Mummy and Daddy Daycare's favourite children's products from head to toe
When we became parents four-and-a-half years ago, one of the first things we tried were baby products. Today, just a walk into any baby-related store will leave you spoiled for choice with the number of baby toiletries on display.
When it comes to hygiene products for young ones, we have always been inclined toward the natural route as we discovered that several brands contain not-so-pleasant ingredients – despite being marketed as being “safe” for babies. We also learnt that the toiletries industry in Singapore is still a largely open one, and the onus is still fully on the buyer to check the ingredients on the bottle before purchase.
Over the past four years, we have tried many different brands to find our favourite few. While these may not be the cheapest baby toiletries in the market, we are assured that we are paying for quality, and the skin of our children is in safe hands.
Here are the products we would recommend (in no particular order):
1. Shampoo and conditioner
While most natural shampoos worked decently for our first born (nicknamed Barnacles) who is now four years old, our 18-month-old (nicknamed Kwazii) has fine curly hair that tangles easily. Most shampoos and conditioners we tried were not moisturising enough and we would have difficulty combing his hair after a shower. Original Sprout’s conditioner is, by far, the best conditioner we have ever tried – it leaves his hair smooth and tangle-free. Best of all, it smells awesome.
Mummy has also ditched her ‘adult’ conditioner and switched to this brand. The shampoo is also good as it does not foam too much and is easy to rinse off kids’ hair. If you have a child with hair that tangles easily, the leave-in detangler is also a must have.
2. Diaper cream
Recently, Kwazii got a bad case of viral diarrhoea, which caused his bottom to become raw with a bad case of diaper rash. We tried a few creams we had at home and finally, what worked best for us was a thin layer of antiseptic cream (we used Savlon available at local pharmacies) with a layer of Sudocrem over it. We will certainly be continuing to use Sudocrem from now on. Tip: For a baby with diaper rash, avoid wipes wherever possible and use water to rinse instead.
3. Insect bites and minor cuts
Our four-year-old is a mosquito magnet, and while we’ve found an effective mosquito repellent that we apply on him daily when he goes to school, we always keep a small tube of Theo10 in the bag, to apply if he does get bitten. This is great for small cuts or scrapes as well.
4. Itchy skin
If you or your child has sensitive skin prone to eczema but you want to avoid steroid creams, we would recommend Suu Balm, which stops itching in its tracks. However, as it contains menthol, do be careful not to apply it on broken skin as it might sting slightly. However, it really works to soothe skin and reduce itching. The calendula balm by Four Cow Farm is another of our favourites, which can also be applied on chapped lips.
5. Moisturiser
We love Naif Care’s Soothing Baby Oil. We discovered that some baby oil brands contain mineral oil, which we prefer to avoid as it is a non-natural purified by-product of petroleum. However, Naif Care from the Netherlands uses only natural and soothing oils to moisturise and heal baby’s sensitive skin. It is not overly oily, glides on the skin easily (great for a wriggly baby who won’t hold still for long), and has a lovely smell. It’s great for hair ends, too.
6. Sunscreen
If you are gearing up for a day of fun in the sun, don’t leave home without the sunscreen. We have tried several brands and to date, the La Roche-Posay sunscreen for children is our favourite as it glides on easily, protects the skin well, and is safe for sensitive skin.
Now that baby is all clean and smells lovely, the next step is to dress them! Here are our favourites:
7. Clothes
Uniqlo’s baby leggings are our favourite go-to. They are not too pricey (S$9.90 a pair, sometimes on offer at just S$4.90!), fit really well, and have a range of designs for both boys and girls. They have shorts, cropped leggings and full leggings. Our only gripe is that they only go up to size 100, which means our four-year-old will be outgrowing them very soon.
During sale periods, we have managed to get several good discount deals at H&M and Gap Kids. Mothercare is another of our go-to choices, especially during our children’s birthday month where members get a 30 per cent discount for all house brand clothes.
8. Shoes
Our two boys love Crocs slip on sandals. Be sure to shop during sale periods, as we chanced upon great deals during the recent GSS – purchasing two pairs of Crocs for less than the full price of one pair!
For developing feet learning to walk, we would recommend Stride Rite or Clarks soft-soled shoes as they are great for helping young kids with stability walking. Do prepare in advance to buy during sale periods, as the shoes at full price can be quite a strain on the wallet.
Happy shopping!
Note: all items are non-sponsored, and opinions are the author’s own.
Mummy and Daddy Daycare are the pseudonyms of a Singaporean husband and wife who are raising two young boys aged four and one, nicknamed Barnacles and Kwazii from the children’s Octonauts series. Get into the minds of this couple who describe parenthood as a lifetime adventure – you are always learning something new! Whoever said parenting was a walk in the park?
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