Are flower essences safe to use with newborn babies? If so, what are some of the commonly used essences?

November 12, 2003

Flower essences for newborns have a very good track record and are praised by mothers worldwide. They are an especially good choice because they are gentle and safe in their action. The specific healing of the flower essences is directed toward the interface of body and soul. And we can imagine that for the very young child, who has only recently come into bodily incarnation, these are profound issues.

While I cannot make a specific recommendation for your child without being there in person and taking a full history of the pregnancy and birth factors, I can point to some basic flower essences with a very good track record of success for basic symptoms:

Chamomile - Chamomile herb is a well known flower for infants and children — helping with many issues of fussiness, crying, poor digestion etc. The flower essence of Chamomile seems to work at a wider level, incorporating the soul dimension of the child's healing. The action is quite specific to the solar plexus — an area of very intense activity for the young child — distress in this area leads to colic in newborns or poor digestion in older children. The Chamomile flower essence helps the child to experience some of the first and most basic emotions of life, by soothing feelings of irritability and moodiness, and encouraging a more harmonious disposition.

Chicory - this is a classic flower essence for children that compliments beautifully with Chamomile. It addresses the basic feeling of neediness in the child, which can develop into more demanding or clinging behavior if not addressed.

Mariposa Lily - This is an excellent foundational remedy for both mother and child during any challenging episode. The Mariposa Lily addresses the core experience of being mothered and being a mother. The newborn child who has lived deeply intertwined in the mother's womb for the first nine months of life on earth, now must experience the feeling of its own body and nascent sense of self in relationship to being mothered.

The above three flower essences can be used separately—and also—they are an ideal trinity for a broad number of newborn child issues. The essences can be diluted from stock directly into a small amount of water (thereby bypassing any need for brandy). Put two drops of stock into about one ounce of fresh water. This mixture can be put on the child's lips, temples, pulse points, heart region, belly and feet or wherever one intuitively feels the need to give energetic information to the interface of body and soul for the child. Several drops of this mixture can also be put directly into the child's mouth if this is a convenient method that the child accepts. It is best to use the essences in an interval at least several minutes before feeding in order to allow the full vibrational impact of the essences to take hold.

Three other important flower essences that can be quite significant for many newborn children are California Wild Rose , Angelica and Shooting Star . This trinity of essences can help the child become more incarnated into the body. This is quite often an underlying issue in various external symptoms. These essences are especially indicated if the pregnancy or birth was traumatic or difficult, and/or if the child was delivered by C-Section, or if the spiritual identity of the child is still ambivalent about incarnation on earth. These three flower essences can be taken as outlined above — however they are especially beneficial applied very gently to the "soft spot" of the head (fontanel). A drop of pure rose oil can also be added to the mixture. After applying the essences it is valuable to put a small cap on the head of the child, and in general to make sure the child is wrapped in soft natural fiber clothing. These healing techniques help direct the spiritual forces of the child into the body, while at the same time providing a cushion of warmth and spiritual protection.

You can read more about these flower essences (and others that might be helpful for you) by accessing our on-line Repertory . It is an attractive user-friendly resource with inter-active options that are not part of the printed edition.

Access to the On-line Repertory requires a membership in the Flower Essence Society , available online for $25 per year.

I hope these suggestions are helpful to you. I am sending good wishes and prayers for your newborn child.