Young Living’s essential oils are totally safe to use on your babies and kids! Here are a couple things to know when using oils with babies and young kids.
>> DILUTION
Dilution will be your new friend with children and oils. Keep a selection of carrier oils such as coconut, jojoba, grapeseed, sweet almond always on hand, creating your own jars or rollers of carrier with EOs.
——- The recommended dilutation ratio for babies is
1 drop of essential oil to 40 drops of a carrier oil
For children age 2-5: the ratio is 1:30.
As you use oils and learn how your child responds you can adjust as you are comfortable.
—Babies (2 and under) require extra precautions as their skin is delicate and absorbs oils more quickly. But not to fear because, with a bit of extra care, oils can be amazingly beneficial to babies and their health.
>> DIFFUSING
— For newborns, even the smell of oils can lead to, in rare cases, respiratory distress. Be careful of wearing the stronger oils such as eucalyptus, wintergreen, peppermint, juniper, basil and hyssop.
— Always, ALWAYS keep oils out of reach of the hands of children!! Not all oils are safe to ingest, none are safe to put in eyes or ears and some may cause skin irritation. This again is where dilution is key.
For all children diffusing is safe and a wonderful way to benefit children. Start with diffusing during the day 2-4 drops for 20 minutes, test their response before longer periods of diffusing such as a night. For small rooms to minimize the concentration of oils you may choose to crack the door.
There are so many different blends that YL offers – Peace and Calming and Gentle Baby for starters, or create your own blends!
+ Lavender + Frankincense
+ Lavender + Cedarwood + Orange
+ Orange + Thieves
+ Roman Chamomile + Orange
>> SLEEPING:
From the starter kit, Lavender, Stress away, Frankincense, and Copaiba are a few oils that promote rest.
Young Living has a vast selection of other oils that we enjoy… Cedarwood, Peace and Calming, Gentle Baby, Valor, Roman Chamomile, and easy to use roll-ons Tranquil and Rutavala.
Diffusing oils 20-30 before bedtime creates a restful environment. Try a drop or 2 of Lavender, Cedarwood or Copaiba after testing for sensitivities. You can use together or separately!
Use the YL linen spray pillow or sheets, on favorite blankie or stuffed animal, before bedtime or Create your own spray. Combine into a 4 oz glass spray bottle 3 oz distilled water, 1 oz witch hazel, and 3 drops of essential oil.
Apply oils topically to bottoms of the feet or along the spine about 30 minutes before bed. Create your own sleepy cream with whipped coconut oil and Lavender and Cedarwood, or Peace and Calming or Gentle Baby.
Help your big kids get into the routine. They may choose to rub each other’s feet or back and even yours! Let them choose their diffuser oils. Kids get it, learn quickly what they like best, what works for them!
>> TEETHING:
For younger children you can use a milder Vitally oil, such as Frankincense or Copaiba diluted and rubbed along the gums or on the outside jaw line. Diluted lavender may also be soothing.
For older children (even older kids with braces), diluted Vitality Cloves or Thieves may be helpful.
Recipe:
-4 drops oil of choice
-2 teaspoons coconut oil or any other carrier edible oil
Dip your finger or a Q-Tip into the blend and apply where needed!
>> SENSITIVE EARS:
Earaches – oh my so ouchy! And often come with congestion. Not fun for anyone!!
Purification, Lemon and Lavender are great support oils.
Apply one drop of Lavender and one drop of Purification (or lemon works too) to a cotton ball and lay over the ear canal (DO NOT put oils directly into the ear). Then apply diluted Lavender, Purification, and Lemon on the outside of the ear and down the neck. Start behind the ear and rub downward. You can continue to make downward strokes from the ear down to help the ear feel and drain better.
This works wonders for all ages!
>> CLEANING
Cleaning toys and bottles and pacifiers? Do you want your baby putting toys in her mouth that has been cleaned with bleach and other chemicals? Use Thieves dish soap, swish and rinse well.
Launder clothes, bedding and diapers in Thieves Laundry soap. No harsh chemicals that sits on your baby’s skin all day.
Ditch the nasty chemical-ridden fabric softener. Drop a couple drops of Purification, Gentle Baby or Lavender on wool dryer balls and toss in the dryer with the clothes. So fresh! And no chemicals! All the praise hands, amiright?
This household cleaner is formulated with the power of Young Living’s Thieves essential oil blend and only with plant based ingredients. You heard right, no harsh chemicals. This is a concentration, so a little goes a long way! You can dilute the cleaner with water and there you go! You’re ready to #cleanallthethings.
>> FAVORITE RESOURCES:
Pregnancy + babies facebook group: https://goo.gl/Umgx9T
Gentle Babies reference book: https://amzn.to/2ILv9qf
Thank you to Lydia Horner for this amazing information!