The NAHA also recommend avoiding the following common essential oils during pregnancy and while breast-feeding: My understanding is that moisture is gently distributed into the environment that helps to avoid the mucus in the nostrils from drying up, which may help to avoid congestion or avoid common coughs and colds. As a result of the moisture that is balancing out a dry atmosphere, largely caused by insulation and central heating, this may also help to avoid their baby's skin from also drying out and becoming itchy.

Tabletop humidifiers are designed to humidify a single room. They’re lightweight and easy to carry around, and usually have a removable water container.

Choosing the right humidifier can be difficult since your choice will largely depend on the size of your room and how you decide to use it (Will you run it all night or just use it intermittently?). Once you've determined the size you need, it also helps to consider features like durability, noise level, ease of cleaning, nightlights, and more. We researched popular options from trusted brands with these features in mind. A pediatric physician from our Review Board also reviewed this article for medical accuracy surrounding humidifiers for babies and how to evaluate safe and appropriate humidifiers. While it is not necessary to use oil or cream to massage a baby, it will make the process easier by helping the parent or caregiver’s hand glide more smoothly over the skin. We love this simple humidifier for its overall value. Made from BPA-free plastic, this humidifier has a top-fill design that's easy to fill and clean, and it features auto-shutoff for when the water tank is empty or removed. With a 1.8-liter water tank, 3-foot mist height, and a run time of up to 20 hours, this humidifier is suitable for rooms between 107 to 260 square feet. You can choose among three mist settings, all of which are very fine, so you won't end up with a puddle of water under the humidifier after running it for a few hours. It's also equipped with a humidity sensor that allows it to automatically adjust the mist level to provide comfortable humidity at any time. You don’t get a sensor or any automatic controls – you’ll need the more expensive Dual 200S for that – but the Dual 150 puts out plenty of fine mist, raising the humidity in our test room by around 18% in half an hour. It’s also very quiet, measuring 28dB at most, which makes it perfect for a living room or bedroom. What’s more, you can add essential oils and aromas to the water without fear of damaging the ultrasonic mechanism. Compact, effective and affordable, it’s an excellent choice for a quiet bedroom or any smaller space. It is crucial to note that the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians do not recommend using essential oils at all on babies younger than 3 months.

Akcan, E., & Polat, S. (2016, June 17). Comparative effect of the smells of amniotic fluid, breast milk, and lavender on newborns' pain during heel lance. Breastfeeding Medicine How humidifiers work depends largely on the size of the room the humidifier will be staying in. Humidifiers for nurseries, or rooms that measure around 250 square feet, will differ from those that made for larger spaces. They are emulsifiers with mild surfactant properties and are used primarily to solubilize essential oils into water-based cosmetics. Since oil and water don’t naturally mix, you need a solubilizer or emulsifier for the oil and water molecules to bond and avoid that layer of oils at the top of your product. Polysorbates help prevent the need for “shake before use” products and perfumes, but depending on the specific makeup of your essential oils can cause the liquid to become a little cloudy. You’ll have to experiment with your particular essential oil blend to figure out which oils cause cloudiness and which don’t. Instructions Key specs – Dimensions: 26 x 25 x 34cm (WDH); Tank size: 3.8l; Running time: Up to 22 hours; Automatic shut-off: Yes; Warranty: LifetimeBabies have sensitive skin, so people should avoid using essential oils that are known skin irritants, such as: While it might not be necessary, there are certainly many benefits for you and your baby from using a humidifier in the home. There are a number of different types of humidifiers, including aromatherapy, cool mist and warm mist humidifiers. Some humidifiers even double up as a white noise machine to help your baby sleep. Instead, dilute the oil with an appropriate carrier oil. Sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, and coconut oil are examples of suitable carrier oils. If you love your natural and chemical free options when fragrancing your home, you can absolutely sidestep the expensive, chemically induced commercial reed diffusers you find in stores and make one yourself. _____________________ Answering some of the frequently asked questions about how to make Reed Diffusers at home: Can I use water in my reed diffuser? People can use diluted essential oils or undiluted sunflower or grapeseed oil during a baby massage. Studies show that baby massage can improve weight gain in pre-term infants, encourage development, and decrease irritability and sleep disturbances.

Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. B., & Başbakkal, Z. (2012, March 21). The effectiveness of aromatherapy massage using lavender oil as a treatment for infantile colic [Abstract]. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 18(2), 164–169The Babymoov gets full marks for clear instructions and easy setup. The touchscreen controls make it a doddle to monitor the ambient humidity and temperature, then adjust the settings as required. In the case of premature babies, people should avoid using essential oils until at least 3 months after their due date. Humidifiers often have a choice of continuous or intermittent spray patterns, giving you a non-stop stream for six to 12 hours, or a longer running time with regular pauses. You may also get additional heat, mist or power levels, depending on the technology used.