Udderly Smooth Udder Cream lotion was originally developed for use on dairy cows and the product still bears the instructions for use on cattle, as a treatment for cracked or sore udders.

I first herd… sorry, bad joke… heard about Udder Cream from a friend whose six-month-old baby had eczema, and was having a difficult time finding anything that would relive it. Her son’s pediatrician recommended Udder Cream, and reassured her that he didn’t think that her baby was a calf and that the cream was perfectly safe for human babies, and that he had used it on his own children.

My son, a few months older, also had eczema and dry skin on his legs and arms. I had been using other lotions but hadn’t found one that helped. So, I tried the Udder Cream on the rash, and on his dry skin. A few days later, his dry skin was much improved, and while his eczema rash was still there, it didn’t seem to be bothering him so much. We used it twice-daily from then on.

One of the first compliments I received on a date with the man who turned out to be a serious relationship was what soft skin I had. Oops, did I mention that I’d been stealing it? Mom’s skin takes plenty of abuse, with frequent handwashing after all those diaper changes, and baths and all that extra laundry and housework babies generate. I love using it on my hands, and I keep a pot in the kitchen, and one in the bathroom.

It comes in a nice big screw-top tub that cost about $5 each and last a long time, and then are useful for storing bits of toddler toys in when empty.

The downside is that it’s hard to find in stores. I order mine online in packs of six. Ace Hardware is the only store that (sometimes) carries it in my town, but you can order a tub online and have it shipped to your local store for free.

And a little warning – the cream contains lanolin, which is a natural product from sheep, but rarely, it can cause an allergic reaction. I’d advise doing a patch test and trying a little out on your baby and watching for a reaction before using it.

I love Udder Cream. It helps dry skin better than any other lotion I’ve tried, and it made a big difference on my son’s eczema. The best part is that it’s cheap enough to try even if you’re unsure.

A study appearing in the February issue of Pediatrics journal has raised new concerns on the chemicals in baby shampoos and lotions. After babies in the study were shampooed and lotion, their urine were checked shortly after. What researchers found were elevated levels of phthalates. This was even more pronounced in babies younger than 8 months.

Phthalates (pronounced thowl-ates) are chemicals that are usually found in toys, cosmetics, vinyl products. They are used to stabilize fragrance and to make plastics flexible. Although the Food and Drug Administration and the Center for Disease Control considers this a safe product because of lack of substantial scientific evidence saying otherwise, activists have taken a different stand. Some environmental advocacy groups claim that the product causes reproductive problems in humans, based on animal studies. And although the Federal government does not restrict its uses, states like California have been more rigorous in regulating this chemical.

What you can do: look for products labeled phthalates free, or check for common phthalates in labels like DEP, DEHP. You may also try researching other organic baby products which use nothing but natural ingredients like lavender, and other plant extracts.

Source: MSNBC