Teach Soap

My dtr who has a son that is nearly 4 months old has asked me to make some "natural" vicks she can use for him. The recipe she gave me is a mix for a general salve with olive oil, coconut oil and beeswax. Nothing I have not used previously. The EO are eucalyptus, mint, lavender, rosemary and camphor. I will get my book out and do some research on these but initially I am thinking that this will be too strong for a babies skin. ???? Any advice is much appreciated.

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

4 months old? I would not touch this with a 10 foot pole. As an inhaler, maybe; as a balm used on the skin no.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Thanks Irena, that's why I asked... there were some alarm bells going off in my gut! I know the real vicks people have made a baby vicks so I will check out that jar for what they use. And when I get home from work tonight I can use my herbal book as bedtime reading.

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

Technically, the IFRA allows up to 5% of eucalyptus, mint, rosemary and lavender in a baby lotion/creme product. The camphor is the one that will have a (much) lower rate, but I don't use that, so I don't have it listed on my cheat sheet (and I am not into looking it up right now, sorry). I would imagine that it would be VERY low, along the lines of 0.1-0.2%. In fact, most EO experts recommend using no more than 0.5% of the safe for baby EO's in their formulations. This is the figure I stick to when I am making baby products for the under three yr olds. I find that it works well for all involved.
As a mother and a nurse, I have never liked the vicks type rubs. They open the pores of the skin, then if cold air hits the chest, it can cause more problems than it is supposed to help. Plus one that small doesn't regulate their temperature well. I just don't think a rub like this is good for one that tiny. Even if I could be persuaded to use it on an older child, I'd recommend using a tad under the nose, not on the chest.

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

Thanks so much.... that is helping to add to my knowledge base. For some reason I have misplaced my herb book.... I will stop at my mothers today and see if she still has hers.
What I found so far is that eucalyptus oil is not recommended in infant products as they can have increased transdermal absorption. Now this came from my research on the net... but unless I can find a good study that disproves this I will avoid the eucalyptus. This is in the 'baby vicks' along with aloe vera, rosemary and lavender. The jar says to use on infants 3 months and older. The regular vicks (for humans over the age of 2) contains turpentine oil and thymol plus the camphor. So I am thinking that if I can control what goes in it would be better than what she could purchase. While I'm at moms I may see if she still has any lavender growing and do an infusion. I sill have a bit of research to do before considering this.

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!