Midge proofing the baby...

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locum76

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oct 9, 2005
2,772
9
47
Kirkliston
So we're doubtless going to take the baby out camping in the woods this year, in Scotland - that means there'll be midgies.

Do any of you have experience in keeping the dreaded midge off of little ones?
 

mountainm

Bushcrafter through and through
Jan 12, 2011
9,990
12
Selby
www.mikemountain.co.uk
Provide a bigger, juicer meatier target..... I always attract them all, sacrificing myself for the greater good!

DEET isn't an option but there are baby friendly wipes out there - plus you'll need nets for your kid carrier etc.
 

Ronnie

Settler
Oct 7, 2010
588
0
Highland
Teach it to smoke cigars

cigar-baby.jpg


(Sorry)
 

silvergirl

Nomad
Jan 25, 2006
379
0
Angus,Scotland
Avon skin so soft, and cover up as much as possible.

In my experience, babies don't seem to attract midgies as much as I do. They go for the largest CO2 output, which I guess means I talk too much :)
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
One son is, to this day, literally living death to the midgies :approve: the other's like his mother and gets eaten alive (sigh)
I made up the melissa and myrica gale baby wipes for him and that really seemed to work. The full recipe called for Mugwort (meaning midgewort) but that wasn't a herb I was all too happy with to rub on my babies.
I also made up midgie netting drop downs for beanie hats for them to keep the blighters off their faces and necks.
These days I think I'd use the home made wipes and I'd make coverups from no see 'um mesh.

If I can help with patterns, let me know ? I still have all the ones I made up for my two when they were little and I can draught ones to suit as needed.

atb,
Mary
 

Ronnie

Settler
Oct 7, 2010
588
0
Highland
I got eaten alive as a kid, we all did. We just got on with it. Now hardly react to midge bites at all - although still a nuisance when you're inhaling them and they're biting your scalp.
 

shortyman

Need to contact Admin...
Apr 18, 2010
71
0
Lancashire
We've used Avon so soft. Works for toddler and wife but not for me. Citronella oil dabbed on clothing or behind ears/ wrists might work too. Baby buff for the head. Our daughter quite liked wearing a head net (when everyone else was)
 

Shewie

Mod
Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
24
48
Yorkshire
I saw a bug net thing for little kids on the web somewhere the other day, I'll see if I can track it down again.

It was basically a coverup which went from head to foot, might not be the most practicle garment but it should help keep them off.
 

silvergirl

Nomad
Jan 25, 2006
379
0
Angus,Scotland
Well the link Ronnie put on suggests skin so soft is effective only for an hour.

Personaly I'd say it was really effective for about half that (if you are up to your knees in bog in inverpolly)
But there is nothing else I have used that I have found better. I use the green topped spray on oil (can't remember its official title) and yes it probably does make your skin softer, nips a bit if you have deep cuts on your hands though!

I have tried citronella, Jungle formula, Neat DEET etc (that one melts plastic from 10cm away) and haven't found any of them to be better for much longer.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
Have to say the melissa and bog myrtle one lasts at least as long as the toxic ones, so might be worth a shot.

Simple to make too.
Buy a Bounty kitchen roll (has to be this one or similar, so it doesn't fall apart when it's wet) and cut it in half to make two toilet roll sized rolls.
Find a tub that will fit (old ordinary baby wipes, pull out from the top is ideal) and carefully remove the cardboard central from the halved roll and put the roll into the tub.

Big handful of lemon balm (melissa officinallis) and a good handful of bog myrtle leaves (myrica gale) into a pot. Pour over a couple of mugfuls of boiling water, put on a low heat and cover the pot with a good lid. The idea is to kind of sweat down the leaves to make a strong liquor. After ten minutes turn off the heat and leave the pot to cool. Strain half of the liquid into the centre of the tub with the kitchen roll and allow the paper to absorb all the liquid. Close the lid and just use like baby wipes :) The rest of the liquid can be used for the other half of the kitchen towel. It stores well in a polybag, doesn't seem to go off, smells really good, and in all the years I've used it (over thirty, we used to soak flannels before the advent of baby wipes and bounty kitchen towels) I haven't known anyone to have a reaction to the stuff. It works gently, doesn't stain baby or clothing and it's pleasant to use.

cheers,
M
 

Bigfoot

Settler
Jul 10, 2010
669
4
Scotland
Skin so Soft seems to work for some folk but not for others, according to some informal tests we have run on day walks and at evening camps. It seems to work for me and the wife but not for a couple of friends who were getting bitten when we were unaffected. I have had dense clouds of midges around my head but none seemed to want to bite. That lasted for a few hours in front of the camp fire, after which I had to re-apply. It won't work for me if I am out walking and get a bit of a sweat up, that just seems to wash it away and leave me exposed.

SO, if you are sitting about give it a try, otherwise, I think it might not be all that effective. Of course, it's a bit oily and a bit more scented than I would like personally :) and I don't think it would work in tandem with a decent sunscreen.

I also heard some chat last year to the effect that Avon had changed the formula so it may no longer work for us at all now (we have a supply of the old stuff).
 

789987

Settler
Aug 8, 2010
554
0
here
what about a midgeproof mesh bag?!

or - if youre taking one of those folding travel cot things you could just put mesh around that

or camp somewhere with a constant crosswind....
 

bojit

Native
Aug 7, 2010
1,173
0
56
Edinburgh
I use avon and it works for me , i bought a new one last summer and it semmed to work just the same .
Why would avon change the formula as most sales of skin so soft are by people using it as a repelant .

As for the bady if skin so soft dosn't work you could try a 50- 50 mix of baby milk and 100% deet that will keep them a bay ,
Just don't get it on your skin :yikes:

Craig...............
 

silvergirl

Nomad
Jan 25, 2006
379
0
Angus,Scotland
As for the bady if skin so soft dosn't work you could try a 50- 50 mix of baby milk and 100% deet that will keep them a bay ,
Just don't get it on your skin :yikes:
Or on the baby. Wouldn't put DEET in the same room as a child!

Thanks for the recipie Toddy, I'll have to give it a shot as I am a midge magnet.
 

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