual clippers I liked the fridababy ones. At first we used the ones that came in the baby first aid kit (waste of money lol) and when she was a few weeks old I accidentally clipped her finger and it still traumatizes me to this day. I can laugh at it now but I was SOBBING and my H had to calm me down lol. And now that she's a toddler I use an electric nail file that I got cheap off Amazon. I'll probably just use that from the beginning this time. I believe it's made by Little Martin's Drawer or something like that. 

blaf322

@meanjellybean They make rectal thermometers. We have a Vicks one that's something like this.

I think the biggest thing is that with rectal thermometers for babies, the metal part is the length you're supposed to stick it in. That plus the shape keeps you from putting it in too far and causing damage. Plus, you probably want to keep your rectal one separate from one someone else might put in their mouth.

Re: nail clippers... girl. The worry over cutting off the tip of DD's finger was the worst every time. I'd have been sobbing too which is funny b/c it's totally fine. But I bet I'll be just as crazy about it this time too b/c, hormones. 

mehugg

Such helpful recs! Thanks friends. I had never thought of a rectal thermometer.....they said motherhood was glamorous, right??

Here's a Q. Do you think a humidifier is a must have? H and I have never really used them ourselves and we're considering it "optional" but then my SIL recommended it so strongly I'm now second guessing myself.

blaf322

@mehugg just go ahead and get one (cool mist) bc, tbh, I’m sure you’d be fine without it, but the second your tiny baby is having a hard time bc of chest congestion and they tell you to to put one in their room to help, you’ll be running out to get one anyway. 

I’m sure some will disagree with me and say it’s not needed, but their airways are so small, my feeling was, anything we could do to help clear things up, we wanted to do.

kc0711

@mehugg for me, it is a definite. We live in the desert and it is so beyond dry. We run it for most of the winter anyways just to add a little moisture to the air, and always run it when she is sick. Just like @blaf322 said, I’m sure you can get by without it, but they have really nice ones that are affordable, so definitely worth having. Look for one without a filter (we have the fridababy one) because getting new filters sucks. 

+1 for nose frida, that thing is a lifesaver. Don’t worry when your baby screams, you aren’t hurting them, it’s just weird as F having snot sucked out of your nose. The bulb syringe does absolutely nothing. 

+1 thermometer that you can use when baby is sleeping. I have a safety first that you point at their forehead from a few inches away. I also have a backup regular thermometer I can use under the arm if I am concerned about the reading of the scanner thermometer.

NinnyJean

My biggest piece of advice is to buy all of things you’ll need for baby’s first cold before they’re born. The cool mist humidifier, nose frieda, baby vicks, Tylenol, thermometer. When DD1 got sick for the first time at six months old the last thing I wanted to do was bring her out to the store to buy everything to make her feel better but we didn’t have any of those things. A baby’s first cold kit is now my go to shower gift! 

nursejenn5

Also didn’t think of the rectal thermometer. We only use it as a very last resort at the hospital due to possible injury (as in a baby that won’t get warm. Or is too warm repeatedly with an armpit temp) 
I do have mostly everything else listed here already on my registry  😂
I’m not sure if this stuff applies to this thread. But are most people Johnson and Johnson brand people for like hygienic stuff?(soaps, etc) 
Best lotion for babies? I changed my personal soaps and lotion when I learned I was pregnant, but unsure what’s best for the little ones!

blaf322

@nursejenn5 we’ve always done J&J for body soap.

I (and my pediatrician)recommend Head and Shoulders if baby has cradle cap (and many will) but we used J&J until we needed that.

I wouldn’t say one lotion is better than another. DD broke out with Aveeno and I know lots of babies who did. She uses J&J lotion now

meanjellybean

@nursejenn5 we just used water and no soap for baths for many months. We used the little sample bottle of J&J baby shampoo until it ran out (DD was born with a lot of hair lol), and now we've been using Aveeno baby body wash and Honest Co shampoo. No real reason to use one over the other. I will say that my advice is you don't need to bathe your baby often. In the beginning we did at most one bath a week, even now we usually only do one a week. But hey maybe I have the smelly kid in class 

We got one of the cool mist humidifiers but never noticed a difference when using it vs not using it, and then I was too lazy to dump it out every night and clean if frequently enough so I got concerned about mold so it's just been sitting there. Probably won't get another one unless for some reason this new house has super dry air.

stlbuckeye132

@mehugg a cool mist humidifier is a definite for me too. That's one of the first things your ped will recommend when your baby has a cold/congestion/cough. We have used ours nightly in DD's room through the winters because our house gets really dry. I'm planning on buying another so she and baby will each have one in their rooms.

