That is, if you count still laying on the couch as much as possible with a sore girly-parts "normal".
"Normal" last week also included a toddler that came across pink eye.
And ear infections.
Greeeeeeeat.
Since Owen had his one week check up last week, I had the Pediatrician check Georgia out too. Sure enough, she was prescribed antibiotics.
Daaaaaangit.
I didn't mind using antibiotic drops for her pink eye, since it was causing her such discomfort. What's great about the drops is that they are just topical - simply killing off the bacteria on the surface.
But the oral antibiotics she was prescribed for her ear infections...well, I just wasn't ready for that.
We've been blessed - to date, Georgia has never had to be on antibiotics. In fact, this was her very first "sick" doctor visit. She's a very healthy girl and for that, I am very thankful.
The entire way back from the Pediatricians office, I meddled with what I should do. Surely, I didn't want her to be in pain. I also didn't want the infection to get worse. But she wasn't acting like her ears hurt - they weren't red or irritated looking and she wasn't pulling or scratching at them.
Would I be labeled a terrible mother if I didn't give her the antibiotics?
What sort of price would we pay in her future health if we did give them to her?
Oh, the challenge of difficult decisions!
I knew if we administered these 10-days of watermelon flavored antibiotics we'd have some rebuilding to do in her gut flora. And you know how this can go - once you take the antibiotics, your body is much more prone to need them again since you kill off it's good bacteria, too.
But I'm no Doctor. So I was a little hesitant to make a decision about the antibiotics. Stu and I discussed our options and decided that we'd try an alternative remedy first. But if her ears got worse, or if she acted like they were bothering her, we'd give her the antibiotics.
I came home, did a lot of research, said a few prayers, and decided we'd try and use homemade garlic oil to treat her ear infections.
Why garlic oil, you ask?
Because both garlic and coconut oil are natural antibiotics. They are also anti-viral. And that's a double dosage of killer natural remedy, man.
While there are lots of alternative remedies for ear infections, I had what I needed to make the garlic oil and was ready to get G-love started with a treatment. So that's what we did.
Homemade Garlic Oil
You will need:
- 1/4 cup virgin, organic coconut oil
- 3-4 cloves of fresh garlic, skins removed and slightly crushed
To make the oil, simply heat the coconut oil and garlic cloves together in a saucepan until the garlic cloves are brown and fragrant. Turn off the heat and allow the oil to cool down to room temperature. Use a fine strainer or cheese cloth (I ended up using both) to strain the oil from the cloves and any small garlic particles that may have broken off in the oil. You do NOT want any remnants of the cloves in the oil at all, so make sure you get them all filtered out. Store in a small mason jar.
To use the garlic oil in the ears, you simply melt the oil until slightly warm (I do this by letting hot water run over the mason jar until it's liquefied . Always test a bit of the oil on your skin before administering - it's very important that the oil isn't too hot when it goes in. Just warm.)
Then, I use one of those baby nose-sucker bulbs (I happened to have a new one that we brought home from the hospital last week) to put 3-5 drops in each ear.
No, it's not easy to put warm oil in Georgia's ears.
Yes, it looks like a round of WWE wresting while I do it.
And yes, we both smell like an Italian restaurant by the time it's all said and done.
But it's for her benefit, dangit. Just like brushing her teeth. Every day we have to man-handle her to get it done, but regardless, we still push on. Because it's important.
If you had an older child, it may not be as difficult to get them to lay their head on the side as you gently drip the oil in and massage it down the ear by rubbing the ear and neck. But a two year old? Ya right.
We've been administering the oil in the morning and before bed for six days (though you can administer the warm oil at any sign of discomfort, even if it's every hour or so). After the first day of treatment, I noticed her attitude had improved quite a bit - which leads me to believe that she was relieved from some of the pain she had been experiencing. Currently, she's acting totally normal - definitely not acting like she's in any sort of discomfort. She's not telling me her ears are hurting or pulling at them, which makes me think it's all good.
We have a follow up appointment with our Pediatrician this afternoon for Owen, so I'm going to have her peak inside to check out the status of the ear infections.
Wouldn't that be wonderful if the infections had cleared without antibiotics?! What's your vote? Do you think it worked?
I am praying that is the case.
And please hear me when I say this readers - I am so, so, so thankful for modern medicine. But I am also thankful for the opportunity to explore other alternative remedies that are better for our bodies. If we can get through ear infections without a round of antibiotics, then I consider that a great success.
Ultimately, this will keep Georgia healthier. Which is what I'm aiming for. Girlfriend doesn't feed her homemade yogurt, kefir, and kombucha for nothin'.
