Heather C Heather C is a married, mom of three: big sis Lily and identical twins Natalie and Sophia. She has been guest blogging for Mumbling Mommy since February of 2012 and began working as a Social Media Editor in 2014. After nearly a decade in banking, she now works part time at a doctor's office specializing in breastfeeding medicine and spends the rest of her days in her Midwest home as zookeeper/stay-at-home-mom. Heather C is also a runner, hiker, yogi, bike rider and more. She reads when she finds more than a few minutes to herself and she hosts a lot of pajama dance parties in her kitchen. In her spare time, she's the co-leader for her daughter's Girl Scout troop and an active member of the school's Parent-Teacher Committee as well as a certified postpartum doula.

The idea of essential oils on a consumer level has been around for decades, but with more and more families trying to find safe and healthy medicinal alternatives for their children, it has become much more mainstream. If you do not yet know about essential oils or have heard about them but not yet tried them, this is the post for you!

Intro to Essential Oils

What are essential oils? By definition, they are natural oils extracted from plants. They are used medicinally, therapeutically, diffused into the air and even for cleaning and disinfecting. Their uses are forever developing as researchers test them for more and more alternative methods. To create one drop of oil, distilleries typically need a dozen or more of that particular plant.

How do you apply essential oils on your children? Be sure to dilute the oil in a carrier oil first. The most commonly used carrier oil is coconut oil and it can be found easily at your local health food store or even ordered on Amazon. I find applying oils to the bottom of kids’ feet is the easiest as you can cover the area with pajamas or socks and it won’t get fussed with. The foot has the most pores and delivers the oil into the body system in less than 30 seconds. It is important that essential oils do not get put in the eyes, ears, nose or mouth!

 

What benefits do essential oils have for your family? Since essential oils are found directly in nature and bottled without any added ingredients, they can typically provide relief for just about any need in a non-chemical, natural way. They assist with blood pressure, insomnia, energy levels, viruses and more. Dosages are extremely low with little to no side effects. They keep healing in the home rather than exposing children to sometimes unnecessary and overused antibiotics. They have a natural calming effect. They do not have to be used exclusively, though. They can easily be paired with needed medications for faster, safer, more comfortable relief.

 

Where do you get essential oils? There are a variety of companies that sell essential oils. None are better than others as long as they are extracted and processed the same way. You want to look for certified organic products that use a pure steam distillery. Avoid any oils that are pre-diluted or have any other ingredients added. My personal favorite for purchases is Mountain Rose Herbs. Essential oils do NOT have to be purchased through a membership/sales program although that is an option with some companies. I typically recommend buying smaller bottles of a variety of oils, testing them in your own home and buying larger bottles the second time around of your favorites.

 

Most common oils you need in your home for both everyday uses and seasonal sicknesses:
  • Melaleuca/Tea Tree Oil: Good for colds, cuts and scrapes, ear aches, headaches and sleeping.
  • Lavender: Good for colds, colic, constipation, coughing, crying, diaper rash (especially when using cloth diapers), fever, cuts and scrapes, ear aches, minor burns, sunburn, and sleeping.
  • Lemon: Good for colds, flu, cleaning, energy and mood lifting.
  • Peppermint: Good for stomach aches and fever.
Overall, we love using oils in our home. They pair well with our natural living lifestyle and bring a lot of peace and harmony in our home. I love telling people about oils because they aren’t just a trend or hippie thing or another sales opportunity; they truly are a partner in our health.

 

Category: Health

Tags: cleaning