doTERRA Essential Oils for
Newborns and Babies
Post updated on April 26, 2019 to reflect the latest information for Essential oils for babies
I absolutely adore babies – which is probably good since I had 5 of my own. I was actually very pregnant with my 5th when I discovered doTERRA essential oils and I enjoyed using them while pregnant and also through all her stages so far. Children are such precious blessings. Essential oils can be a huge help to you as a mother ~ you’ll be ready for anything! Here are the safest and most useful essential oils for newborns and babies …
It’s important to use nothing but the most pure and safe, therapeutic-grade essential oils because store-bought oils can have solvents, pesticides, synthetics and other chemicals. You cannot tell by looking at the label. Remember everything we put onto our skin also goes into our body. No oils are most thoroughly tested to be pure and safe than doTERRA. That is why we trust them for our family, because we know they are free of pesticides, fillers and contaminants.
Essential oils for newborns and babies should be used minimally and only as-needed for the first 3 months.
Always dilute Essential oils for Newborns and Babies
We ALWAYS dilute for little ones to avoid irritation or sensitization, to aid in absorption and also to expose the babies to a lower amount of the oils. While our pure oils are very safe, the liver can only process so much at a time, so there’s no reason to overdo or waste money by using them undiluted.
For newborns/infants/babies dilute 1 drop of essential oil per 1 tablespoon of carrier oil
What are the most gentle oils for babies?
- Roman Chamomile
- Lavender
- Serenity blend
- Melaleuca (Tea Tree oil)
- Frankincense
- Lemon
- Wild Orange
- Balance Blend
Single oils to save until they are older : Cassia, Cinnamon, Oregano, Peppermint. These oils can all be irritating to the skin and/or irritating for new and tiny respiratory systems. These oils are less of an issue as part of a blend but typically can be substituted with a more gentle oil from the list above. Always use your own discretion, experience and resources in making these choices for your child.
Safety Tips
- Babies and children should never take oils internally. Save internal use until they are at least 6-10 years old.
- Keep oils out of the reach of children at all times.
If your baby accidentally ingests oils, call poison control. We’ve had many little ones get into their mama’s oils accidentally and they’ve all been fine. It’s extremely rare for a child to drink enough to be truly harmful and I’ve never heard of it happening in my 5 years in doTERRA (doTERRA has over 3.5 million members in the US) - Never put oils in or around baby’s nose. Use only gentle oils, well diluted, on the face when needed (see teething tips below)
Common Baby Issues and Solutions:
1. Oils for Calming:
Dilute Lavender, roman chamomile or Serenity blend and apply the the feet and on your chest if you are holding them to promote relaxation. You can wipe extra on their blanket/clothes (we’ve found that our pure, quality oils and their Fractionated Coconut oil do not stain! yay!). Diffusing with a diffuser is also very helpful as well as daily infant massage.
You can read more about making essential oils part of baby’s routine to help them sleep HERE.
2. Essential oils for digestive support :
Dilute 1 drop each of Lavender and Wild Orange in 2 Tablespoons of carrier oil and rub baby’s tummy in a clockwise direction for at least 30 seconds for digestive support. Apply every 15-30 mins until their tummy is settled.
3. Booboo Love:
Frankincense promotes a healthy inflammatory response so its a great choice. Its my go-to oil when a child comes to me. Learning to roll, crawl and walk can be precarious sometimes!
4. Essential oils for baby Skin:
Dilute 1 drop of each of Lavender and Melaleuca in unrefined or fractionated coconut oil or Lanolin (I love lanolin for skin irritation and dry skin!) to soothe the skin. Apply each time you change their diaper. I like to use a glass spray bottle for this. Use damp, soft paper towels to wipe or rinse your wipes well before using to avoid any further irritating the skin with chemicals.
5. Essential oils for Teething:
Use diluted Lavender, Roman Chamomile, or Serenity blend along the jawline as often as every 15-30 minutes to soothe*. For older babies Ive used diluted Clove (only doTERRA), 1 drop in 1 oz of Vegetable glycerin
6. Essentail oils for Ears:
Dilute Lavender and Melaleuca and apply around the ear (never put oils IN the ear) frequently, massaging down towards the lymph nodes to encourage healthy drainage*. You can also use the diluted oils on a cotton ball placed in the ear – use a bandaid to help keep it in place. Please always supervise your baby when using a cotton ball and/or bandaid to make sure they do not get either into their mouths.
7. Essential oils for Respiratory support:
Dilute Melaleuca and Lemon and apply the chest, back and feet several times an hour. A combo of Frankincense and Lavender can be very helpful when the chest is tight and loud.
Here’s one of my favorite gentle respiratory support blends to diffuse for my little ones: 
Frequently asked questions about oils and Babies:
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Is Eucalyptus oil safe for children?
