What Essential Oils Can Be Used on Babies?

Essential oils are enjoying a real boom across the globe, with many homes with children using these oils to soothe, calm, and even keep bacteria and illness at bay. Long touted for their special vibrational frequencies, essential oils have also been the subjects of many scientific studies. These have shown that lavender, for instance, is indeed effective at quelling anxiety, or that clary sage is a boon for regulating irregular periods and dealing with menstrual cramps. Many parents are relying on essential oils to help calm and appease their babies. If you are interested in following suit, it is vital to do so safely so your baby’s skin isn’t irritated.
 
How Does Aromatherapy Work?

Essential oils, used in aromatherapy, are concentrated oils that are extracted from flowers, fruits, stalks, leaves, roots, and resins. They contain a mixture of esters, terpenes, unsaturated hydrocarbons, and other ingredients that produce generally pleasant odors. Their fragrance can enhance wellbeing, while their ingredients per se have antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and other effects. When essential oils are inhaled, they are integrated into a biological signal of the receptor cells in the nose. This signal is then transported to the limbic and hypothalamus regions of the brain, causing the latter to release feel-good neuro-messengers like serotonin and endorphins.
 
What Essential Oils are Ideal for Babies?

Just a few oils popularly used with babies (oils should be therapeutic-grade) are chamomile, lavender, mandarin, lemon, and tea tree. Chamomile is a very gentle oil that is usually used to enhance quality sleep. Citrusy scents like bergamot or lemon, meanwhile, are great for energizing. Eucalyptus radiata is used to help relieve respiratory congestion, while lavender is perfect for calming and relaxation. Because babies have very sensitive skin, it is vital to dilute essential oils and to use only safe, gentle oils. The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians recommends that essential oils should not be used at all on babies under three months old. Moreover, harsh oils like thyme, oregano, citronella, cinnamon bark or leaf, bay, birch, wintergreen, cumin, lemon grass, and many more oils should not be used on babies. It is therefore vital to obtain advice from your pediatrician and naturopathic physician before experimenting with new oils and combinations.
  

How to Dilute Essential Oils for Kids and Babies

Essential oil stalwarts, Young Living recommend that for babies, you should dilute essential oils by combining eight drops of carrier oil (use a carrier oil like sweet almond oil, olive oil, or avocado oil) with one drop of essential oil. If there is no reaction, you can use seven drops of carrier oil for every one drop of essential oil. There are other ways to introduce the fragrance of essential oils without applying them to your baby’s skin. For instance, you can use an essential oil diffuser or use soy wax candles infused with essential oils.
 
Essential oils have been found in studies to help improve mood. Lavender and chamomile, in particular, are known to have a calming effect. Many parents rely on essential oils to help calm their babies down and aid with sleep. To do so safely, obtain an ok from your pediatrician and always perform a patch test before proceeding with baby-safe, therapeutic-grade essential oils.