Can You Use Everyday Oil On Infants?
Yes!
Everyday Oil is certified microbiome-friendly for infant skin and we recommend our Baseline Everyday Oil for little ones. Mainstay is also safe and certified microbiome friendly for infants, but we don't recommend using any products with essential oils on infants or children under 2 years old. Essential oils are powerful and while they can be safe for young children in the proper dilutions, we feel they are a bit too strong for newborns and babies. Always do what you feel is right for your family, but we recommend our Baseline blend for little ones and anyone that might be sensitive to essential oils.
Baby massage!
Our favorite way to use Everyday Oil with babies is to use a couple pumps when massaging that sweet little babe body. Massage time is a great way to connect and relax. We love this book paired with a sweet soundtrack, like our Deep Breath playlist, and a bottle of Everyday Oil. Incorporating this special time before bed as a consistent relaxing routine can start signaling to your little one that night time (and hopefully lots of sleep) happens soon.
Skipping bath, cradle cap and baby acne
It has been standard practice in hospitals to take newborns right after birth to be weighed and cleaned before giving them back to the birthing parent. We have learned that leaving the protective Vernix, a white creamy naturally occurring biofilm, can be beneficial for baby skin and overall health. Even the World Health Organization recommends not cleaning babies for at least 24 hours, if possible. Delaying that first bath session can help babies regulate their blood sugar and body temperature. Keeping the baby with the birthing parent can support bonding and leaving any Vernix on will only help skin stay moisturized and help support that little microbiome.
While waiting on the umbilical cord to heal and reveal an adorable baby belly button, you can spot-clean and sponge bath with warm water when needed. Once your babe is ready for some soothing bath time, try to avoid using soap to maintain a healthy microbiome. When soap is needed, keep it gentle :) Dr. Bronner’s Baby Unscented Pure-Castile Liquid Soap is good to have on hand- no added fragrance and double the olive oil (though not tear-free, so avoid eyes!)
Toss a bottle of Baseline Everyday Oil into your diaper bag to help spot clean. We’re also into these simple wipes for tidying up on the go, they're just water and they're biodegradable!
Right around the two week mark of newborn life, a couple of common skin conditions can show up, cradle cap and baby acne. Cradle cap can appear as scaly, flaky patches on the babe’s scalp which usually goes away on its own, sometimes between 6 and 12 months. Baby acne is mostly found on the cheeks, nose, and forehead and can appear as spots and bumps. This too will resolve on its own! If you’d like to support your baby’s skin while it’s regulating, keep the support simple and gentle and avoid picking :) We have found that Everyday Oil on cradle cap can help loosen any parts that are ready to shed off. Try massaging the scalp gently with Everyday Oil before rinsing with warm water.
We can’t leave out breast milk when talking about babies and skin! Lots of families swear by breast milk as the elixir for all baby skin ailments and remedies and we say, why not? If you have yet to try a milk bath and have some extra, give it a go! We’ve also heard from people who have had success spot treating both cradle cap and baby acne with breast milk.
As always, do what feels best for you and your family, use your discretion and check with your physician if you have any baby skin concerns.