There’s a lot of outdated and irrelevant information circulating online and it can be scary for new moms. The good news is that properly diluted, and used appropriately, doTERRA’s Eucalyptus is very safe! (There are many different species of Eucalyptus so all info applies only to doTERRA’s) HERE is a great article from doTERRA, written by a holistic practitioner and pediatrician. Please note, from the article, “The reports of serious adverse events associated with Eucalyptus oil in scientific literature have always involved excessively large (> 5mL/80 drops) amounts taken internally or placed directly into the nose. Of course, these excessive amounts are well beyond the normal usage range.”
There’s always those extreme situations but let’s not “throw the baby out with the bathwater”, right? With normal use Eucalyptus is very safe. I still recommend the most gentle oils (see above) for tiny babies but as they get older Eucalyptus is an extremely useful oil to have in your mama arsenal.
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Is Peppermint oil safe for children?
See link in #1. Personally my body is more sensitive to Peppermint than others so I chose to wait until my daughter was over 2 to use it as a single oil. And honestly we just never needed it. There are so many other great oils that are less strong in aroma but still very powerful for the immune and digestive systems. Peppermint is much more gentle as part of a blend (Breathe, Digestzen) and properly diluted so that is a great option if you’d like to use those for your little one. I recommend using Peppermint or blends containing Peppermint on the bottom of the feet for little ones and avoiding use near the face to avoid irritation.
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Are essential oils safe to diffuse around babies?
Use the same guidelines for diffusion as I’ve listed for topical applications. I recommend diffusing gentle oils like lavender, lemon and frankincense for tiny babies. They are just gentler for the respiratory system.
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Can I put a diffuser in my baby’s room?
Yes. Again, choose gentle oils. Make sure the room is wel-ventilated so the oils are not too potent in the room. If you walk in and it seems very strong to you then its probably more than you need for your little one.
Healthy Homemade Baby Wipes
What You Need:
1 roll premium paper towels*
2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons Fractionated Coconut Oil
3 drops Lavender essential oil
3 drops Melaleuca essential oil
An airtight storage container/empty wipe container/wet bag
* Use cloth for reusable wipes.
Directions:
Cut paper towel roll in half with a serrated or electric knife. Use half the roll now, and half later. Combine water, Fractionated Coconut Oil, and essential oils in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the paper towels and then cover with the airtight lid letting the mixture absorb for 10 minutes. Turn the container over and let sit for another 10 minutes. Remove and discard the cardboard middle. Just pull the wipes from the center when you are ready to use. Store in container of your choice. Tip: For on-the-go wipes, insert 15-20 wipes into travel size wipe container.
I can’t imagine taking care of our crew without our essential oils anymore. We love them! Choose a gentle oil for your little one and they will love it.
Want to get doTERRA essential oils into your home? I’d love to give you the support and education you need to use your oils safely and effectively! Get started HERE or email me if you have questions, concerns or need help getting set up.
I am a mom, not a doctor. This blog post is my opinion and no part of it is intended as medical advice. We advise that you always work with your child’s doctor to care for them. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease
I love this. I’m a Licensed Massage Therapist but also a doTERRA Wellness Associate. I work on expectant mothers and this is excellent information I can share with them.
Thank you for this awesome article.
Dawn
Thank you for the wonderful information! Is there a limit to how often you can apply to babies?
No limit, you can apply as often as every 10-15 mins if needed. Just watch for skin irritation, I like to rotate where Im applying them, for all ages.
This information is wonderful! I have a 6 month old and I have been trying to figure out which essential oils to start with and this is perfect! Thank you!
Im so glad its helpful!
Just apply as needed. Always dilute well. The body processes oils quickly so properly diluted it shouldn’t be an issue to use them as much as you need to.
The other day I put breathe on a rag and put water on the rag. I rubbed my 8 month old back with the rag just a little bit. Now she has a rash… Will she be ok?
Natasha. He will be fine. That happened because water does not dilute essential oils, it disperses it. Breathe blend is very strong so it can irritate baby and children’s skin. So you basically rubbed it in undiluted. Next time use some coconut oil to dilute and use only on the bottom of his feet. Use gentler oils on the chest and back like Frankincense, lemon and Melaleuca. We all make those mistakes mama, no worries!
How early did you start using EOs on your kiddos? I’m expecting to have a newborn within a couple of days and would like to use the oils on him.
I started at birth with my little one, we blessed her with Frankincense. But with infants really just use very sparingly, always diluted and only as needed. They really became more of our everyday routine around a year.
Can we diffuse Frankincense too?
absolutely
How & where did you apply the frankincense? Been trying to find this info for 2 wks
For general calming, dilute and apply to bottom of baby’s feet. You can also rub it on the chest and back for respiratory support.
we started at birth, with a blessing using Frankincense.
Has anyone diffused on guard around a newborn and if so how much in the petal diffuser
It is ok if there is good air circulation and its not right by them. I’d do 3 drops On Guard and 3 drops Wild Orange so its gentler
Is it ok to diffuse oils for babies 6 months and older? Like On guard and Breathe?
yes. Make sure the room is well-ventilated. I prefer gentler oils if Im diffusing near babies.
for newborns I believe it is. Frankincense, Lemon and Melaleuca are all great for promoting health respiratory systems.
