When we were babies my mom used baby powder on all three of us. In fact when my sister was a baby and my mom taught me at 7 years old how to change her diaper applying baby powder was part of the process to prevent diaper rash. Of course back then my mom only used cloth diapers and they didn't absorb moisture like disposable diapers today do. 

When we were preparing for parenthood Josh and I were a little surprised to learn that medical professionals don't encourage the use of baby powder anymore for diaper changes. Years ago baby powder contained talc and when the small talc particles are inhailed it causes breathing problems and serious lung damage. Nowadays baby powder contains corn starch instead of talc so the particles are larger and harder to inhail, but still possible. Doctors and nurses advise against using it because diapers are more absorbant so you don't need it to absorb moisture and there's no proof that it prevents diaper rash, so it's not worth the risk of inhailation.

I have a bottle of baby powder that was in a gift basket that I received at my shower and I don't know what to do with it. So I searched for a list of other uses for baby powder and here's what I found:

• Making the dog smell good between baths. Put some baby powder on your hands and rub it into your dog's fur.
• Dry shampoo. When you don't have time to shower or decide to follow your hair stylist's advice and not wash your hair everyday, use baby powder to absorb oil. Brush it through your hair and your hair will smell good and look clean.
• At the beach. Put baby powder on your feet before leaving the beach to dry up water and make the sand easy to brush off.
• Cool bed sheets in the summer. Sprinkle a little baby powder between your sheets before climbing into bed.
• Save your grease stained clothes. Sprinkle it on grease splattered clothes to absorb oil. Rub it in and brush off excess. Continue this process until the stain is gone.
• Clean old playing cards. If cards are old and sticking together put them into a baggy with a little baby powder and shake them up.
• Repel ants. Sprinkle baby powder on window sills and under doors to keep those pesky ants away.
• Keep shoes dry and odor free.
• Untangle a chain necklace. Dust the chain with baby powder and it will lubricate the chain enough to untangle it easier.
• Absorb sweat