My Favorite Essential Oils to Use with Babies and Kids

Confession… my “babies” are now ages 10, 8, and 5, but it was just yesterday I feel like they were tiny ones.

Essential oils are the greatest of “mom hacks,” seriously.

When I got started with oils I referred to my oil kit as my “mommy tool box.” I used them often for natural remedies, to help my babies sleep, for all kind of DIYs, and to keep everyone happy (essential oils are GREAT for shifting moods).

I used oils as my go-to for my own health as well. Especially when I was pregnant with my third baby, as I was trying to avoid many of the OTCs and live more naturally. Through my experience of having a a child in preschool, a toddler, and a newborn baby oils were a life saver.

Here are a few of my favorites and recommendations for your own MOMMY TOOLBOX.

Lavender

A gorgeous, delicate calming oil that’s gentle for babies and has some surprising benefits beyond calming everyone down. Lavender is great for the skin. Rashes, skin irritations, bug bites, gee stings, you name it, lavender is the essential oil we reach for to soothe the skin. Lavender is known as the “swiss army knife” oil and for a good reason. When in doubt, use lavender. I use it in our homemade “Owie Spray” or our “Boo Boo blend” which helps to calm and soothe the skin. It also helps to calm and soothe big emotions.

Digest Zen (or the new Tamer Kid’s Blend)

This oil is a MUST for when babies get gas of bloated tummies (mommies, don’t be shy, you can use it, too!). The “mom, my tummy hurts” cry or toddler upset has had so much help from these two blends. Digest Zen and Tamer contain a blend of oils to help bring the digestive track back into balance. For any digestive upsets (and they WILL happen, not if, when) you will have a very effective, natural solution. Keep this one in your diaper bag.

OnGuard

The protective blend goes without staying as it helps to support the immune system, cleanses the air when diffused, and supports the respiratory system. I diffused this oil in the hospital room when I had my youngest son. When you have so many visitors coming in and out to meet baby, this is a must right along side of the hand washing of guests. OnGuard is a staple. I also love the new oil blend, Stronger, from the Kid’s Collection. It supports the immune system with oils like Rose, Litsea, and Frankincense and is very gentle. You’ll love hanging these blends on hand for baby and YOU. With all those sleepless nights and long, busy days it can really wear your immune system down. Take full advantage of the support of OnGuard (and Stronger!) brings.

Serenity

Ahhh, the calming blend that kicks up the sleepy, calm vibes during our bedtime routines. It brings a calmness with lavender, but also contains all the other heavy hitting sleep oils: vetiver, cedarwood, roman chamomile, lavender, vanilla.

I love to make a light misting spray with Serenity to spray on baby blankets, sheets, and stuffed animals. It smells heavenly. It’s great to help mom and dad sleep, too (not like that’s too hard with a new baby). Try making a “Sleepy Baby” blend with just 5 drops Serenity oil in a 5ml roller, or 10 in a 10ml roller and top with fractionated coconut oil. Roll on the bottoms of those cute baby feet.

Breathe

The respiratory blend is an oil we use almost every single day. It helps to open airways and allows for clearer breathing. I love to add a few drops in the diffuser at night with Serenity to help calm my littles one and help them breathe easier while they sleep. We make our own chest rub with a couple drops of Breathe oil in a small jar of coconut oil. Breathe has helped many families get through stuffy noses and coughs. If you’ve got a baby under three months who’s congested, turn on a hot shower and let the steam fill the bathroom. Drip a few drops of Breathe along the side of the shower so the aroma fills the warm steam. Sit baby upright and bounce, lighting patting the back to help break apart the mucous. If you’re nursing, this is good to do right before nursing so baby gets fluids directly afterwards. “Steam breathing” as my pediatrician liked to call it was very helpful in supporting our little ones.

Frankincense

Frankincense oil will be my last must-have mention, although there’s so many more I wish to add in more detail (wild orange, peppermint, tea tree, and Air-X came so very close to making this initial list!). Frankincense is very supportive to the immune system as well and the scientific research on this oil is super impressive. Anytime I have the opportunity to put this oil on my children I do! It supports healthy cells in the body, is calming, and an oil that is great for the skin. Frankincense is also part of my “Owie Spray” and “Boo Boo blend” roller, which again I’m happy to add as it benefits them so much.

Safety Tips for using Essential oils with Babies and Children

First and foremost, you must invest in high quality, pure essential oils that are tested beyond industry standards.

Close to 90% of essential oils on the market are adulterated oils.

What is adulteration mean? “Adulteration is the action of lowering the quality of a substance by adding another substance to it” (doTERRA). That means the essential oil could contain pesticides, synthetic fillers, have other components added during the production process. This would make the original oil no longer a pure oil (despite what the outward label claims, there’s no governing body over the marketing claims that a company can make, so you must do your research before you purchase). With an adulterated oil, the quality is now lower and can be sold for less and profited for more, which is why it is so common. You’re left with an essential oil that is not just of lower grade, but the essential oil can now potentially be harmful. It may not only now have the efficacy of a pure oil would (meaning, it simply wouldn’t work as nature intended), but could produce harmful and adverse effects. This is ESPECIALLY important if we are going to be using essential oils on or around our babies. They are delicate beings that need our greatest protection. The environment which our babes are exposed to is important to take extra care.

This is a big reason why our family chose doTERRA. Their sourcing, quality, potency, and testing are the highest in the essential oil industry. The company is one of the most respected in the scientific and medical fields. They have transparency of their essential oils (many oils you can pull the GCMS reports from the lot number from the bottom of the bottle!) and they have always been a company of the highest integrity. When you are purchasing doTERRA oils, you have the assurance that every bottle has been put through rigorous testing. See my previous blog post on this topic called, “What’s in your Essential Oils?” to dive deeper on this topic.

Second, you want to make sure as a general rule of thumb you use a carrier oil (like coconut oil) when you apply oils topically on little ones. A little goes a long way, so you only new a few drops per tablespoon of carrier oil. Children and especially babies, have more sensitive skin. This protects their skin as well as hold the oils onto the skin for better absorption. If you’re wondering HOW MUCH, if you’re using a roller bottle, let the bottom of your baby or child’s foot measure for you. A roller bottle swipe up and down on the foot is a great start.

Thirdly, avoid getting essential oils in the eyes and ears. This goes for adults, too! Essential oils are very potent, so you need to be careful when using oils with your child. Store essential oils where little hands can’t reach to avoid any accidents as you would any items in your home you need to be cautious with. If a baby is putting feet in his/her mouth, cover those tiny toes with socks to prevent getting the essential oils directly in the mouth.

I hope this gives you a great starting point of some essential oils to put to work for you. As a mom, I know the work we do is hard, tiring, but so worth it. It’s wonderful to have these natural tools within reach to support the health of our loved ones. If this is an area you’re new to and are looking to invest in essential oils, take a peek at my Essential Oils page, where I share some of my favorite starter kits to begin this incredible lifestyle. As always, connect with me if you have questions or would like me to set up a custom kit for you!

Stay well mamas!

Xo