Monday I decided to bite the bullet and get Pace in for his second set of immunizations since he is two months over-due. He was so sick for so long that I couldn't get them before, and I was having a hard time getting myself to take him in now, because he was so healthy and happy. After the immunizations, he immediately developed a fever of over 102 and had that for several days, followed by a very nasty cold and a sleepless night that sent me scurrying back to the doctor only to find that he had two ear infections and needed to be taking breathing treatments. When he gets sick, he really gets sick! Today is the first day that he seems to be feeling better
(although he still sounds awful) but I am keeping he and Nolan - who is also sick- home from church.
This week, shortly after the immunizations, a lady stopped by and told me that she had heard that my baby had been really sick this winter. She gave me four essential oils to try out on him. They were " to keep him from getting sick and the get him over anything he catches."
Welllll... I am always willing to give things like this a try. There has GOT to be something to them because so many people believe in and swear by them. And many people who use them will say things like, "this one didn't work for this, but THIS ONE totally worked for THIS!"...
I can't really speak for all the other essential oils out there, but, at least in the Gee home four oils have been tried and tested and here are my conclusions after extensive experimentation: They. don't. work.
I was given four oils to try:
1. The essential oil "On Guard" which is purported to help you build immunity and keep you from getting sick in the first place, has a really horrible smell!!! The reason it may work for some, is that anyone that IS sick doesn't want to get close to you, and therefore they cannot share their germs with you.
Now Pace, being a baby and all, can't be ignored or kept at a distance of 6 feet from everyone (the distance that I have read out-distances the spread of germs). I dutifully began putting "On Guard" oil on Pace multiple times a day. I also began getting horrible headaches from the strong smell. Now, Pace hadn't gotten sick....yet. At this point, he was just suffering high fevers from his immunizations. The night after I started using "On Guard" he had his worst night on record. We wore out the floor together, he and I, as I paced, trotted, and danced trying to get him to stop crying/screaming and fall sleep. Come to think of it, I think he had a headache too. The next morning, he woke up with the horrible cold. No more "On Guard" for us.
2. I was told that the "Melaleuca" oil could be used when your baby got ear infections. You don't put it into your child's ear, you just rub it all around the ear. I DID NOT try this one out. So maybe it works. But come on now - if your child has a horrible ear infection, first of all, you need to go to the doctor to get this confirmed. Don't you? And once you do, who in their right -compassionate- mind is going to let their child suffer while they perform an experiment on whether or not it actually works. Not me. I will take the antibiotics, thank you very much.
3. The oil "breathe" - This oil, as it sounds, is supposed to help you breathe... whenever "On Guard" fails you and you catch a cold. Yes, I tried it out, but, once again, the only thing that helped Pace breathe was the old tried-and trues: 1.) a humidifier, 2.) being held, - up-right 3.) by his mommy- and 4.) a hefty application of "Vicks Vapor Rub" slathered all over his chest.
4. The fourth- and last- oil that I was given to try out was "Lavendar". This oil is supposed to make you feel all relaxed so that you can sleep better. Now, being sleep deprived, I didn't bother wasting this precious oil on myself. I have absolutely no problem falling asleep - WHEN I GET THE CHANCE!!! But, I have decided there might just be something to this oil....at least, it has given me pause to come up with a magical potion of my own, no money out, with just the same PLACEBO EFFECT. You see, in a flash of brilliance one night when I was having a hard time convincing Nolan and Abram that yes, it really was time for bed, I told the boys what the oil was for and applied it to their skin. I discovered that just the thought of this oil working sent my two little boys to bed faster than anything ever has. Ever. They got so droopy the second that I applied it that they could scarcely make it up the stairs to their beds. Nolan, who really believed in it and was exhausted from his super busy little-boy day, fell asleep speedy quick. But Darn. It didn't work on Abram, who had had a nap. He was back up just as speedy quick. But wait!!! I'll be darned if that "lavendar" oil didn't start working two hours after it had been applied. Because eventually he did fall asleep.
Days later, when the oil has for sure been worn of, sweated off, bathed off, WHATEVER, Pace is finally sleeping better, too.
Days later, when the oil has for sure been worn of, sweated off, bathed off, WHATEVER, Pace is finally sleeping better, too.
My final conclusion from my experimentations is that babies are perfect for these types of experiments. They don't have any preconceived notions or expectations. Things are going to work on them, or they aren't. Well, they didn't.
The end.
I haven't tried any of those oils and from your experience I may not need to since they didn't work for you. I hope that Pace is doing better.
ReplyDeleteI have a cupboard full of these oils too. I don't feel like they do much but smell good. I've used my Orange or Lemon oils is cookies or brownies and they are yummy :) I do use Breathe in a diffuser with Emmie and it works like a humidifier/vaporizer. Good luck with your little guy :)
ReplyDeleteHa! I love this. Even I'm not brave enough to say it though. I just assume I don't really know enough about this stuff to really get it. Want my humble opinion? Even Christ spit in mud and rubbed it on a blind man's eyes. Why? I don't think the mud had healing qualities, but the act of application and physically wiping off the mud helped to focus the blind man's faith.
ReplyDeleteAs mothers, it is easy to overlook small (non-emergency) hospital issues. I think the act of applying oils can focus our faith and remind us of the access we do have to healing power. Thus they really do work for people who believe in them- because the healing comes through a woman's faith-- not the oil. Does this make any sense? Basically- I think the placebo effect is useful. I like having a few oils, I don't think they are a good use of excessive money.
I also think the smell is an effective placebo because it lingers and focuses your faith. Like you mentioned about bedtime, I LOVE the effect that oils can have on children. I like the act of rubbing an oil on my child's sore tummy or putting on "courage" when they have a test. Ultimately I think best is teaching them about the power of prayer and helping them know I'm thinking of them and praying for them-- but sometimes "monster spray" works where other attempts don't. Sometimes my kids think I don't care because I don't DO anything. Oils are something I can do simply that can't hurt and might help.
I like the smell factor of oils because physical smells can trigger responses. In the hospital it smelled sick and musty. Spraying fresh scents brightened my room and everyone who entered felt citrusy and healthy. The smell of peppermint oil is the only remedy I found that worked to alleviate my constant pregnancy nautiousness.
(I have a few oils and can't even remember the last time I used them.)
Maybe I'm missing something. Many wise friends of mine swear by these things. I'm always cautious of trends that seem to suggest one must spend a ridiculous amount of money to be more healthy.
I'm also aware that in our own healing and temple ordinances- we do use holy oil applications. So, perhaps there is something to it. Again, in my personal opinion, the use of oil helps our faith and is a physical act that opens us up to physical healing. Women have great healing capacities. I believe an inspired mother could daily place any drops of oil or lotion on a child's maimed hip and receive inspiration to heal. Some people light candles to focus prayer, some people burn incense, some people use rosary beads. I think these are physical means to access the power of God which is where all true healing comes from. I think these things are only as amazing as your faith paired with God's power.
Where I get really weird-- I think your friend's act of giving you the oils was her act of serving and adding her acts and faith to your baby. (Assuming her motives were not financial.) Acts plus faith are powerful. Do we need oil? What if a friend stopped by and prayed with you (we would think that's weird- but it shouldn't be)? What if a friend stopped by and offered to bounce your baby so you could nap?
What other acts can we as mothers do to bless our families and strengthen faith-- kneeling to pray, attending the temple, fasting, partaking the sacrament, serving others, etc.?
I love to think about these things....
Ugh. Too long comment- but that's what I think.