@nursejenn5 soaps and lotions that will work for your baby are different for everyone and unfortunately you won't know until baby's here. I'd try to get the little samples of different kinds as much as you can. Our ped recommends unscented soaps and lotions since most babies' skin is really sensitive. We've used California Baby soap/shampoo for DD (expensive but it lasts us a long time) and Aveeno lotion for her. Her skin isn't super sensitive though.

nursejenn5

Okay difference between cool mist humidifier and warm? H and I personally used to use a cool mist one then when we had to buy a new one we went with a warm one this winter. (But have noticed while it works better, it gets things too... moist too quickly) 

blaf322

@nursejenn5 I *think* the big thing with cool mist is that you don't want something with a heating unit where a kid could get to it.... and also, things that warm make me nervous when left alone in the baby's room while everyone sleeps.

stlbuckeye132

@nursejenn5 honestly I have no clue, I've just only ever seen cool mist recommended for use with kids. Probably b/c of what @blaf322 mentioned. I do notice it makes DD's room significantly cooler though when we use it, but that doesn't seem to bother her.

mrsdrez

@nursejenn5 re: cool vs warm I also *think* it has something to do with bacteria preferring warm to cool, but I could be totally wrong. We have a humidifier we used it a bit and probably would use it more if it wasn't such a pain in the ass to clean. So I'm like @meanjellybean and have let it fall to the wayside. I guess if I noticed a big difference I would make the effort to use it more. 
Also we used J & J, but a lot of my friends are super against it and really like Live Clean stuff. 
@blaf322 I've never heard of Head & Shoulders for cradle cap. Good to know! 

blaf322

@mrsdrez I hadn't either until our pedi recommended it for DD and now I see it recommended EVERY time someone brings it up in my local mom FB group. Apparently, Selsun Blue works quicker but doesn't smell as good. So random.

MrsTiger123

@nursejenn5 we found out real quick our kids didn’t tolerate Johnson and Johnson soap.  Unfortunately after getting a ton at our shower.  I love the way that purple bottle smells.  We also used California Baby like @stlbuckeye132.  It has really good ingredients and never caused a rash.  Their bubble bath was the only way we could give a bubble bath until our oldest somewhat outgrew his sensitive skin.  We also like the Honest Co orange vanilla baby wash and Earth Mama Soaps.  

Our pediatrician told us they didn’t really care if we used a cool or warm humidifier.  We’ve had both.  The nice thing about a warm one is that the warm mist rises more so less wet floor and more moist air. +1 finding one that doesn’t need filters replaced. Our house is dry and we run ours throughout the winter.  

blaf322

@MrsTiger123 how long did it take for your oldest to outgrow his sensitive skin.

DD had (has?) sensitive skin and it seemed that EVERY lotion broke her out so we just stopped trying. She's been putting the pink J&J on her hands b/c it's some new obsession I think she got from school lol.... and hasn't been breaking out but I'm still a little nervous to try it on her whole body. 
We never had any issues with body washes and shampoos/conditioners... just lotions, for whatever reason. 

meanjellybean

@blaf322 omg your post has reminded me that my DD has also become obsessed with lotion. And hand sanitizer lol. She wants to use my lotion and is no longer fooled by me locking it and "pretending" to squirt the lotion in her hand. Cue full blown tantrum lol. 

I'm really hoping that my DD doesn't get my sensitive skin. I grew up with really terrible eczema that according to my mother started showing up around age 2, so I'm basically holding my breath and waiting. No issues so far and she never really reacted to diapers, soaps or shampoos, so fingers crossed she gets some more resilient skin from another side of the family tree.

kc0711

RE sensitive skin- DD has it and will get eczema patches at times. We use honest brand soap and I slather her body in coconut oil instead of lotion. When she was a baby, we only did a bath 1x/week, just washed up with a wash cloth every night. Since she started eating food and makes a mess, we do bathe every night now (she loves the bath) but we only use soap every other day or if she is particularly dirty. We also don’t do any bubble baths or anything like that, I’ve found that when she sits in soapy water it is worse for her skin. 

MrsTiger123

@blaf322 we could only ever use Aquaphor. He’s 6 now and it’s a lot better.  We occasionally live it up and use cheap Mr.Bubble in the tub for mountains of bubble fun.  We can’t do that often though or he dries out.  Around 5, it started to get better.  Good sign that it doesn’t bother her hands though! 

blaf322

@MrsTiger123 thanks for the info! 

kristinl492

I have to say, I got pretty lucky with DS and not getting sick very much (so far 🤞🏻). I second what everyone says about Tylenol and Motrin, especially when it comes time for teething. That’s the last thing you don’t wanna not have in the middle of the night with a crying baby in pain! 

