Babies often benefit from herbal calmatives
Babies face a new, unfamiliar world and they only have one way to express their fear or discomfort: crying. So one critical requirement for herbal remedies is that they provide comfort in the face of painful colic, teething, and diaper rash.
The majority of babies are strong and remarkably resilient—they get rather squished squeezing out of a very tight spot and yet manage to look properly rounded and adorable soon after. But when things go wrong health-wise, they have no way to explain their pain or distress. New parents play a constant guessing game trying to find out what’s wrong with the baby or why she won’t stop crying. For anxious parents, herbal treatments can be both gentle and effective.
Babies often benefit from herbal calmatives
NATURAL REMEDIES
Herbs can help ease some of your baby’s health problems, including the burn of diaper rash; the stress of teething, which can include pain, a slight fever, drooling, swollen gums, irritability, and refusing food; and colic. For restless babies who won’t settle into sleep, herbs can take the edge off their distress without any harmful side effects—and before they reach that level of tearful frenzy that so disturbs parents.
Calming Baby: Nervines that are safe for soothing babies include chamomile, catnip, lemon balm, spearmint, rose petals, and lavender. Catnip can also be used to treat low-grade fevers, upper respiratory infections, headaches, sleep problems, and indigestion.
Colic: Make a stomach-soothing tea—that also works on teething pain—with chamomile flowers. Simply pour boiling water over 2 teaspoons of flowers, let it steep, then strain and cool. Give 1 to 2 ounces to babies, 2 to 4 ounces to children.
Diaper Rash: Make a healing “bottom wash” for the afflicted area by adding 1 cup white vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon of tea tree oil to a few inches of water in a basin. Natural home remedies include applications of coconut oil, a baking-soda wash, and dry cornstarch.
Teething: Chamomile tea can be rubbed on the gums or frozen as a popsicle for baby to gnaw on. Try chamomile hydrosol, the infused water left over after the essential oil is distilled. It is much less concentrated than the oil, but has many of the same benefits. Make a soothing rub for the external jaw from 1 drop each lavender essential oil and Roman chamomile oil combined with 2 tablespoons carrier oil such as olive, almond, or coconut. Massage several drops into baby’s jaw as needed. (Use only externally. Never give any essential oils to children under 2.)
Diarrhea: In addition to feeding only bland foods—bananas, rice, applesauce—treat diarrhea with a tea made with 1 teaspoon of crushed fennel and 1 cup hot water; let it steep, then strain and cool. Give baby 2 teaspoons to sip every 2 hours. Or give 3 teaspoons of cooled antispasmodic chamomile tea. A handful of blueberries, if your child is eating solids, can also ease symptoms.
TAKE HEED
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against giving herbs to babies under six months. Some gentle herbs that should be safe to administer are chamomile, catnip, and mint. But always check for adverse reactions when first offering anything new. Also, babies under two should never be fed honey, which can contain botulism.
Constipation: Try an herbal tea made from a peppermint tea bag or from grated ginger root. Make a healing tonic by adding equal parts licorice root and fennel seed to a pint of water; simmer for 20 minutes, then strain and cool. Give one teaspoon to baby. For babies older than 4 months, try undiluted pear or apple juice.
Fever: Catnip combined with an equal amount of dried spearmint makes an effective tea for reducing fevers. For infants, offer a teaspoon every 2 hours; for children over 3, increase it to half a cup.