Are you preparing for your first child and wondering exactly what you will need to keep him clean and healthy? We are here to help you stock his medicine cabinet with the perfect products that are easy to use, sometimes a little fun, and exactly what you’ll need to be prepared for any situation.
Products for a fever
A sick baby can be a scary situation for parents. We can get especially restless when our little one has a fever. Just remember a few things when taking the temperature of a young child. A normal temperature for an infant is somewhere between 97- 100 degrees. A low grade fever in children over 6 months of age is a normal occurrence, although it can make every one a little fussy.
The AAP recommends calling your pediatrician if your baby has a temperature of 101 degrees and is under 6 months old. For children over 6 months, call your health care professional if their fever reaches 103 degrees and they have accompanying symptoms such as a cough, vomiting, or are fussy.
- Thermometer– A thermometer like this Temporal Artery Thermometer by Exergen is quick and easy to use!
- Tylenol is the only approved product for children younger than 6 months
- Ibuprofen for older infants and children
Dosing for these medications are based on the child’s weight, not age. Be sure to store them properly and out of reach when not in use. Be cautious of over-medicating a child of any age.
Personal Hygiene
- Nail Clippers and File
- Nasal aspirator
- Hair brush
- Tooth brush– Once baby gets those first adorable teeth, brushing should begin. We love the Baby Banana Flexible Training Toothbrush. It makes cleaning fun and easy!
Teething Remedies
Teething can start at any moment. Be prepared for this uncomfortable experience so you are ready when it strikes! You have many options when it comes to teething remedies so be sure to experiment with what works for you and your baby. This is what we recommend having on hand to ease the pain.
- Amber Teething Necklace– You can read more on picking out a teething necklace in our article, 3 Tips for Amber Teething Necklaces!
- Teething Tablets or Camilla Drops
- Teething Gel– We love Hyland’s Teething Gel because it’s homeopathic but you have many options!
Skin Care
If you want to learn more about what is in your baby’s personal care items we suggest using the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database. The ingredient labels on shampoo and lotions can be especially daunting. Learn what and how safe they are for your family with this easy to use resource.
- Body wash
- Eczema Cream– even if your child does not regularly suffer from eczema it may come on unexpectedly as a reaction to a new food or sensitivity to changing weather. Keep some on hand to soothe baby’s irritated skin.
- Lotion– This is a must to keep baby’s skin silky smooth. If you are looking for a DIY lotion recipe, we have a great one for you! Take a look at this easy one for Handmade Coconut Lotion.
- Sunscreen- The babies here at at Daily Mom like Badger Suncreen or this one by Lavanilla!
- Diaper rash cream
Medicine Cabinet On-The-Go
Don’t forget you will need a few of these things packed and ready to go in your diaper bag. No one wants to leave an outing over a fever that turns out to be a false alarm or a boo-boo that had no band-aid.
- Thermometer
- Sanitizer- Try out Dr. Bronner’s sanitizer, it is convenient and all natural.
- Band-aids
- Sunscreen
We had that thermometer when P was a baby but since toddlerhood changes everything we swapped to one that takes temperature inside the ear. Between her hair and her wiggling out of our hands the forehead scanner just stopped being effective.