Make Your Own Diaper Cream

Here are basic instructions on how to make your own diaper salve which is very non-allergenic. With a couple of extra ingredients, it's the ideal preventative and treatment for a yeast-rash. Sometimes this stuff is affectionately called "butt grease" since it keeps diaper areas healthy and running well!

Ingredients

 * Pure beeswax (can be obtained from health food markets)
 * Cold-pressed olive oil (heat expelled oil tends to contain extra chemicals)
 * Garlic, fresh or grated.(optional)
 * Tea tree oil

Steps

 * 1)  Heat some water in a small pot on the stove until it is hot but not boiling.  Place some kind of a spacer (a small steam basket) in the bottom of the pot. Put the glass jar on top to check the water level. The water level should reach about 1/2 way up the jar.
 * 2)  Grate the beeswax until you have made a pile equivalent to about 1/2 cup to 1 cup. (You may not need the full amount depending on how thick you like your "butt grease." You might prefer to make it on the on the soft-side for ease of application.)
 * 3)  Pour about 1 cup of olive oil into the jar and place into the hot water to warm it.
 * 4)  As the oil warms, sprinkle in some of the beeswax and stir.
 * 5)  Add in more beeswax and continue to stir until all the wax has liquefied.
 * 6)  Remove the jar carefully with oven mitts or canning tongs. Now you have your basic salve.  If you do not wish to make a yeast rash salve, leave it to cool.
 * 7)  If you would like to make a salve for a yeast rash, add 1 clove of garlic (crushed and minced, or pureed if possible) or 1/8 tsp powdered garlic.  Then add 1/8 tsp of tea tree oil and leave to cool.
 * 8)  Use this homemade cream on the baby's diaper area regularly, or in case of yeast rash, use the herbal salve liberally at every diaper change.

Tips

 * Don't let the mixture get too hot - the idea is to melt the wax and oil together, not to cook it!
 * Stirring the mixture periodically as it cools will result in a creamier texture, while leaving it alone will cause it to set more firm.
 * If you don't get the results you want the first time, you can always re-heat it the same way and add wax to firm it up or oil to smooth it down.

Warnings

 * Tea tree oil on its own can be extremely irritating to baby's skin. However, this salve seems to buffer tea tree oil's stinging properties, so don't be afraid to use the herbal salve on even a newborn baby.

Things You'll Need

 * Medium sized "mason"-type jar
 * Something long and thin to stir with (a chopstick works well for this)
 * Small saucepan
 * Small spacer to hold the jar off the bottom of the pan (like a small steamer basket)

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Change a Diaper
 * How to Bathe an Infant
 * How to Make a Diaper Cake
 * How to Prepare for the Arrival of a Newborn As a Father
 * How to Make Baby Wipes
 * How to Avoid Attention
 * How to Use Leftover Baby Food
 * How to Throw a Baby Shower