Getting your baby to sleep can be difficult…especially if your little one is already cranky and upset. However, there is a natural option that can help get your little bundle to drift off: Essential oils! While these oils are commonly used in adults to promote sleep, and are also used in many baby-care products, most parents don’t think about using them.
Most of these essential oils work the same way: Using armomatherapy, they induce a state of calm and relaxation in your baby, which will help him or her fall asleep with less fuss and less fighting. If your baby is a difficult sleeper, this might be the sleep remedy that you’ve been looking for!
Of course, it isn’t just as simply as smearing baby in oil and hoping for the best. You do have to put in a little time and research to choose the best option for your baby. Before you start using these essential oils, know the processes, techniques, and safety tips…including those found below. It isn’t as complicated as it seems!
Benefits to Using Essential Oils for Babies
There are a lot of reasons why you should use essential oils to help your baby sleep. For one, some essential oils have been shown to help babies relax, and are frequently used in baby products already. A good example would be lavender-scented baby shampoo, a staple in most homes.
Another good reason would be that using these essential oils is normally accompanied by a massage, such as when you’re rubbing it into your baby’s skin. Pediatricians everywhere endorse baby massage as a great way to not only soothe your baby, but to bond with him or her, as well. It’s an excellent practice to include in your baby’s bedtime routine, and, with the addition of these oils, your baby (and, by extension, you) will be more relaxed than ever before.
The last (and, arguably, most important) reason you should give essential oils a try with your baby is that it is not only safe, but it is healthy, as well. Essential oils, when used properly, are no danger to your baby, and will help them sleep better without using any type of artificial medication or other, less trustworthy, techniques. Obviously, however, if you are using essential oils on your little one, you should be fairly well versed on what to do, how to use them, and the like.
Related Post: How to Clean Baby’s Toys Using Essential Oils
How to Choose the Right Essential Oils To Help Baby Sleep
Before you even begin using essential oils on baby, you have to find the right ones. You should start by looking at the quality of the oil you want to purchase. Make sure that it is pure, therapeutic-grade oil for the best results.
Next, you’ll need to know how much to apply. Essential oils are very potent, and can cause discomfort or even actual damage if you use too much. For use on a baby, you’ll want to be very conservative: Just one to two drops is plenty. To get an even layer on your baby’s skin, you’ll need a carrier oil, which is a harmless oil that you mix the essential oil into. Good choices for this would be olive oil, coconut oil, or grapeseed oil.
Lastly, you’ll need to choose the right type of essential oil…or even the right blend of oils! Which one you use is largely dependent on what you want it to accomplish, and what your baby will like. The most common type of essential oil used for bedtime is lavender oil. That’s because lavender has been shown to put babies (and even adults!) into a state of relaxation. There’s a reason it’s a common scent for baby soap! However, if your baby doesn’t like that, you can try Roman Chamomile, which has a floral scent and is also calming.
How to Use Essential Oils
There are many ways that you can use essential oils to help baby sleep. The most obvious is, of course, massage. Simply mix your essential oil (Remember: Only one or two drops!) with your carrier oil, and massage onto baby using baby massage techniques.
Want something a little more hands-off, or want something that can be used throughout the night without waking baby? Try using a diffuser! Most of the essential oils that help baby sleep do so using aromatherapy, so it will work just as well using a diffuser in baby’s room.
Likewise, if you want your baby to reap the benefits of essential oil without massage (which is especially important if you have a fussy baby that doesn’t like to be touched), you can also try including the oils in baby’s next bath. Remember: Baby has sensitive skin. Less is more!
Now, while using essential oils is relatively harmless if you know what you’re doing (no more harmful than using baby oil, shampoo, or lotion, at any rate), you should make sure that you know what you’re doing when using these oils. Always dilute oil you’ll be putting on baby’s skin and, it can’t be repeated enough, only use one to two drops!
Conclusion
As we’ve hopefully shown, using essential oils is a great way to help your baby (and, by extension, you) get some sleep in a natural, peaceful way. This is, by far, one of the best ways to lull your little one to dreamland, all without unnatural chemicals or ingredients that you wouldn’t want on your baby’s skin.
Using essential oils, once you’ve read up on how to properly administer them, are a safe and healthy remedy to your child’s sleepless nights. Adding in a massage while using them is certainly a good way to bond with baby, which is another perk in and of itself. And, as long as you are using these essential oils sparingly, you’ll find that it’s just as safe as using any other baby product on the market…and, at times, might be even safer.
For those of you with a baby that is having difficulty sleeping, essential oils are certainly a great option to consider.
This is a Guest Post of Lea Harrison:
Hello! My name is Lea Harrison, a Certified Clinical Aromatherapist. My goal and the purpose of www.essentialoildiffuserusa.com is to help educate you on the proper use of various essential oils safe.