And on that same note, I'm pretty sure G-love passed her pink eye onto her brother. When I noticed he had a goopy and red eye, I instantly began to research an alternative for him as well. Turns out, coconut oil gently smeared on an infants eyelid is a great alternative to antibiotic drops (since the oil itself kills bad bacteria). I rubbed virgin coconut oil on his eye area and after only one treatment, the goo and redness was totally gone. I continued to treat his eyes with the oil for a few more days, just to be safe, but he hasn't shown any more signs of pink eye. Booya!
Reason #105,386 why I love coconut oil.
Next time (which hopefully there isn't), I'll try the coconut oil remedy on Georgia at the first signs of infection. This would be a wonderful and safe alternative to an office visit and prescription.
I hate to "play Doctor" because obviously, I'm not that smart.
But I do think it's important we take some initiative in our health and treatments. Especially when they could have potential long term effects on our overall health.
I know there are lots of great home remedies for ear aches, ear infections, and conjunctivitis out there. What's YOUR favorite home remedy?
And just in case you need another baby picture to get you through your day, allow me:
You're welcome.
My son had a resistant ear infection that was discovered at his baby sister's two week weight check (he was 14 months old at the time). He had shown no signs of infection, but the doctor said his ears looked like the infection was month's old! After testing his hearing, it was found he had less than 20% hearing because of this infection that had flown under the radar. 6 months of antibiotics, followed by tubes, followed by another 3 months of antibiotics finally healed the ears, but had terrible consequences on his teeth. He is now 13 and has had 9 teeth pulled (some from crowding in prep for braces, but the majority because they were literally crumbling!)I wish that I'd had the knowledge to try a natural remedy before launching the antibiotic war, but back then it wasn't on my radar. Now I am learning to use natural recipes and also fully believe in chiropractic care--even for sinus/ear infections! We have a traditional chiropractor who never once had to put his son on antibiotics until he was a sophomore in college! Manipulating the spine always worked for them.
ReplyDeleteI hope that Georgia continues to improve and that you are feeling better SOON! Thanks for sharing the coconut oil remedy for ears and eyes--my baby-girl (who by the way turns 12 this Friday :( )awoke with red itchy eyes this morning!
Wow, coconut oil for pink eye?! That stuff is amazing. We smeared it on WW toast this morning for the first time--DIVINE.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to trying the garlic oil on our ear-infection-prone son, too! Thanks for sharing.
Great post :) Good job mama!
ReplyDeleteI have heard that breastmilk dropped into the eye helps with the infection - it is antibacterial!
Thanks. I need to try the garlic oil remedy on myself today. Even as a 35 year old, I seem to be prone to ear infections.
ReplyDeleteChamomille tea=greatest bacterial eye infection treatment!! One of my daughters struggled with this when she was an infant. I tried breastmilk and that helped, but what really cleared it up, and quickly was pure chamomille tea. My husband has used it as well with great results. I brewed some up in a jar and just wiped her eyes with a clean cotton ball-always from the inside out! Good luck with getting things cleared up quickly! :)
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading about your good mothering! My two oldest children had many rounds of antibiotics. By the time my fourth child came I was learning alternative treatments. I used garlic oil also. I cut a clove of garlic into 3 or 4 pieces and let it sit in the garlic oil for 5 minutes. I warmed the oil until I barely felt a drop on my wrist. I used a dropper to withdraw only the oil--no garlic pieces. The luke warm oil was soothing to a painful ear.
ReplyDeleteI learned to accept a prescription for antibiotics with the understanding that I was only going to fill the prescription if the ear did not improve in a couple days. My youngest son had far fewer rounds of antibiotics. It also helped that I breastfed him for the longest period of time (18 months).
We also learned that we were healthier on a dairy-free and gluten reduced diet.
YAY for garlic and coconut oil! And while I personally haven't had to try it, I've heard that breastmilk works amazingly for pinkeye.
ReplyDeleteI second what someone else said above. I have heard that breastmilk dropped in the eyes and ears can do wonders! I hope you don't have to deal with it again, but if you do, I hope that helps! I love reading your thought provking blog. I'm right there with you! Though I don't have children, I try to follow the same process with myself. First alternative treatments, then modern medicine if I need it. I would much rather put natural things on and in my body, but I am also very thankful for the miracles mondern medicine has performed!
ReplyDeleteI hate that the antibiotic conversation is so controversial...it makes so much sense to try something more natural and less traumatic to the system, especially if the infection isn't serious.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recipe and tip; I hadn't had antibiotics more than 2x until college, and since then I've had them at least 4. College was brutal. My son had to have them right away after being born because I had an infection, and so we're eating as healthy as we can possibly afford and I've really gotten into kombucha. I do like reading home remedies and saving them for when we get sick.
