Hooked on Seventh Generation

I'm not usually a "go green" type girl, but having a baby with skin issues, has forced me to look beyond Johnson and Johnson's Baby Shampoo. With a little help from my neighbor, and some research on the internet, I am now hooked on Seventh Generation products!

Maida's rash is 100 times better now than it was two weeks ago. It's a lot of work to keep on top of it to prevent it from getting worse, but I think that I've done a good job narrowing down (1) what the heck it is, (2) what in the world to do about it, and (3) actually doing it. We've had Maida to three doctors and no body knows what her rash is. I've done research and can't find a single example in Erik's medical school books, on the internet, or in magazines that mirror Maida's rash. So what I did, was made up my own diagnosis and treatment plan...

I am convinced that Maida is allergic or sensitive to fragrances in things like soap, pefume, lotion, and laundry detergent. She also is very sensitive to mold and mildew in houses, and cigarette smoke on people's clothing. We have seen her have reactions to these things in the past, but it was never consistent and we couldn't put our finger on it. When Maida and I took our trip down to Oklahoma, something there must have triggered her rash into an episode worse than we'd ever seen it before. Along with the usual winter dry skin, Maida's body is having a hard time fighting this rash off. To help, I have cut Maida's baths down to twice per week. She can't have any bubbles in the bath, just plain water (and not too warm either, since the hotter the water, the more dry your skin can get). I also apply Eucerin cream about four to five times per day, making sure that her skin is very moisturized. I have become more protective of Maida, always making sure that whoever is holding her isn't wearing strong pefume, lotions, or smokes, since after she has been held by these types of people, the rash will break out on her neck, face, and arms. I also have totally switched to Seventh Generation's toxin-free products. These products aren't only helping Maida's rash, they are also helping me, Erik, and Barkley! I feel so good and healthy using these products and when you order them online (from a site like www.diapers.com) they are just as cheap as other brands. I don't want to go on and on about these prodcuts, but I do want to mention a little something about them because I have other moms ask me all the time what kind of diapers and products I use. If you care, read on...

I now use Seventh Generation Free and Clear Natural Laundry Detergent. I use it on everything I wash, including our clothes, towels, blankets... everything, because Maida's skin comes in contact with a lot more than her own clothes. I have done about ten loads of laundry with this detergent and I love it. Not only does it work just like my Tide, it's also better for us and better for the environment. Did you know that if every household in the U.S. replaced just one box of 42-load petroleum-based powder laundry detergent with Seventh Generation's plant-derived product, we could save 238,000 barrels of oil, enough to heat and cool 13,600 U.S. homes for a year! Wow! This laundry detergent is important for Maida because it has no perfumes or fragrances, no dyes, and is hypo-allergenic.

I have also switched over to Seventh Generation chlorine-free diapers and wipes. Eventhough they are an ugly puke color (because they aren't bleached) I find them to be better than the Pampers I usually use. They don't leak, can hold just as much, and don't irritate Maida's skin. The wipes are also amazing because they don't have any alcohol in them. I was using Pampers Sensitive wipes, which broke Maida out in a rash every time I wiped, or making my own wipes, which was a huge mess! These wipes are so gentle on Maida's skin. I actually cannot believe how great they work and how NOT red Maida's behind is! Did you know that if every household in the U.S. replaced just one 40-count package of conventional diapers with Seventh Generation's chlorine-free diapers, we could avoid 133,000 pounds of pollution from entering the environment? Wow! The diapers and wipes are unscented and also hypo-allergenic.

Well, that's my plug for Seventh Generation. Like I said, I'm not much of a "go green" type person, but these prodcuts seriously help more than just the environment. Check out the website, www.seventhgeneration.com! Also, you should check out www.weegeneration.com too. It's awesome! I'm totally hooked!
(NOTE: I can't get spell check to work, sorry if there are spelling mistakes!)