NATURAL HOME REMEDY: GARLIC OIL FOR EAR ACHES

ah, i am learning more and more each day what it feels like to be a mother, to be a version of myself that never gives up, that never turns around in the opposite direction. being a mother to anything requires one essentiality ~ to give yourself in ways you never would otherwise. it requires only that you show up, every hour of every day and open your heart up and pour it out into the soul of the one you are nurturing. it requires being exactly who you are, but with a love that you can hold and give out. it becomes less a feeling than an action. it becomes tangible. like a book. a flower. a favorite sweater.

that love pours into all that i do, every day. it pours into our meals, our mornings, our walks and stories. it pours into my coffee and writing and photos and in the way i get dressed and what i read and what i look at on the internet. it takes over and fills. like selfless love always has and will.

i don't know how to be any other way anymore. who i am is because of who i have become as a mother to my boy. it's my new normal.

and having a child who is in pain. well, nothing prepares you for that. you just have to go through it. there's no sidestepping or shortcuts. just walking through the fire. until you see a speck that signals light ahead.

augustus began really teething about a month ago, and with that a lot of his personality began blooming, too. well, parts of his personality we had never really experienced before. the fussiness, the never wanting to be put down, the crying and discomfort. he has also been co-sleeping with us (sleep training lasted about a month! ha!) and is almost always pressed tightly against my chest nearly the whole night. i have grown unable to sleep any other way, and it is a part of my life i never realized would be so intricate with what kind of mother i wanted to be. i always want him to know that i am there, that i am never leaving and that he will always find safety wherever i am. i am his wind, his shore, his always home. i want him to know this even if every memory of me leaves him one day. beca

while away to the sea last week, aug began pulling at his ear, the clear sign of his very first ear ache. i remember saving a recipe to the notes section of my phone that made perfect sense and seemed like a no-brainer. 

it required ingredients i already owned and always have on hand: fresh garlic and extra virgin olive oil.

simple enough, right? and friends, this stuff works. really, i noticed a beautiful difference in a matter of minutes after applying this into his ears. you can apply a few times a day until the ear ache is gone, and if you want to look up the benefits of garlic oil, you can do so here. pretty amazing if you ask me. 

disclaimer: i am not a doctor by any means. just a mama looking for simpler ways to heal every day ailments for my little one and our family. 

you will need:

2-3 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil

1-2 cloves of an organic garlic, minced

a tincture or dropper (i got ours at whole foods)

strainer

saucepan

pour the olive oil into a small saucepan and warm over low heat. next, add your minced garlic to infuse with the oil (making sure it doesn't brown!) for only a few minutes. strain the garlic from the oil and then pour the oil into the tincture carefully.

make sure the oil cools to room temperature before applying. you do not want to burn their ears! and cold oil can make their ear aches worse!

while on their side, place a few drops into the affected ear and wait at least fifteen minutes. if you have a baby (like me) it is perfect to do this before nap time or while feeding. my little one made no fuss about it as i gave him a bottle during this time. you can also place a cotton ball in the affected ear to make sure the remedy doesn't come out (i didn't have one but would have loved one).

you can apply this remedy a few times (even up to four) until it appears to have left. you can make it as needed or store in the fridge for a few weeks. 

i am always looking for and using natural remedies around our home, so i'll be sure to post more as i think they're so vital to a natural and happy lifestyle.