The answer to my son's sleepless nights, and how I ultimately healed our home with 3 Essential Oils.

I don't think everyone believe in the benefits of oils. And you know what? That's ok. If nothing else, your home can smell like just about anything you enjoy through single or multiple oil blends.

Personally, I believe that I enjoyed essential oils because the sense of smell has always been powerful to me and triggered emotions and memories which my mind had somehow connected with particular scents. And according to many articles I have come across, this is actually something that has been proven by science.

So why won't you use oils as a tool to enhance your mood when you feel less than positive? Or when you want to recreate a happy time in your life?

I use to buy off the shelf oils for a long time. Not knowing(or caring) much about the quality of the oils as long as they smelled similar to the scents I love. But then our family grew and I suffered from post-partum depression and like most new families, we were getting very little sleep. As in, my partner was rocking a cushion to sleep thinking it was our crying baby... yes, that kind of sleep deprivation.

I kept using the same oils for the first year-and-a-half of our son's life. And I must be honest, was a little disappointed in the fact that I couldn't see an improvement in our mood or our sleep when I did diffuse them or applied them topically for some reason.

And then, everything changed when I discovered Young Living oils in 2020.

Well, I had known about this company for quite some time and had contacted them a few years before trying to get these oils into South Africa but it made no financial sense as shipping would have cost me more than the oils themselves at the time.

But when Young Living came into the country and I stumbled across this accidentally. I was elated but hesitant to purchase since the price difference between these oils and my off-the-shelf oils were significantly different.

After about a year of thinking about it, I decided to take the leap for the sake of our family's frame of mind. We were exhausted mentally and physically! My son would wake up screaming and crying every 2 hours at night with what I was certain were night terrors. When he got older and were able to say enough words, for us to understand that he was clearly terrified and would wrestle to try and get out of our arms when trying to comfort him while still inside his dream.

Mrs. S, who I had been in contact with regarding Young Living, was kind enough to gift me a Focus Roller, which she had advised when I told her about J's sleep challenges. It felt so good to have someone listen and truly try to help me find something non-toxic to help my little boy get the sleep he desperately needed and have calm and restful nights. She gifted me so many little bottles and oils. I could not comprehend how she could possibly do this while building her own YL Business. I soon learned that, that is what YL is. It is a community of people who all had some kind of health challenge or suffering and were able to learn and teach and support one another.

But, I am not here to be a spokesperson for Young Living. I am here to share my experience. The reason why I became a YL member was not to sell oils or build a business. It was to try and help my son and ultimately heal our home. If someone asks, I will gladly help them get onto the path we are on now and be there to support them. But only because I want to support and uplift others. That is why I created the 2, 3_breathe life.

So where are we now?

Young Living Starter Kit with Desert Mist Diffuser

I signed up with a starter pack which included a diffuser and 10 oils. I tried your most common oils for sleep support which include lavender, cedarwood, vetiver, peace and calming blend, and the valor blend. Although I could see an improvement in J's sleep within a week from starting to put the Focus Roller Blend (find a DIY Blend Recipe Here) behind his neck and under his feet. And diffusing Lavender and Cedarwood in his room. He was still waking up between 2 to 3 times a night, which was an improvement but I knew if I had these results so quickly, I would be able to have him sleeping through the night once we found that magic combination that works perfectly for my child.

One of my favorite things is just to scroll through the YL Website(you can find a link here). It is so beautiful and I have a "Wishlist" of all the oils I want to try and scents that I know I will love.

One of my top Wishlist items had been "YL Haven" which is better known in other countries as "Stress Away". A blend of vanilla and lime. And I am such a sucker for vanilla. It is such a soft aroma which always makes me feel warm and happy inside. And that with the freshness of lime just sounded so insanely good to me!

I eventually came around to order it. And on this particular night, at the beginning of spring, I decided to put about 5 drops of YL Haven(to test on his night terrors), 2 drops of Eucalyptus Radiata(for allergies, he had been sneezing a bit), and 2 drops of Citronella(incase the mozzies started to make an appearance with the warmer weather and rain). Like every night, I still put his Focus Roller on behind his neck and under his ginormous(like his dad) feet.

And that turned out to be our Magic Combination! From that night onward he slept more and more soundly each night to where we now have restful nights where he sleeps through from 7.30pm to 6.00am. Waking up calmly each morning. Talking to himself and playing in his room until he is ready and would call for us.

We now have the energy to once again connect with one another. Our individual bond as mommy and daddy has never been stronger with our son. Because we are getting the rest our bodies need, our immune systems are stronger and we do not get ill as much as we use to(Read about the life-changing supplements I use here). Our moods have increased tenfold and we can look at each day with a positive frame of mind. We are no longer just surviving, but thriving as a family!

I know you struggle mommy! I know you feel tired. And I understand that what might have worked for us, might not be the exact same as what will work for you. But I want to tell you that maybe it will! If you know the absolute exhaustion. I feel you! If you don't know where to go or what to try next and everyone you talk to, keeps telling you that your baby will grow out of it and one day(around 4 years old!) they will start sleeping through the night. I have been there! And you do not need to accept that. I have found something better for our family and so can you!