Baby Cold Home Remedy: DIY Vapor Rub
When your kiddo is sick, the last thing you want to do is slather him in toxic chemicals! Try this baby cold home remedy for your congested little one.
Is there anything more heart-wrenching than watching your baby struggle with a cold or flu? My little guy is just shy of six months old, and he got his first bad cold last week. At this age, I couldn't medicate him even if I wanted to, and we were using every baby cold home remedy we could to try to make him comfortable while he kicked those nasty germs.
There were a few things that worked well for us. We combined all three of these things at bedtime, and he slept through the night on his two sickest evenings!
- Saline nasal spray - This is sort of like a neti pot for babies. Darrol cried the first two times I used this on him, but after that he just kind of went with it. It cleared his congestion temporarily to give his little nose some relief.
- Humidifier - Fill 'er up with water, turn 'er on, and she makes your baby's room as humid as a tropical rain forest. This helps keep their little noses and mouths from feeling dry from all of that congestion.
- DIY Vapor Rub - You can buy vapor rub for infants, but the one we saw at the store had petroleum jelly and "fragrance" in it. No, thank you! Check out the stupid easy recipe below for making your own, and never buy that stuff again!
Baby Cold Home Remedy: DIY Vapor Rub
Not only is it easy to make your own vapor rub, it's cheap. The essential oil is an investment up front, but it only takes 5-7 drops to make a batch of vapor rub. Darrol was sick for 4 days, and I barely put a dent in the batch that I made for him. You can also use this mixture for grown up colds!
Ingredients and Supplies
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5-7 drops eucalyptus oil
- small, clean glass container - I used an empty baby food jar
Directions
1. Combine the oils in your container, screw on the lid, and give it a good shake.
2. Dip your finger into the vapor rub and massage onto your baby's chest and back when he needs a little relief.
Caveats
- Fun fact: vapor rub doesn't actually make it easier for your kiddo to breathe, but it makes it feel like it's easier, because it's cooling and soothing.
- Never ever ever put straight essential oil on your baby's skin. That stuff is concentrated, and it can be very harmful. Always dilute in a carrier oil.
- There are other essential oils that work well for congestion: peppermint, lavender, and rosemary are some to try. Just be careful with rosemary oil. It's strong stuff, so start with 2-3 drops in 2 tablespoons of carrier oil.