I personally never got over my “ew, gross, no way” feelings on the Nose Frida. I used the good old suction bulb. Again, I never had him SO sick where I was desperate enough to try the nose Frida, but my mom is a pediatric nurse and still swears the bulb is the best. 

Cool mist humidifier, yes. For sure. Super helpful this winter for sure. Our air gets so dry and DS does have quite dry skin/eczema, so any added moisture helps. 

He got a mild case of croup when he was around 7 months old and we had that thing cranked all the way up. It really does bring some peace of mind to know you’re doing everything you can to help them sleep comfortably/safely. 

A reliable thermometer, digital/rectal/whatever your choice is also a must have. 

knockupthestock

FTM here. Does anyone recommend a certain kind of laundry detergent for baby's clothes?

kc0711

@knockupthestock I just use the Costco dye free scent free detergent (generic of all I believe?). Only thing I do “different” is I wash her stuff only with her stuff, I don’t mix in our clothes with hers. 

meanjellybean

@knockupthestock when I was a FTM I bought a small thing of Dreft because it seemed like the thing to get for baby clothes. But in hindsight that was silly since the best thing to wash them in is a dye free and fragrance free detergent, which is what we use for our clothes anyway lol. But I used the one bottle of Dreft which did make the clothes smell really nice and then just didn’t buy anything special for her clothes once I ran out. And same as @kc0711 I wash her clothes in their own load on a delicate cycle to try and make them last longer.

kristinl492

@knockupthestock I use the same detergent on everyone’s clothes. Molly’s Suds. Free of all the bad stuff. Makes life way easier to not buy separate detergent!

blaf322

@knockupthestock just use whatever kind of detergent you already use in the "free" version. That way you can just wash everyone's clothes together. You don't need the special, expensive, baby stuff (Dreft).

stlbuckeye132

I'm laughing at myself now b/c we definitely bought dreft for like a full year just for DD's stuff. It smells so good though, guys!!

blaf322

@stlbuckeye132 that was my original plan... then I realized I'd have to separate out her laundry and it was a hard no for me I/we hardly get all our laundry done/put away in a timely fashion... zero way that would ever happen if we were washing DD's stuff separately!

stlbuckeye132

@blaf322 oh no, this may be an ending point in our friendship...... do you just throw all of your laundry haphazardly in all at once? Do you not separate anything? Ahhh I'm stressing just at the thought of this.

blaf322

@stlbuckeye132 I didn't say I'm I heathen! I separate I'm really good at washing and drying everything... I'm the WORST about taking forever to get things put away... and also tend to leave the very last load in the washer or dryer (always the towels or sheets... something we have tons of so forgetting them doesn't impact us right away lol)

stlbuckeye132

@blaf322 so like you'd wash DD's whites with your whites? I separate all of our stuff, but everything of DD's gets washed together in one cycle on delicate. So maybe I'm the heathen for not separating her stuff...?

kc0711

@stlbuckeye132 FFTuC...I cannot stand the smell of dreft 🤣

blaf322

@kc0711 I don't love it either. Also, I don't love strong smelling detergents anymore either. I used to looooove them... but we've been using free and clear since just before DD and now it all gives me a headache!

blaf322

@stlbuckeye132 correct! I'll throw the whites in with the light colors if the white load is too small and there isn't anything new in the color load... but other than that, our typical separation (for the whole fam) is whites, light colors, dark colors, towels, sheets. 

modoodles

Hahaha I'm totally a heathen and throw it all in together. We have to do a load every day if we are going to stay ahead of 4 kids 😬. I've always just used whatever laundry detergent I already used at the time of having baby. 

mehugg

My laundry in my building (2 apartments) is $2.75 in quarters per wash and pet dry - so $5.50 in quarters for one load all the way through. Doesn't have a delicates setting. Sooo we just do it all together no matter what....😬

nursejenn5

i'm generally a heathen too.. but maybe partially because the few times H does laundry, I wouldn't be able to get him to separate things unless I was standing there talking to him about it. So.... (usually towels/sheets get their own wash thought)

meanjellybean

Team heathen here too... throw everything in (my stuff and H's stuff) and wash on cold lol. @blaf322 I'm also terrible about putting laundry away, it just sits in the basket and I take things out as I need them... I'm better with putting DD's stuff away though which is another reason I wash hers separately