Baby

Homeopathy for babies

I must confess I have a soft spot for babies. I enjoyed my own daughters the most when they were tiny. The first six months or so was pure bliss, despite the lack of sleep, engorged boobs and the rest of the joys of new motherhood. I found it much harder to cope when they had reached their first birthday and began to walk. When I think of it, a remedy called Chocolate comes to mind. It is a relatively new remedy, and it’s very useful in homeopathy for babies and mothers, especially for any issues to do with weaning.

While studying with Jeremy Sherr, I learned that the essence of the hedgehog came out in the proving of Chocolate. Mother adores her children when they are young, but when they grow up, she feels restricted by them. Just like a hedgehog in nature, who “turns her back” on the hoglets as soon as they can fend for themselves. In comparison, Sepia woman feels burdened by her children since the beginning, while to Chocolate mother this feeling can come later. Chocolate is a good remedy for mastitis and all things hormonal, as well as being a fantastic remedy for any weaning problems, as I mentioned above. You might have probably guessed that I love the remedy Chocolate and feel grateful to Jeremy for bringing it into our use. In addition to Chocolate, homeopathy for babies offers many other useful remedies.

Homeopathy for babies – best start in life

Things can get quite intense during the first year of your baby’s life. Babies seem so small and fragile, and there is often a sense of urgency when they are unwell. While sometimes medical attention is required, with homeopathy for babies, you can resolve most of the common complaints at home. Having a homeopathic first aid kit to hand can help avoid a trip to the doctor and subsequent antibiotics. Homeopathy for babies gives them a strong start and lays a healthy foundation for the life ahead.

One of the most common issues that parents face with a new baby is colic. It can get super distressing, and moms often say to me:

I feel like a failure, why can’t I keep my baby happy??

Remedies like Chamomilla, Dioscorea, or Colocynthis can have an immediate miraculous effect. More about colic here. Teething is another issue where homeopathy for babies can save the day. Something that I see less frequently is omphalitis or an inflammation of the umbilical cord stump.

Homeopathy for babies – umbilical cord stump infection or omphalitis

When the baby is born and the cord is cut, the stump usually dries up and falls off within a couple of weeks. Sometimes you can see a little pus at the base of the stump. Keep it open to the air and don’t cover it with the top of the nappy to help it dry. When I had my babies, I was told to wipe the belly button where the stump is attached with alcohol wipes. However, new research shows that this isn’t a good idea as it kills bacteria that helps the stump dry and separate.

In some cases, bacteria can infect the stump, which results in redness and swelling around the belly-button. This is called umbilical cord stump infection or omphalitis. Watch out for pus or a moist bump with redness on or around the stump. At first signs of infection, clean the area with the solution of Hypericum and Calendula twice a day, and leave to dry. This will help with minor infections.

Homeopathy for omphalitis include:

• Calendula: remedy that generally speeds up healing of any wound;
• Abrotanum
• Calc-phos

As always, you need to be careful with very young babies and infections, as their immune system is still developing. If your baby seems listless, has a high fever or the area around his belly-button looks inflamed and red, see your doctor.

Homeopathy for thrush in babies

Thrush can make it painful for the baby to suck, and as a result, can make breastfeeding difficult. Homeopathy for thrush in babies often resolves it very quickly though. Some of the most commonly indicated remedies are:

• Borax: very painful thrush. Baby is afraid of downward motion, so you will notice that he gets very distressed when you put him down into the cot too quickly. Sudden noises can frighten him too.
• Mercurius: main indication for this remedy is profuse drooling. You can find some sores in the baby’s mouth or on his tongue, and the gums may be swollen. Baby’s breath may smell bad and his tongue may look enlarged and flabby.
• Sulphuric acid: ulcers in the mouth, gums bleed easily. The baby can appear weak and have a sour smell.
• Candida albicans or Monilia albicans: remedy prepared from candida culture is often useful in oral thrush in babies.
• Kali mur: tongue coated greyish-white, especially at the base, may look slimy. White ulcers in the mouth.
• Sulphur: tongue coated white with red tip and red borders. Lips may also be bright red.

There are many other remedies in homeopathy for oral thrush in babies. Most cases, especially stubborn ones, would only shift with constitutional treatment. Looking at the bigger picture resolves the thrush along with other issues that may form part of the case.

Homeopathy for diaper rash in babies

Most parents have to deal with diaper rash in their babies at some stage. It is more common between 6 and 12 months of age, but can happen at any time. Babies in cloth nappies tend to develop diaper rash less frequently, but they are not immune to it either. Keeping skin dry and exposed to air helps a lot. Also, rinsing cloth diapers in clean water after they have been washed with laundry detergent is a good idea. A mixture of calendula tincture and olive oil in the ratio of 1:4 is very soothing and helps baby’s skin heal quickly.

If these simple measures don’t quite cut it, you can use homeopathy for diaper rash in babies. Some very useful remedies are:

• Apis: fiery red rash with skin swelling. Feels very hot to the touch. The skin is stinging and burning, so you will see the baby trying to rub it a lot. Baby feels better for cold applications and worse for warmth or when covered.
• Cantharis: you may see small ulcers oozing watery discharge. The baby is restless and hates it when you touch his sore bum.
• Rhus-tox: rash with tiny vesicles and tendency to form crusts. Better for warm applications and the baby likes to be covered.
• Sulphur: bright red rash with fine scales in between. The baby seems most uncomfortable at night and while washing, and can scratch the skin until it bleeds.

Diaper rash often accompanies teething. In this case, other remedies may fit the case better. More details here.

Homeopathy for babies – how to give the remedy to a baby

Babies and young children can sometimes spit the pill back in your face if they are very upset or angry. With newborns and very young babies, moms sometimes worry about choking as well. If you prefer not to give your child a pill as it is, you can dissolve it in a small amount of water, stir the solution well and put a teaspoon or a few drops into the baby’s mouth. You can also crush the pill between two spoons and give it to the child as a powder. The pills taste lovely and sweet though, so I bet your child will quickly learn to love them. I’ve heard countless stories of children getting their hands on the whole bottle and even an entire kit and consuming them all at once!

In my humble opinion, homeopathy is a superb choice of healthcare for babies. Nothing else comes close. 100% safe and non-toxic, easy to administer and inexpensive, it is also extremely effective and often acts almost immediately in acute situations. If you are expecting, consider investing in a homeopathic first aid kit. Knowing you have remedies to hand and can help your baby quickly is so empowering. And I am here anytime you are stuck or need professional help.