Aromatherapy hacks for parents

I suffer from migraines, get prolific hayfever and man flu is well and truly flipped on its head at our house - that’s to say, it’s mummy dying under the duvet when cold season hits, not daddy.

It’s true, I pop enough pills for all of us. Yet, funnily enough, I’m completely different with the children. If they complain of a headache, earache or they’ve picked up a cough from their friends at nursery, they have to be sporting a high temperature before I’ll resort to Calpol. Part of my thinking is just how sugary Calpol is, but more so I don’t want them to develop an immunity to paracetamol.

Instead, I’m a firm believer in homeopathy when it comes to medicating the children. Aromatherapy is a big part of this, and I’d go as far to suggest, it should be a serious weapon in any parent’s arsenal. I’ve been meaning to write about this for some time, and now, having been sent some essential oils from Buff & Butter (great name by the way) there’s no better time. Without further ado, here are some of my top aromatherapy hacks for parents:

Travel sickness

My son Dexter really suffers with travel sickness. He’s literally graced every service station toilet along the M4 corridor with the contents of his lunch box. We’ve tried everything from tablets to sickness bands, but nothing works better than popping a few drops of lemon and mandarin essential oil on a tissue and stashing it in his car seat.

Insomnia

Okay, okay regular readers will know we haven’t got a handle on this here. Heidi is a miracle of science and somehow manages to thrive on less than 5 hours sleep per night, therefore depriving mummy and daddy of their 8 hours too. In fact, the only member of our household who can lay in his pit for up to 15 hours and have to be bribed to get up, is Dexter.

That said, there are a number of ways to use essential oils to help your child get off to the land of nod. We all know lavender is good, but it’s worth adding in a few drops of ylang ylang, bergamot and a citrus-based oil, on the underside of their pillow. If you’re loath to put essential oils in such close contact with their skin (maybe your child is a pillow flipper in their sleep), you could get hold of some dried lavender, sew it into a piece of fabric, add the oils then fold the fabric around itself. Pop this on your child’s bedside table and let it work its magic for a few weeks before replacing. Burning the same concoction in a burner with a little water when going about the bedtime routine can also help.

BB2

Restlessness and naughtiness

Yep - aromatherapy can even help when your child is throwing a tantrum. I consider this the biggest ailment of all - especially given the effect it can have on your sanity. Unfortunately this requires a little more effort on your part, as you’ll want your child to associate a scent with calm and less tumultuous times. Taking relaxing baths with a calming concoction of ylang ylang, mandarin, lavender and rose geranium is a good way of reinforcing this message.

Then, when boredom sees them kicking off in Tesco, pull out a tissue with the same scent to diffuse the situation. I can’t promise this will have the same effect when they’re throwing a wobbly in Toys R Us when you refuse to buy overpriced Star Wars merchandise, but you’ll be surprised by its effectiveness when you’ve got a minor drama on your hands.

Congestion and colds

Let’s face it, aside from having to constantly wipe snot from your child’s nose and remind them to pop a hand over their mouth when they’ve a phlegmy cough, this is perfectly controllable throughout the day. However, at night, even the most minor cold can cause disruption to sleep, tears and nothing short of chaos.

A warm bath before bed with one of mummy’s potions can do wonders. Simply pop a few drops of manuka oil, eucalyptus and lavender oil into a small cup of Epsom salts, then add this blend under running water. Let your child soak in this for 10-15 minutes whilst inhaling deeply.

After bathing, you can prepare a massage lotion by mixing a few drops of tea tree, eucalyptus, lemon, sandalwood and lavender to a carrier oil. Applying this to your child’s chest and back can deliver continuous relief from stuffiness throughout the night - It also has the additional benefit of being antibacterial and will therefore kill germs and bacteria in the air and environment.

Exam revision

Burning essential oils when trying to memorise data, can also help to create new pathways of memory in the brain. I know, this might be a step too far for many, but stranger things have happened. There’s no strict instructions on this one, you just need to pick new scents with no previous association for your child, be that basil, bergamot, peppermint or rosemary, or any concoction thereof. Burn in a little water using a burner when they’re revising.

Prepare the same mix and pop on a tissue before the exam, then advise them to inhale from it when they need to recall the information. This is based on the same principle as the tantrum potion above - basically scent is a powerful associative tool.

If you wanted to try any of the above remedies, Buff and Butter have everything you need to get started, from essential oils, to carrier oils and floral waters. Their products are sourced from the best distilleries and farms worldwide, and many are certified organic to boot. I’m really impressed with the oils I’ve received, and am confident using them with my family and as part of my own beauty regime (I make my own skincare). Not only do they smell divine, their quality is evidenced by their staying power. Whether I’m burning them or adding them to carrier oil, the scent stays fresh and effective for days. The prices are also on point with many cheaper than my local apothecary.