Aromatherapy Massage to Bond with and have a Satisfied Baby
A previous post on sleep, in which I featured an image of a sleeping father and baby, has prompted a few people to ask me about essential oils for babies.
If I had to make only one statement it would be “NOT ALL ESSENTIAL OILS ARE SUITABLE FOR BABIES”.
From my own experience as a mother, I frequently used massage as a way of bonding with my son, helping him to feel a sense of satisfaction with and helping him to sleep more peacefully at night. I have no recollection of why I thought as I did. Perhaps I read it somewhere, but this was during my post aromatherapy experience and training This was post my aromatherapy experience. There were no pecialist baby aromatherapy products. I used simple Johnson’s Baby Oil. I wouldn’t use it today as its a mineral oi.
That said, with readers asking me about babies and essential oils, it prompted me to research the official line on baby massage. I was surprised to learn that
“Baby massage was introduced about 30 years ago in neonatal wards to support the development of premature babies in intensive care units.
www.nct.org.uk
I admit to a small sense of self-satisfaction, although it doesn’t take a genius to work it out. I believe many mothers do instinctively massage their babies.
Create your own Baby Massage Oil
For those who are interested in using essential oils, here is a baby friendly blend that you can try. One further word of warning. Do not use essential oils on babies less than three months old as babies have more sensitive skin than adults.
I recommend coconut oil as the preferred base/carrier oils. I always go for organic oils when it comes to a baby, Coconut oil has its own skin nourishing and moisturizing properties. My second choice would be sunflower oil for older babies and toddlers.
Ingredients:
100ml Carrier Oil Fractionated coconut oil
10 drops Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oil
2 drops Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata) essential oil
5 drops Frankincense (Boswellia carterii) essential oil
(Dilution Recommendation for Babies : 0.5% to 1%)
To Make up:
Prepare a clean 100 ml glass or plastic dark bottle. Pour and measure out and the coconut oil into the bottle. Add the required number of essential oil drops. Put suitable cap on bottle tightly. Shake the bottle and leave to stand for 4 hours.
Should you make up a blend, patch test the blend on a small section of the babies leg. Leave for 24 hours, then check for any reaction. Seek advice before using essential oil in any blend for premature babies.
