Touch is a vital part of the bonding process between mother and child - and our new yummy-smelling Baby range of toiletries is set to make that all-important one-to-one contact even more special
Baby massage has only relatively recently become fashionable here in the UK, but in some cultures it's been acknowledged for generations as a natural and effective way for parents to get to know their new arrival. It's a basic human instinct to touch and be touched - whether we're new-born or 90-years-old - and for new mums struggling to cope with the tiny person in their care, massaging their baby can be a big confidence-booster.
Better still, research has shown that regular massage can strengthen a baby's immunity, ease colic, constipation and teething and, on top of all that, it will help her to sleep more soundly, which means that massaging your baby is a great way of keeping your stress levels down, too!
Open a jar of Solid Coconut Massage Oil from the new Baby range at Waitrose and it's impossible to resist dipping your finger into the thick, inviting cream. Almost instantly it melts to a rich oil - an oil that's perfect for peachy baby skin.
But it wasn't peachy baby skin that inspired Waitrose baby care buyer Kate Chapman to create the new products: it was the reddened, eczema-inflamed skin of her own two babies. 'My first, Polly, suffered terribly from eczema,' says Kate. 'I had to massage her daily to lubricate her skin.
I tried everything to ease the problem, and eventually my local chemist produced an unassuming-looking jar of coconut oil - it really soothed her skin and immediately made her feel more comfortable.
'So when my son, James, was born, four years later, I knew what to do as soon as the dreaded eczema appeared - out came the coconut oil.'
Baby care products based on this simple discovery - that using natural ingredients can sometimes be far more effective than anything based on synthetic chemicals - seemed
to Kate and her team an obvious range for Waitrose to develop, and she was delighted when
she got the go-ahead. 'Many parents come to Waitrose because they know they'll find top-quality, fresh organic food that they are happy to give to their children - so it makes sense for them to be able to buy toiletries that are just as free from 'nasties', from the same store.
'We're all becoming much more aware these days of the number of chemicals in the products we buy,' Kate says. 'And when you become a parent, that awareness is magnified a thousand-fold.
You don't want anything to come into contact with your precious baby that could do
her harm - and that includes products you put in the bath water or apply to her skin.'
Kate began the development process by excluding a whole list of commonly used chemicals, including artificial colours and fragrances. Taking as a starting point the coconut oil she'd found so helpful for easing Polly and James' eczema, Kate and her like-minded team began a four-year venture to find the right combinations of ingredients.
This spring, as the products arrive on the shelves, find out for yourself what they have achieved. The list of ingredients in the Baby range reads like a recipe book: Baby Bottom Butter is made from olive oil; Baby Shampoo features mandarin oil; a little vanilla is mixed in with the coconut oil for the Solid Coconut Massage Oil, and sunflower and olive oils are key ingredients in the Cradle Cap Massage Oil.
'I was keen to avoid anything too strong-smelling,' says Kate, 'as that can sometimes make it difficult for babies to bond with their mums. We settled on vanilla - which my son says makes the products smell just like ice cream - and camomile, both believed to be calming.' The products smell almost good enough to eat, and the packaging is pretty, with appropriately cool, soothing colours.
The insistence on natural ingredients has given Kate a few sleepless nights, but she and the development team have found their way around most of the problems posed.
One they haven't managed to resolve is that natural vanilla tends to darken when it is exposed to the air, which means that some of the products will start to change colour once the bottles are opened.
'But we have come to the conclusion that people might actually feel reassured by that,' Kate says. 'So long as we make it clear on the label that it's nothing to worry about. After all, it proves that the products aren't packed with potentially harmful preservatives.'
And as if a delicious-smelling, beautifully packaged range of baby toiletries based on natural ingredients wasn't enough to grab parents' attention, there's even better news: these are affordable products that put natural baby care in everyone's reach.
One thing's for sure - one sniff of the new range and you'll never want to use anything else on your baby's skin - or your own, for that matter - again.
How to massage your baby
Choose a time when you're both relaxed - after a bath, for example - and avoid massaging when your baby may be hungry or up to 1 hour after a feed. Lay her on a warm, soft towel and melt a little of the coconut massage oil between your palms. Use light strokes and keep reapplying the oil to your hands. Make frequent eye contact with your baby and talk to her. Start with her feet, gently rubbing and rolling the top of the foot, then roll each toe between your forefinger and thumb. Gently pull each leg in turn through your palms from the thigh to the foot.
Next, lightly massage your baby's chest. Move your hands upwards and outwards over the shoulders then back to the top of the chest. To finish off, turn your baby onto her tummy and gently massage down her back, using long, light strokes. Always carefully remove any excess oil after massage, using cotton wool. If you both enjoy it, make massage a regular part of your routine.
If you would like to find out more about baby massage, ask at your GP surgery or local health centre, as many offer regular classes.
This article was first published on Waitrose.com in March 2005.