Essential oils are a go-to for many mothers when their babies or children are in need of a little help for such things sleeping, stress, cough, scrapes and cuts, rashes, teething pain, digestive complaints, sunburn, and many other ailments.
Dilution is especially important with infants and children. Make sure you know exactly how much the single oil or blend needs to be diluted before using them on a baby or child. Newborns are considered in age to be newborn through one month. An infant is 2 months up to 6 months in age. The dilution percentage for a newborn or infant is .5% which is 1 touch with a toothpick per 1tsp. or 1 drop per 1 ml of almond carrier oil.
The mildest essential oils are the only ones to use for a newborn. They are Lavender & Chamomile™ blend, Red Mandarin, Rose 10%, Lavender Mailette, Neroli 10%, and Frankincense & Lavender™ blend. Once your baby is 2-5 months old, you can add Eucalyptus Radiata, Tea Tree, Rose Geranium, Comfort Touch™ blend, and Thyme ct. Linalool to that list.
Seven months to 2 years old you can add Dill Blend™, Palmarosa, To Be At Peace™ blend, To Be Well™ blend, To Be Happy™ blend, To Be Loved™ blend, Ravensara, and Marjoram. The dilution percentage for a 7 month to 2-year-old is a touch with a toothpick where the end has been dipped in essential oil per 1tsp. or 1 drop per 1 ml of almond carrier oil.
At the age of 3, you can add Green Mandarin, Lemon, Niaouli, Ginger, Grapefruit, Coriander, Spearmint, Sweet Orange, Heaven Scent™ blend, Earth Scent™ blend, Patchouli and Bergamot to all of the above lists. The dilution percentage for a 3-year-old is 1% which is 1 drop per 1 tsp. or 2 drops per 10ml.
The best an easiest way to apply essential oils to infants and small children are massage, breathing the oil in through the nose using the bottle cap or a sniff stick, and using a roller bottle on the bottom of their feet. To use a roller bottle, first, prepare a roller bottle with a mild carrier oil such as almond carrier and the amount of essential oil according to the dilution needed. Fill the roller bottle halfway with almond oil, add the amount of essential oil needed per dilution, shake 50 times; add a remaining carrier oil to fill bottle only to the neck. Tightly screw on the cap and shake another 50 times. Roll the bottle from the base of the big toe down to the heel.
Giving your child a massage is a great way to promote their health and it’s easy to do. Just remember to keep a light touch and always move your hands in the direction of the heart. This means, massage from the wrist to the shoulder; the ankle to the thigh. On the body, the back, legs, feet, arms hands and abdomen will be your massage focus.
Rhonda Barker, CA.
Note: All blends referenced are from the Youngevity line.
P.S. Do you have essential oil questions? Email me your question at eoilanswers@gmail.com.
