Welcome to our Family + Essential Oils series. We plan to cover every age and stage: Oils for Toddlers, Moms, Dads, Grandparents and Family Vacation. Someone we left out? Let us know in the comments and we’ll add them to our plan!
This is actually our second week, so if you missed our Postpartum post, take the time to catch up (we’ll wait:). Oh, and while you’re at it, check out the Top 10 Oils for Pregnancy – it happens to be one of our all-time top 10 posts.
Ok, now that we’ve talked mamas-to-be and new mamas, we’re ready to share some general guidelines and tips for using oils with your baby.
Essential Tips for Your Oily Baby
Ready for baby's first oil? Try out these oily newborn tips.
Ingestion Tips
Gotcha! No tips here. Young Living suggests waiting until after babyhood to try any of our vitality line with your child. We agree! The oils are powerful and highly concentrated for such little bodies.
Topical Tips
Young Living’s official recommendation for littles 0-1 is a 1:8 oil to carrier ratio. We say that’s a good starting point, but remember that every baby is different. Test dilution with your little one.
And if you are going to try a new oil on your child it’s a good idea to use just a drop or two on a small patch first, like the forearm. After a successful patch test (a few minutes with no reaction), you can apply as needed!
Pro Tip: Apply the essential oils first, followed by your favorite dilution oil.
Aromatic Tips
Again, think “start gently” when it comes to aromatically sharing oils with your baby. You can create a bond with baby by simply wearing an oil while skin to skin. And, just like the topical patch test, you will want to diffuse an oil for a short time at first to ensure your child has no sensitivity.
First Oily Days
In their Oils for the Nursery post, Young Living lists a few oils to use with caution with your baby.
- Idaho Tansy
- Clary Sage
- Hyssop
- Wintergreen
- Eucalyptus
- Peppermint
While watching for these oils is a good idea, it’s an even better idea to try out some of our favorites to support your little one’s health.
- Ear Support: Melrose & Roman Chamomile, apply 1-2 drops behind and around ears
- Diapering Support:
- Lavender & Frankincense, apply 1-2 drops on diaper area after a change with some coconut oil
- Try our DIY Baby Powder
- Respiratory Support: Lavender or Peace & Calming, apply to chest, bottom of feet and diffuse intermittently during nap. Also, try diffusing Lavender & SniffleEase during the night or nap.
- Sleep support: Lavender & Cedarwood,1-2 drops on chest and bottom of feet.
- Mood Support: Frankincense & Joy, 1-2 drops over the heart
- Digestive Support: DiGize/TummyGize, apply over the chest and belly 15 - 20 minutes before feedings. You can also apply after feeding, if needed.
- Gut Health: Fennel, apply 1-2 drops over the colon area, rub clockwise
And that’s it, baby! Again, let us know if there are any ages or family members you’d like to see included in our series and we’ll get a writer on it!
