Baby Toiletries

Family, Education, Health and Pets
1
I hope someone can give me some advice.

There are no baby bath brands here in Switzerland that I recognise (I have seen Johnson & Johnson, but they don't have the lavender range and I've read some scary reviews on the original products). Can someone advise which products are good? Our baby is due in 3 weeks and I'm starting to get a bit anxious that I am not yet completely ready.

I looked at the Weleda calendula range yesterday but the smell is incredibly strong.

Suggestions very much appreciated!

2
My son often uses the Millette range from Migros for his little ones, it doesn't have a strong smell and isn't expensive.

I used the original Johnson and Johnson range for my sons when they were small (still use the bath oil and baby shampoo as I have very sensitive skin), never had any problems with those produces personally.

3
We've found that the main brands here are all pretty good. Look at Hipp , Penaten , and Mustela . The midwives all seem like they must be sponsored by Weleda, as it's all they ever seem to use, but I find it overpriced versus other choices.

FWIW, our midwife recommended we use only water (no soap) to wash the baby until it was six months old. We ignored this advice and she turned out fine anyhow.

4
Thank you Anjela, I used J&J for my son too, but have been pathetically influenced by the recent scaremongering in the media . I will check out the Millette range.

5
Thank you VI (I genuinely cant call you Village Idiot without feeling guilty). Do you have any preference of those 3 producst or are they all fairly similar? I saw Mustela at the pharmacy yesterday, but my French isn't good enough to ask the shop assistant about it.

The Weleda smells terribly strong for a baby product. My son who is 10 said it burnt his nose so I cant imagine for a newborn!

6
Don't expect to find scent-free toiletries here. Lavera is one of the mildest in terms of smell.

7
Hi,

I don't have children, but I did find some things online that you might be interested in looking at and trying.

http://www.theswissbaby.ch/ - Organic products made in Switzerland if you are looking for an all natural line.

http://www.swisslark.com/2012/04/our...-products.html - This blogger in Zürich says Mustela is a favorite of her family.

http://www.arise.ch/arise/index.php/...s-swissbaby-en -Another natural baby care brand. Their website says that their products are sold in all pharmacies and drug stores.

Lavera brand - They sell adult and baby products, and I've seen this brand in places like Coop .

As for Weleda, I have a friend who used their products on her baby and she really enjoyed them. I've used the Weleda adult products and like them very much.

Also, if there is a brand of baby care items that you like, maybe you can find them and buy them online ? Amazon.de or Amazon.fr for example ?

I can also recommend buying from iherb.com . I like to use their website, and I see that they also sell baby products. You can buy things like Aveeno, Aquaphor, Johnson & Johnson, Jason Natural, Weleda and more.

Congratulations

TheLaughingCow

8
I haven't seen Lavera in Coop Funny Bone, I must look again.

Thank you so much for those links Laughing Cow. I will check them out

9
You can call me an idiot -- it wouldn't be the first time!

We've been mostly using Hipp as it's easy to find on both sides of the border (we often pop over to Germany to stock up at discount rates). We sort of stick to them loyally as a brand as we use a lot of their baby food (and later, toddler meals) which are all organic.

Not much I can say about the products except they seem reasonably gentle and not strongly scented, our kids end up clean after their baths, and we've never had any sort of reaction or allergy. They basically do what they say on the tin.

The one place we're loyalists, though, is on diaper creme. It's Bepanthen all the way for us.

10
We also don't use any specific baby bath for the LO (he's almost 1 year old). We either bath him only with water and almond oil, or oatmeal bath (either we make it ourself, or use BalmaBaby). We only use Weleda for shampoo.

11
I was very relieved to see Bepanthen here, its the only crème that worked for my son. That's at least one item that I do already have.

12
Bepanthen is like magic isn't it? Works an absolute treat.

We use Weleda for our 7 month old after having tried a few. No complaints.

Now the serious question, do you have a bathtime song and dance??

SPLISHY SPLASHY, SPLISHY-SPLISHY-SPLISHY SPLASH

No matter what's going on, if you sing that it's party time for our lad.

13
Hi Daff,

I'm quite sure there is some J&J products here, we got some soap/shampoo sample at the hospital I think.

At home we actually use some basic bar soap (Marseille or Alep soap, non scented) to clean the little one, but indeed for the first few months you don't need to use much at all. We also use some Weleda calendula oil and lotion, and I quite like it, it doesn't smell very strong to me. It is quite pricey though.

14
We have used Hipp and Weleda (personally I prefer Hipp), plus of course Bepanthen....but pick up some "Zinc cream" (that's the name of the brand, plus whats inside!) from the pharmacy. If you do experience nappy rash it will clear it up in the blink of an eye.

But our midwife also said just to use water to wash in the early days, then massage after the bath with something to prevent the skin from drying out - and recommended Grape Seed Oil....you just buy it from the supermarket. We splashed out and bought this one:

http://coopathome.ch/en/food-cupboar...?refCat=m_0140

You use such a small amount, we still have plenty left for salads

Doesn't smell and seems to soak in well so baby isn't too greasy and difficult to handle!

But why not ask your doctor/midwife for your Mama box, it has plenty of free samples to try before you buy (you will also get sent another one after the baby is born):

http://www.present-service.ch/f/geschenk/mama.php

Or there is another one you can get free from the Benu pharmacies:

https://www.benupharmacie.ch/fr/nouveau-babybox/

Those tiny free samples go a remarkably long way on a little baby-sized body!

15
we use penaten or hipp for baby bath and skin cream, or bübchen, which i think is available from müller, the german chemist that has a couple of stores around switzerland. no shampoo ever since they were all babies (was recommended by our nz midwife at the time) and still don't need any.

i also like lavera and weleda products but they are pretty expensive. i think coop naturaline also has excellent products at a reasonable price but not sure if they have a baby range.

16
Not yet, we'll get right on it

I like the Lavender J&J range but I haven't seen it in any stores here. Will ask about samples, thank you.

I hadn't heard about this. Although my doctor has already booked me into the hospital, I need to hand in some forms and do a tour which is booked for Monday, I will ask about the Mama box or sample equivalent. Thanks for that.

I wonder if there are different Weleda calendula strength products because I smelt the white and orange one and it was incredibly pungent. It was the bath wash. Maybe the bath crème is less strong smelling. I only smelt that particular one. I will go take a sniff again, as Weleda as been recommended a few times now, will try find Lavera and Hipp too.

Thank you so much everyone for your recommendations.

17
I must say that I'm completely addicted to Mustela products... I love their smell, and the lovely smooth skins of my kids. I even use the Mustela soap bar for myself!

My daughter has very fragile skin and suffered from eczema when she was a baby, so I got used to using Pelsano bath product. It helps leaving a protective moisturizing layer on the skin. Plus they use it for newborns at the CHUV, where my babies were born.

As for Weleda, their Calendula protective cream for the bum is quite nice!