Keeping a Better Medicine Cabinet

August 17, 2011 By 2 Comments

I love finding ways to do simple things better.

We all have a medicine cabinet, but do you put any thought into it? A little effort and foresight can wind up saving you time and money. It will keep your family safe and ensure you have the right medication and supplies around when you need them. A good medicine cabinet should be well stocked and regularly purged.

I thought I’d share my medicine cabinet regimen (although it’s not that involved, I promise!), which I do about every three months or so. I only started thinking about our medicine cabinet after we had our first baby. That’s when things started to overflow in there! It turned out that having to clear unnecessary items to make room for others resulted in getting rid of things that really needed to go, which leads me to my first point …

Get rid of all expired medication. We shouldn’t be taking old medicine. Even if it was prescribed to us at one time, it doesn’t mean it’s prescribed to us now, and taking it could have adverse health effects. Make sure you throw out the medication safely and properly. I once heard a pharmacist recommend that you place pills in a sealed Ziploc bag with cat litter, if you’re throwing them away. That way, children, animals and curious teenagers won’t be likely to pop them into their mouth. An even safer option would be to take old pills to a pharmacy that operates a take-back program, which will safely dispose of unused and expired medication. This is also an eco-friendly way to go, since pharmaceuticals are now present in our waterways from so many pills being thrown away. Eww! Check out Disposemymeds.org to find a location near you.

Mama tip: For safety, I don’t take any pills in front of my children, since they always want to be like Mommy and are likely to want to try them, too.


Keeping an organized medicine cabinet helps me to see what we really have, as well as what we need. I keep a list (in my head) of our most used medicines and items we may need at a moment’s notice. It makes stocking medicine so easy! Some musts for my family include: acetaminophen for fevers, in infant, child and adult varieties; ibuprofen for headaches, a necessity with three children 3 and under; and bandages and Neosporin for cuts and scrapes. I also keep Benadryl for possible allergic reactions, hydrocortisone cream for rashes and raw winter cheeks and a thermometer on hand. I personally supported the antacid industry during my pregnancy, but those are no longer a staple in the cabinet, fortunately!

Photo courtesy of e-Magine Art.
Filed Under: Family Health, Family Safety, First Aid, Home & Family, Organization Tagged With: , , ,
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Natural Home Remedies for Baby

August 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

As a mom, it’s easy to get caught up in all the “must-have” baby products, especially when you receive every type of cream, lotion and medicine on the market at your baby shower. We shouldn’t forget, though, about the tried and true home remedies for baby. Here are some natural options for a few common baby ailments:

Cradle Cap

Cradle cap is extremely common in babies. It’s sort of a baby dandruff, characterized by redness and scales on the scalp and face. It will go away with time, but until it does, it can be a real nuisance. Don’t buy an expensive cream before trying a natural remedy for a fraction of the cost.

Wash your baby’s hair more often. When you wash it, add a small amount of olive oil. Lightly massage the oil into baby’s head, and use a soft-bristled brush to work the flakes away. Continue as needed.

Constipation

My first child had recurring bouts of constipation as a baby, and our family doctor always advised against giving him any laxatives. Apparently, children’s digestive systems can grow dependent on them to function properly. Fiber is the key to keeping constipation away.

Prune juice is the best remedy for baby’s constipation. Water it down, so it isn’t too potent for your baby. I use a one-to-one ratio of juice to water. If your baby really doesn’t like the taste of prune juice and won’t drink it, add it to another fruit juice. Straight apple juice or grape juice should also help relieve constipation.  Feed your baby foods high in fiber, such as beans, lentils, peaches, apricots, plums and spinach.

Try this homemade remedy: Mix baby oil with 1 or 2 drops chamomile oil and rub on your baby’s tummy to help with digestion and gas.


Colds

Babies will inevitably get a cold or two, yet we aren’t supposed to give them decongestants. None of us, including babies, can cure our colds, but we can try to ease their symptoms. Place a cool mist humidifier in your baby’s room while he sleeps. Or, sit in the bathroom with your baby for 10 to 15 minutes while a hot shower runs. Steam will help thin mucus and relieve congestion. Avoid giving your baby milk while he has a cold. Milk will only thicken the mucus and make congestion worse. Give baby plenty of other fluids, especially water.

Try this homemade remedy: Rub a mixture of lavender, camphor and olive oils on your baby’s chest to ease chest congestion.

Photo courtesy of Clare Bloomfield.
Filed Under: Chemical Safety, Family Health, First Aid, Home & Family, Infant Health, Living Green, Other Ways to Save Tagged With: , , , , ,
This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. In most cases, products are provided to Moms Living Thrifty for review. All product reviews are written according to the writer's honest opinion, experience or beliefs. Your opinion may vary. To see more on our disclosure policy, please visit our Disclosure page