Yay! As a Shaklee Independent Distributor I frequently have moms dealing with ear infection prone kids...and then the terrible effects of constant antibiotics. So many parents blindly trust the drs that the antibiotics are the ONLY way to go. Sometimes they are, but as you just showed that isn't always the case. With nursing, my supplementation and healthy diet, my daughter is 1 year without a "sick" visit of any kind and NO ear issues. I will keep the garlic oil idea to help others and of course my daughter for if/when the day comes she needs it. I did try breastmilk on the eye when she was 1 month old and started getting a goopy eye. It worked. Many Shaklee users (adults too!) swear by garlic supplementation along with Vitamin C as "natures antibiotic." I have heard some off label uses of grinding garlic tablets up and blending with things like coconut oil to make a paste. Then spreading that paste on a child's feet under socks before bed when they are sick too! It sounds crazy, but I know many who swear by it. I would think it would be similar to a very concentrated version of what you put in little Georgia's ear! :) Kudos to you for taking the alternative route first. Having studied pharmacy and having been a very sick patient myself for years, I greatly understand the long term effects of over zealous treatment and antibiotic use. You are doing such a huge service to Georgia by providing her with probiotic rich foods too! You are just an all around great mom. :) Oh, a tip on your healing and recovery...increase your protein consumption to speed things along.
ReplyDeleteCoconut oil is the bomb!!! I use it for everything. My dog has chronic conjunctivitis and the drops the vet gave us were expensive and didn't seem to clear up the "goo". I started smearing coconut oil around her eyes and it is almost cleared up. The vet is so curious as to how I am "curing" her without expensive medicine;-)
ReplyDeleteI am keeping that garlic oil treatment in my back pocket for now to use when the twins get ear infections. THANK YOU!!!!
My children are all adults, but some of them had almost constant ear infections when they were little. A doctor finally thought to ask me if I let them play in the bathtub and lie back in the tub, with the bathwater getting into their ears. I'd never thought of that! After we put a stop to that, no more ear infections.
ReplyDeleteBreast milk works for eye infections. :) My baby girlie had a red goupy eye and so I would squirt a little breast milk in her eye every time she nursed and it went away very quickly. I'm glad you tried the garlic oil over antibiotics. Such a better route. Glad to read your post today...been missing you girl.
ReplyDeleteI would totally give Georgia breastmilk, if shes under the weather. It has so many immno-beneficial properties, that I would just add it to her raw milk. And Colloidial Silver drops are amazing for pink eye!
ReplyDeleteI am anxious to hear what the Dr had to say!
ReplyDeleteI was so excited that you posted this! I have been treating my 2 year old daughter (who looks just like Georgia btw) for an ear infection. I am a huge fan of Lymphnode Massage as a preventative. The massage helps to drain any fluid present so the ear will never get infected. This has worked many times for her. This time, I knew the ear was indeed infected because she was running a temperature of 102.4. I put garlic oil drops in her ears and gave Colloidal Silver orally and did a lymphnode massage with garlic oil. Lavender Essential oil also works well to massage around the ear. The garlic oil drops in the ear didn't seem like quite enough to kick the infection this time so I used Colloidal Silver drops in the ear as well. She's now back to normal, but I'm still continuing the massage daily until all the phlem from this flu virus is gone.
ReplyDeletei love reading your posts! Im a crunchy momma to 4 wild boys ages 7,5,3 and 1. This is my first time commenting, and these are my favorite remedies.
ReplyDeleteChiropractic care, an absolute must, from a few days old and at every developmental stage, (sitting, crawling walking ect..)
When they are feeling a little/ or a lot under the weather @ nap and night time I rub Oil of Oregano, and Tea Tree oil on the souls of their feet and under their arms.
Both oils are anti viral, anti bacterial and anti fungal
I also open all the windows in the house for at least 15min a day (in winter) and change the sheets and pillow cases.
I have also used breast milk for newborn sticky eye, ans it works but none of my boys have had pink eye.
I have used breastmilk for pink eye on infants and even adults and it works like magic.
ReplyDeleteHopefully you won't need it again, but if so give it a try.
Number one reason for ear infections in children....milk.
ReplyDeleteYep, good advice here. I ALWAYS do the garlic oil for ear infections. My kids all have small ear canals, and are prone to infections after head colds. Garlic oil always does the trick. I do breastmilk now for pinkeye also, after my son had a HORRIBLE allergic reaction to pinkeye antibiotic drops as a baby. I'll never do the eye drops again. Scary. I also do chamomile tea, and Eye Bright for pinkeye, when I don't have breastmilk. Good for you for going with your gut!!
ReplyDeleteI have a few natural remedy tricks, but I am learning so much new stuff here. Awesome.
ReplyDeletebrenda from ar