There are many reasons that parents to decide to cloth-diaper their babies. Some to save money, some to reduce the amount of waste they put into landfills and some because they want to keep the chemicals and toxins founds in disposable diapers and disposable wipes away from their baby’s sensitive skin. Two out my three children have extremely sensitive skin. They are prone to eczema, rashes and minor irritations from many products that my oldest daughter can easily tolerate. One of the most common, all natural and soothing treatments for inflamed, itchy and irritated skin is an oatmeal bath. You can buy pre-made oatmeal bath products or you can simply fill a small cloth bag with raw, whole oats, tie it with a string and toss into a warm bath.
Here are some interesting facts about oatmeal:
- Oatmeal contains saponins! If I hadn’t just written a blog on the gentle, yet effective laundry cleaning properties of soap nuts, I wouldn’t know that saponins are nature’s cleansers that soak up dirt and oil. In the digestive system, the saponins soak up cholesterol and flush it out of the body.
- Oatmeal contains fats or lipids. If you give your sensitive-skinned baby a warm oatmeal bath, be sure to pat him dry instead of rubbing. This will help the lipids to remain on the skin and form a barrier to keep moisture locked in. Oatmeal also contains phenols which work as both an anti-oxidant and an anti-inflammatory. You can even mix a little oatmeal and water to exfoliate your face with the paste. It will be gentle yet leave your skin feeling soft and clean. Or add some honey and make a mask. Leave it on for 10 minutes before washing it off.
- Colloidal Oatmeal is simply made from whole grain oatmeal that has been blended into a fine powder that adheres to strict guidelines regarding particle size and fat content. This makes it easier to add to soaps, lotions and shampoos. You can make your own finely ground oatmeal by simply grinding dry whole grain oats in a blender. This means that you can add the powder directly to the bath, without the cloth bag. Tossing whole oats in may leave you with a clogged drain and a dirty tub.
Does your baby have sensitive skin? If so, do you buy oatmeal products or do you make your own? Please share any other uses you have for oatmeal or any other all natural tips for soothing your baby’s sensitive skin.
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I recall getting my own oatmeal bath twice in my lifetime…Once with a bad case of chicken pox, and another after deciding to uncover the world’s largest ant farm front of my house. Worked like a charm, and smelled decent!
I never knew this about oatmeal! Thank you for sharing!
Wow I didn’t know oatmeal was so versatile! Thanks for sharing! I will be trying out a few of these!
I didn’t realize you can use an oatmeal bath to soothe eczema. I have a 5 year old with it and I think maybe my new baby has it too.
This will come in handy. Thank you.
Since a good portion of my heritage is Scottish oats have played a big part in my diet throughout my life. I’ve never tried an oatmeal bath though. I have heard it’s helpful, I just never tried it. Now I’m thinking I should give it a whirl for my son with eczema.
I had hives due to an allergic reaction a few months back, and oatmeal lotion really helped!
My skin gets so dry during the winter. I’m going to try this tonight!
I have used oatmeal in the bath (moisturizes) and as a face mask(exfoliates). Of course, I do love a bowl with gingerbread! This is one staple I always keep in my house. When I use it in a bath, I do grind it, but then put it in a muslin bag and tie it. Since hot water can worsen eczema, I recommend soaking it in some hot water for a minute, and then putting the oatmeal bag and the water into the bath. That way, the bath water doesn’t have to be hot. I squeeze the bag several times to release the milky moisture out into the water. For a baby bath, probably 1/3 cup is good. For an adult bath, 1 cup. You can also rub the bag all over your skin. It will feel slippery, but so wonderful!
Thanks for the great info
I need to try this… my skin gets very dry in the winter time!
I have heard about oatmeal baths, but never tried it. It just so happens that we are dealing with chronic bloody diaper rashes, so maybe it’s time to try something new.
Great tip to put whole oats in the blender! What kind of cloth bag would you use?
i would love to try this out for myself to help with my eczema! i will need to get a cloth bag.
I love using oatmeal baths for myself and my baby! They are great for soothing itchy bug bites, dry skin, and most diaper rash. in the past I have purchased oatmeal bath, but definitely want to try making my own. I’ve heard old pantyhose/socks make a great container to tie up oats in and throw in the tub, but I will probably just try grinding it to powder!
Thanks so much for posting about this. My 2nd son has eczema and his little cheeks are so chapped and raw looking. This will help us I think!
I will be giving my little one a bath with oatmeal tonight! I usually do it once a month. I will also be using it as a face wash, I hadn’t thought of using it for that!
For those wanting to put the oats whole inside a bag in the bath, you could probably tie them in the toe of a sock or knee high pantyhose if you don’t have a piece of fabric lying around!
I love taking a bath with oatmeal products, it makes your skin super soft and it is very soothing…sounds like baby will benefit too!
I had no idea oatmeal had so many amazing properties. I’ve never had an oatmeal bath, but it sounds so appealing and I bet my baby would love it, too. Thanks for sharing!!
It’s surprising that they’re so many using for oatmeal that I wouldn’t have thought of! Thanks for the info!
I put oats in the food processor and use it sometimes in place of Flour
I love the idea of using an oatmeal bath in place of creams and ointments! we’re suffering from a brutal diaper rash at the moment and I’ve been using the airing out for as long as possible technique – it’s like roulette though “when’s he gonna go? when’s he gonna go?’
Definitely going to try an Oatmeal Bath tonight – heard cornstarch on the sores help too!
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