Essential Oils for Helping Toddlers and Babies Sleep

Getting toddlers and babies to sleep can be a difficult task for many parents. Even when a baby is tired, they often have difficulty going off to sleep. Many times, toddlers want to play and fight going to sleep. Essential oils can be beneficial for helping small children and babies relax and sleep. They can be used to help them sleep through the night so that parents and baby benefit from adequate sleep. EOs are a good option for helping babies and toddlers relax, calm down and get better sleep.

Best Essential Oils to Use to Promote Toddlers and Babies Sleep

There are many oils available these days and quite a number of them help promote relaxation and sleep. There are five, in particular, to try for your small children or babies. It is important to note that it can take some trial and error to find the perfect combination for your child. Each child may react differently to the various essential oils. Try each of them and then try making your own combinations. You’ll find which ones work best to help induce sleep for your little one. With that being said, here are the five you should start with as they are most likely to help your toddler or baby sleep.

• Cedarwood Essential Oil: This EO is as old as frankincense and dates back to Bible days. Its warm earthy aroma helps comfort and relax toddlers. When diffused it can create a calming atmosphere and trigger restful feelings.
• Roman Chamomile Essential Oil: Try this EO that dates back to medieval times when it was used because of its relaxing effect. It can help fight childhood insomnia and help correct hormonal imbalances in a toddler. Its sedative effect is also beneficial for preventing nightmares in toddlers.
• Lavender Essential Oil: Lavender is the go-to oil for relaxation and calm and it helps with babies and toddlers too. Its calming scent is clean and fresh. It’s great for nap time or nighttime sleep.
• Bergamot Essential Oil: Bergamot EO has a citrusy scent. Even though most citrus EOs are stimulating, bergamotis a bit different. Even though it is bright, it is calming too. This is one of the best to help a toddler settle into good sleep at nighttime or naptime either one. Add it to other oils to create your own blend.

Best Ways to Use Essential Oils to Promote Sleep in Toddlers and Babies

Here are a few ways to try EOs to help your toddler or baby sleep. It can take some experimenting to determine which is the most effective. You can also mix it up and try different strategies or different oil blends until you find what works best for your child. Try these three ways to use essential oils to get you started.

1. Bedtime Massages.While you are preparing your toddler or baby for bed at night, give them an EO massage. Mix 2 tablespoons of the carrier oil of your choice and one to two drops of lavender EO and Roman Chamomile essential oils. Gently apply the massage oil to the child’s back, tummy, feet, legs, and ears. The massage is relaxing by itself, and the oil’s fragrance will help set the tone for a restful, calm night.
2. Use a Diffuser.A diffuser is a great way to help everyone relax before bedtime. This way of using oils is one of the gentlest for small children. Simply place a few drops of any of the oils listed above in the diffuser. You may also find that a specific combination of the oils works well for your child.
3. Leverage Bath Time. Once you know which oils work best to relax your child, use it at bath time to help them relax. Just add a few drops of lavender or roman chamomile essential oils with some Epsom salt. Let it all dissolve and disperse throughout the water and then bathe the child.

Guide to Using Essential Oils on Toddler’s Skin

If you want to use massage therapy to induce relaxation and you plan on using EOs topically, there are a few guidelines that will help you. Firstly, make sure you are using high-quality essential oils. You may choose to purchase pre-made EO blends that have already been diluted with a carrier oil. These are safe to apply to the skin topically. Essential oils are potent and can cause irritation, especially on a toddler’s sensitive skin. No matter which EO you find works to help get your toddler or baby ready for bed, here is a dilution guide to help make sure skin irritation won’t occur. Please note that each person is different, and sensitivities vary. Use caution when you use oils on your child’s skin. Apply small amounts of diluted oils, to begin with, to ensure there is no underlying sensitivity. Following these guidelines can help protect your child’s skin.

• 3 to 24 months old use a 0.25-0.5% dilution. That’s about 2 to 4 drops of essential oil in one ounce of carrier oil.
• For children 2 to 6 years of age, a typical dilution rate is 1 to 2%. This is about 9 to 18 drops of essential oil for an ounce of carrier oil.

Which carrier oil you choose simply depends on your preference. You can choose to use fractionated coconut oil, almond oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil. Do not use essential oils on a preemie, or on babies before they are 3 months old. It’s also best to start with the lower dilution and work up. A good rule to follow is one drop of EO to one teaspoon of a carrier oil That will give you about 1% dilution. If in doubt, increase the amount of the carrier oil.