Mamas have a fierce love for their babies, but sleep deprivation is no joke. #SOtired It affects our health (both physical and mental), our emotions and our patience. It can cause us to actually be dangerous (forgetting to turn off the stove or our hair straightener), and it can make us more negligent drivers. There can be no argument that sleep isn’t incredibly important. But if your little angel isn’t sleeping- you aren’t either.
And don’t they look like angels when they sleep?!
There can be any number of reasons why babies don’t sleep well, so I’m going to cover the most common reasons, and which essential oils you can SAFELY use to help. #safetyfirst
While we are on the topic of safety, I want to stress the importance of using truly pure, therapeutic grade oils that have been tested rigorously. If you'd like to read up on how to choose quality oils and not be led astray by the false oils on the market, read this blog post. #knowledgeispower While there absolutely are SOME oils you need to avoid around an infant or young child, there’s a long list of oils you can be secure in knowing are completely safe for use.
I’m going to go over dilution ratios by age, I’m going to lay out specific blends and recipes to try, and I’m here to hold your hand and help you find the ideal blend for YOUR child. #everybabyisdifferent
Because here’s the thing mamas. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Each one of my three children respond favorably to different oils, and I have no doubt that it will be a process figuring out what oils our fourth will love and which ones she won’t! One baby might love Lavender in the diffuser. One might prefer Frankincense on her blanket. One might sleep best using Tangerine. The list goes on and on. And our bodies and needs change over time; so if you find something that worked for 6 months suddenly seems less effective- it simply means you need to go back to the drawing board and figure out what their body needs now. Don’t despair!! You can figure this out.
A lot of seasoned mamas will tell you that their infant suffered from gas, colic, reflux, or other tummy-related issues. My first did and it definitely affected her sleep. My second couldn’t sleep laying flat at all for the same reason.
BUT there’s an oil blend that can help with this.
It’s called TummyGize and it’s specifically formulated for children. You can purchase TummyGize here.
It’s pre-diluted for children aged 2 years and up. If your child is 2 years old you don't need to dilute this blend at all.
Simply apply a drop or two and rub onto their belly in a clockwise motion around their belly button or onto the bottoms of their feet.
If your child is less than 2 you can still use it! It just needs a little more dilution.
6 months or less dilute 1 drop in 3 drops of carrier oil.
12 months dilute 1 drop in 2 drops of carrier oil.
18 months dilute 1 drop in 1 drop of carrier oil.
24 months and up, no dilution needed.
In many cases, topical application isn’t even necessary. Merely holding the open bottle a few inches from your baby’s nose and gently wafting it towards them can help immensely. Oils that we breathe in (and anything else for that matter) make their way into our bloodstream and are found in our brain, liver and heart within seconds. Because of this, this is an effective method of delivery.
#Teething is another common problem that can lead to lack of sleep in our little angels. Now that Orajel and other commonly used products are no longer considered safe, and since medication like infant Tylenol and infant Motrin are not supposed to be used for more than a couple consecutive days (and we KNOW it takes MONTHS to get all those teeth out!), we need a safe and effective alternative!
There are two different recipes that I really like to use for this.
The first utilizes Copaiba and Clove, heavily diluted.
Copaiba is known for it's anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties which will help reduce swelling and pain.
Clove has been hailed for centuries for it's anesthetic properties. It's extremely numbing.
You can purchase therapeutic grade oils here.
I like to use these oils one of two ways.
You can take a 1 oz dropper bottle and fill it up with a carrier oil such as fractionated coconut, almond, grape seed, or whatever else you prefer.
Then add ONE drop of each Copaiba and Clove.
You can apply this directly to your babe's gums.
OR
You can take a 10ml glass roller bottle (I like these from Amazon) and add 5 drops of Clove to it and top off with your carrier oil.
Apply this to the OUTSIDE of your little one's jawline.
Both of these can slowly be increased in strength as your baby gets older.
The second recipe also utilizes Copaiba (remember it's anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties?), in addition to Lavender, Frankincense and Orange.
Lavender has mild analgesic properties and it helps relax and calm your little one.
Frankincense has anti-inflammatory properties and acts as a mild sedative.
Orange has sedative properties which help your baby sleep peacefully.
In a 10ml glass roller bottle (these), I add 2 drops of each oil and then top off with a carrier oil.
Apply this to the outside of your baby's jawline as often as needed.
This recipe is for a 6 month old baby. You may increase the strength as your baby gets older!
Then there are the dreaded sniffles.
If your little one is down with a cold, allergies, or just a stuffy nose, it can be especially hard to get them to sleep. #sniffsniff
Luckily there's an oil blend for that which helps SO much!
It's called SniffleEase (buy it here) and it's specifically formulated for kids.
If your child is 2 years old you don't need to dilute this blend at all.
Simply apply a drop or two and rub onto their chest or the bottoms of their feet.
If your child is less than 2 you can still use it! It just needs a little more dilution.
6 months or less dilute 1 drop in 3 drops of carrier oil.
12 months dilute 1 drop in 2 drops of carrier oil.
18 months dilute 1 drop in 1 drop of carrier oil.
24 months and up, no dilution needed.
This is also a great blend for the diffuser. Add a few drops to your water and turn that baby on! I like to add a couple drops of Lavender in as well if I'm diffusing in their rooms at night to help them sleep better.
Sometimes, a baby just can't settle down. Maybe they're cranky, need comforting, or are uncomfortable. There are literally TONS of sleep blends and single oils that you can experiment with and blend yourself to find the ideal combination for your baby. I suggest diffusing these with an ultrasonic diffuser. I love the ones sold here, and they come with a bottle of peppermint and a bottle of tangerine! Tangerine is excellent for sleep, so that's a bonus! A few other options are diluting and applying to the back of baby's neck, or creating a simple linen spray and spraying your baby's linens!
My favorite single oils for sleep that are safe for babies are; Lavender, Tangerine, Frankincense, Cedarwood and Orange.
My favorite sleep blends for babies are Gentle Baby, Peace & Calming, SleepyIze, Stress Away, Valor, and Dream Catcher.
Dream Catcher, while on the pricey side- lasts forever and is particularly good for babies and children who suffer from nightmares or night terrors. This blend was an absolute lifesaver for us when our oldest started getting night terrors every night. One drop on her forehead before bed every night stopped the bad dreams in it's tracks! One bottle contains approximately 300 drops, so the bottle will last you almost an entire year with nightly use! #worthit #trustme
If you opt to create a linen spray I like this super simple recipe!
In a 4 oz fine mist spray bottle add:
2 oz of witch hazel (this one)
15 drops of the essential oils of your choice
Top with 2 oz of distilled water
Shake and spray. SUPER easy!
If you're considering getting several, and you need a diffuser as well, I strongly suggest opting for a wholesale membership. The kits are the best value and come with many of the above mentioned oils, and if you use my link you save 24% on future orders. There are no sales or monthly order requirements either! The kits themselves save you over 50% the retail value!
Questions? Ask me! Essential oils and babies are my jam!
