The changing season from summer into colder days usually means more colds and sniffles for those of us with little ones. For young babies, nasal congestions and coughs can be especially difficult at night, often causing sleep regressions.
Although colds generally resolve within a few days to a week without any issues, there are things we can do to make it easier for babies and help them sleep better while they recover.
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Are essential oils effective for baby colds?
To answer this question, we need to first understand that common colds and flu are viral infections, which means there is no medicine that will “cure” them as such. We can only rely on the body’s immune system to fight the virus and overcome it in time.
Meanwhile, what we can do, however, is symptomatic treatment – finding ways to relieve the symptoms such as coughs and sinus congestion so that baby can feel a little more comfortable.
In this regard, essential oils have a long cultural history as being a natural way of coping with cold symptoms like headaches, stuffy noses, and general aches and pains.
In my Chinese culture, we have a longstanding use of various balms and ointment made from essential oils, the most well-known one being the “Tiger Balm” – a multipurpose ointment that has over 18 uses including the common cold.
Although Chinese essential oils are generally not intended for young children or babies, the Western use of aromatherapy has been adapted and perfected over the years to be suitable for children, especially when blended and concocted by certified therapists like ECO Modern Essentials.
As parents, it’s heartbreaking to see our kids unwell, especially at night when they really need a good rest. Personally, I’ve found that on nights where I did use the essential oil, my five-month-old has woken up with a clearer nose, i.e. not crusty or runny.
There is also anecdotal evidence of the effectiveness of treating sinus congestion with essential oils like eucalyptus oil and peppermint oil.
ECO Little Sniffles – A child-friendly essential oil blend for colds
The Little Sniffles is a 100% pure essential oil blend that can be safely used as a topical application for children over the age of two, and used in a diffuser for babies under 24 months old (five drops only and diffuse for maximum 30 minutes).
In the past, I’ve used eucalyptus oil to clear congestions by adding a few drops in our diffuser, but this year the amazing team at ECO Modern Essentials launched a timely collection of child-friendly essential oils and I couldn’t wait to try them out.
I was given a set of four oil blends to test out – Little Lullaby (for deep, restful sleep), Little Peaceful (to calm and soothe the mind), Little Immune Booster (self-explanatory and very much needed in this household!) and the Little Sniffles (to help fight common colds and seasonal allergies).
Seeing as my three kids (aged four years, three years, and five months) were coincidentally all having coughs and runny noses, I decided to start with Little Sniffles, which has led me to write this review of my experience.
First and foremost, the best thing about the kids’ collection by ECO is that it is designed with children in mind. Every product including the Little Sniffles combats a common child-related challenge – sleeping, illness, unable to wind down for bedtime etc.
It goes to show how much heart and soul the team has poured into the collection, and how much they understand the struggles of everyday parenthood.
Little Sniffles, very aptly named, contain natural antihistamine and anti-inflammatory ingredients like Lavender and German Chamomile to help combat all the nasties that come with seasonal changes.
It also contains Fir Needle and Rosalina, which help clear nasal and lung congestions.
All-in-one essential oil for beginners, versatile & easy to use
The unique rollerball design makes the essential oils suitable for travel and direct topical application. The rollerball can also be removed so you can use the oils in a diffuser.
Little Sniffles and the other oils that I received all come with rollerballs, so they can be applied directly onto the skin without needing to further dilute them in carrier oils, which is otherwise pretty confusing for a newbie like myself.
From my own research, I have found these rollerball blends from ECO Modern Essentials to be the most the easiest place to get started with essential oils.
They are perfectly blended and diluted for topical application, or if you’re using them for babies, you can simply pop off the cap and add a few drops into a diffuser.
The rollerballs also make for great travel-friendly accessories. The Little Lullaby and Little Peaceful are particularly useful for on-the-go naps when my kids are too excited and find it difficult to wind down.
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100% Australia owned, ethically made & certified organic essential oil
All ECO facilities are TGA compliant, Australian Certified Organic, GMP Compliant. Their entire product range is GC/MS tested, PETA approved vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free and SLS-free.
ECO Modern Essentials hold themselves to a very high standard in their field of expertise. They specialise in essential oils, it’s literally what they do, so you can rest assured knowing that their products are the best on the market, especially if you’re looking for something made in Australia.
I’ve personally never been much of an essential oil user because I’ve never been confident enough to try a brand, so this is really the first time I’m using it for my kids.
However, I feel completely comfortable knowing that I’m using one of the best natural brands in Australia, and there’s no way I can go wrong with it.
Great value essential oil for the whole family
ECO offers a range of value pack gift sets, including their kid-friendly essential oil blends. Even when purchased individually, their oils are very reasonably priced when compared to other brands.
The only other 100% Australia made, organic essential oil for children is Lively Living – Sniffles & Coughs. It comes in a 10ml bottle for $23.95, whereas ECO Little Sniffles is only $18 plus it comes with a rollerball top.
You can get it at a further discount of 35% off when you purchase it as part of their Little Strength Trio Pack, which also includes the Little Immune Booster and Little Pick Me Up.
Use code BLE10 for further 10% off your order!
ECO Little Sniffles
