Using Essential Oils Appropriately

Hey all! I was thinking about this last night and I decided to write a post about using essential oils (EOs) appropriately and safely. I touched on the subject when I talked about using EOs on kids in my mosquito repellant post. But I wanted to talk about it more in depth, particularly EOs during pregnancy because I have a bunch of friends who are pregnant or nursing right now. Keep in mind that these guidelines are mostly for use in aromatherapy (diluting essential oil in a carrier oil and using in massage for a variety of complaints). While Basil is not approved for use in pregnancy, eating basil is fine. Essential oils are highly concentrated oils of the plant they are derived from.

I've also included EOs that are great addition to cleaning products at the bottom.

So here are some lists of EOs that are safe to use on infants, children, pregnant women, and when lactating:
  Infants 0-2 months (Supposedly, the 19 items listed below are safe for children and babies of all ages. But Until I find more scientific support, I'm going to stick to these for the newborns)

• Chamomile (Roman or German)
• Dill
• Lavender
• Yarrow

Infants and children (remember to always dilute in a carrier oil!)

• Bergamot 
• Calendula
• Cedarwood
• Chamomile (Roman or German)
• Citronella (use diluted only on children 6 months and older)
• Cypress
• Frankincense
• Geranium
• Ginger
• Lavender
• Lemon
• Mandarin
• Marjoram
• Melaleuca-Tea Tre
• Orange
• Rose Otto
• Rosemary
• Rosewood
• Sandalwoo
• Thyme
• Ylang Ylang

 ** DO NOT USE: Wintergreen or Eucalyptus on children younger than 2. For my two year old, I use Eucalyptus in my homemade vapor rub, I just diluted it a little.


AVOID these during Pregnancy, Labor, and Lactation:

• Aniseed
• Basil
• Birch
• Camphor
• Cassia
• Cedarwood (Thuja)
• Cinnamon
• Clary Sage
• Clove
• Hyssop
• Juniper Berry
• Mugwort
• Parsley seed or leaf
• Pennyroyal
• Pine (dwarf)
• Rosemary 
• Rue
• Sage
• Tansy
• Tarragon
• Thuja (Cedarwood)
• Thyme (red)
• Tonka
• Wintergreen
• Wormwood

 EOs that are SAFE During 2nd and 3rd trimesters of Pregnancy:

• Bergamot
• Chamomile (German and Roman)
• Cypress
• Eucalyptus
• Frankincense
• Geranium
• Ginger
• Grapefruit
• Lavender
• Lemon
• Mandarin
• Marjoram Sweet
• Neroli
• Petitgrain
• Rose Otto
• Rosewood
• Sandalwood
• Sweet Orange
• Tea Tree
• Ylang Ylang 

- 1st trimester: It is your safest bet not to use any essential oils during your first trimester of pregnancy, as this is the most delicate time for your tiny baby. There are some that are used, however I do not feel comfortable suggesting some until I have done some in depth research that I do not have the time to do at the moment :) I would definitely do your research if that is something you want to do. Now, using essential oils in your face cream or deodorant are one thing, but certainly using essential oils as aromatherapy is what is mostly cautioned against in the first trimester.

Lactating women: (I've included herbs, not EOs, because I found this list on KellyMom, which is an evidence based website all about breastfeeding. It is awesome, if you ever need nursing advice)

• Herbs that may be harmful to mom and/or baby 
• Bladderwrack
• Buckthorn
• Chaparral
• Coltsfoot
• Dong Quai (Angelica Root)
• Elecampane
• Ephedra / Ma Huang
• Ginseng
• Indian Snakeroot
• Kava-kava
• Petasites root
• Phen-fen
• Rhubarb
• Star anise
• Tiratricol 
• Uva Ursi
• Wormwood
•  Herbs that may reduce milk supply:
• Black Walnut
• Chickweed
• Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)
• Lemon Balm
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Peppermint
• Menthol
• Periwinkle
• Sage
• Sorrel
• Spearmint
• Thyme
• Yarrow

And here are some essential oils with antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties that make them great for use in cleaning products:

•  Lemon
• Grapefruit
• Eucalyptus 
• Peppermint 
• Tea tree
•  Lavender
• Rosemary

References:
EO use for children and babies
EO use in pregnancy- NAHA
Crunchy Betty- 21 things you should know about essential oils
IFPA Aromatherapy in Pregnancy guidelines
Fit pregnancy Essential Oils
Kelly mom herbs to avoid while breastfeeding