Digezten is great for occasional stomach upset, its very powerful even diluted. If your baby is very tiny I prefer lavender and orange which are gentler oils. But many use Digestzen with great success. Just make sure to dilute well for the tummy, just a few drops per tablespoon.
Digestion is great to soothe occasional stomach upset. Just dilute well, 1 drop in 1 TB and apply as often as every 10-15 mins
I have a newborn. She is 6 days old. My husband and I have never used essential oils, and want to diffuse them in the air and eventually apply them topically. For diffusing, other than making sure the room is well ventilated, do you have any other advice? We plan to defuse the oils in our bedroom, which is not very big, and the baby will be in the room with us. I checked out the gentle oil list above and have decided to get Lavender. Thanks!
I’d definitely be very conservative with such a brand new baby (congrats by the way!). If you do diffuse, do so away from her and only diffuse gentle oils. In your room, I’d hold off until she’s under unless she needs them for something. In a few months it will be great to diffuse some oils that promote sleep like cedarwood, serenity, etc.
Hi, I have a 6 month old and just purchased serenity to hopefully help him sleep again! I have the diffuser. How much do I use and do I dilute it if I’m diffusing? Thank you!
How to use Vetiver on baby too? apply on her feet? My baby is a light sleeper. She wakes up easily and didnt sleep through the night. Wakes up every 3 hours. Zzzz.
dilute 1-3 drops in a carrier oil and rub on her feet before bed. I hope it helps!
Hi, i have a 7yr and a 3 yr can i apply on gard 2 times a day on chest, back and feet? Or is it too much? Inhave been doing it since december, do inhave to stop or keep doing it? Im relly happy because they are super healthy, i dont want to stop.
And is it ok tonise serenity on them without dilute? Are they too young to use it direct ?
Thanks
Elena acuña
personally i would not continually use On Guard on the chest and back as those are sensitive areas and this can cause sensitivity. It is fine to use the oils daily on their feet. and yes I dilute serenity for my kids unless its on the feet. diluting helps more of the oil absorb and protects the skin.
Thanks for sharing common baby issues and solutions. Know about awesome ways to use extra virgin organic coconut oil for these issues at – smoilie.com
I think my 4 month old son ( will be 5 months on 3/30) is starting to teeth. He has been crying not sleeping well and puts his little finger in bottom gums a lot. Which essential oil is best to use to put directly on gums
Please do not ever put oils directly on your baby’s gums. They are too powerful. I diluted 1 drop of Clove in 1oz of vegetable glycerin and used that for my little one. Always try it on yourself first.
Where do you apply this?
it depends what you are using it for but typically the bottom of the feet, or well diluted on the chest and back (gentle oils only)
Great post!! Very helpful!!
Is it safe to diffuse around a 2 week old baby? Thanks!
my granddaughter (two weeks old) is not wanting breastmilk, but rather the bottle. Mom is getting a decent amount of breastmilk and we give it to her in a bottle. any oil to relax them both and go more toward the breasts?
Hi there!
I have a two month baby girl and am thinking of using doterra oils diluted in a shea butter to use on my tummy. Hoping to minimize the many stretchmarks. I understand that my body will absorb and as I am nursing will get into breastmilk. Is it safe for baby?
I rubbed breathe on a wet rag on my 8 month olds back. Now she has a rash, will she be ok.
Can I use Serenity on the bottoms of a three year old’s feet?
Hi, I have a 5 month old baby and used the breathe diluted with coconut oil. I’ve rubbed on the feet and worked so quick. After I’ve read that the breathe blend is not safe for babies. Any suggestions? Will there be any side effects after one time use? Thank you!
Would it be okay to use diluted On Guard on a 6 month old?
yes. dilute well and use on the bottom of the feet. Melaleuca + Lemon is also great for immune support and gentler for babies.
I have a 6 week old who starts fussing after a few minutes of trying to feed. I have to pump and provide it via bottle. He takes the bottle easier. Is here any oil to relax us both so he could possibly feed easier?
Nat, I would probably choose Serenity. Its so calming. Try applying some to your own shirt, just a tiny bit, before feeding.
Can babies have ZenGest rubbed on their stomach with a carrier oil?
Yes. Just dilute very well if they are tiny. Lavender and orange are a more gentle option but should still be diluted.
Hi. Doterra already has the pre-made rollers. Is that okay to use on infants or is it better to make your own roller?
Can you use diffuse Purify in a room with my seven month old? Most of the oils used in the blend you consider gentle, but there were some I was unsure of.
Would you use the same oils for a cold virus as for respiratory support? Our month-old baby is coming down with the cold that the rest of the family had. Chest isn’t tight/loud but she has sniffles and beginnings of a cough.
My son is just under 4 months old. I put some of the oil on my finger and let him breathe it in for about a minute or so and then rubbed some on the side of the pack n play and he fell asleep shortly after. I didn’t not put any directly on him. I just want to know if this is safe to continue or should I do it a different way.
I used: Doterra Lavender