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• Don't let a child with a stomach bug sleep in the top bunk! (NormaSknockers)
• To prevent your child catching nits, add a drop of tea tree oil to the blob of shampoo each time they have their hair washed. (AnnieShamrockInYourEar)
• If you've had a stressful day with your children and the atmosphere at bathtime is not as calm as you'd like, get into the bath with them. It works wonders, calms you down, and they just love being able to throw water at Mummy for once!
• If your child has a cold, put a few drops of lavender and eucalyptus oils on a damp flannel and place on their bedroom radiator. The aroma should ease night-time congestion. (Cupcakesgalore)
• Get rid of the smell of sick with bicarbonate of soda. Mix a little bit in with warm water and rub it into the cleaned up vomit patch on your carpet. The smell and stain will disappear really quickly. (Moosh)
• Golden rule of parenting - never try to do anything with your child if they are tired or hungry. My life was transformed when I realised this!
• When taking a sick child to the doctors, dress them in the minimum and never in an all-in-one outfit. It makes the examination much easier all round. (margesimpson)
• Give your kids' teeth names of family or friends. They'll think it's great fun to 'give cousin Milo a good brush' and that makes toothbrush time a lot less stressful. (Lizz)
• In hot weather, if your child suffers from eczema or heat rash keep all their skin creams in the fridge. That way the cream will cool them down rather than make them hotter. (muminaquandry)
• Put two or more pillow cases on your child's pillow when they have a cold and blocked nose, then when they have slimed all over the pillow during the night, it's a quick change - no fuss. (Thepuddingchef)
• An easy way to remove plasters is to rub them with a little oil. It dissolves the adhesive and they just slide off. (snorris)
• If your child has been sick down their front, place a towel over their chest whilst removing the top. It stops sick getting into their hair. (Blueskythinker)
• If your child has eczema, use porridge oats in their bath to soothe and moisturise their skin. Just place a handful in a sock, tie it up and place in the water. (ampfarm)
• If your baby has a runny nose, smear a bit of vaseline under his/her nostrils. It stop them getting all chapped and seems to prevent noses from running! (cameroonmama)
• If a child is about to vomit the temptation is to hold them away from you... Resist! Having a shower is much easier than shampooing a carpet! (weeone)
• Keep a tube of Aloe Vera gel in the fridge. Great for stings, burns, or any sore skin. Ok for babies and sensitive skin, clear gel that soothes, never stings and doesn't stain clothing. (LemonTart)
• Always keep a 'bag for life' type carrier in the glove compartment of the car for those "mummy I feel sick" moments. (Fimbo)
• Keep a couple of plasters in your purse. They don't take up any room and will stem the flow of any grazes while you are out until you can get home. (superfurryanimal)
• Shaving foam is a life saver when dealing with lumpy sick. Spray it over the 'bits', leave it to go hard and then you can pick it up in one go! (vole3)
• If your child bites thier tongue or lip and it bleeds, give them cold milk to drink. It takes the pain away and stops the bleeding. (LowFat)
• Make a simple heat pack by filling a cotton sock with plain, uncooked rice. Tie a knot at the end to secure, then microwave for two minutes. Apply to aching backs or sore tummies in labour. (mrsmalumbas)
• Give your kids' teeth names of family or friends. It's great fun to 'give cousin Milo a good brush' and it gets their teeth really clean at the same time. (Lizz)
• If administering medicine is a problem, do the evening dose while they're in the bath - if they spit it out, you can easily wipe it down. (fms)
• Play doctors/dentists at home with your children. This will get them used to what may happen at the surgery or in the big chair and makes it fun, not scary. (saiz)
• Keep a dark coloured face cloth in the kitchen to deal with cut knees. The dark colour disguises the blood which calms your patient down. (Albertsmum)
• A few tablespoons of Bicarbonate of Soda into baby's bath helps nappy rash. (Grommit)
• Get your toddler to drink water instead of sqaush by using a sports water bottle. They'll love feeling grown up and won't notice that it's just water. (ggirl)
• Rather than wasting money on a baby bath, use a plastic storage box which is just as easy, but still of use to baby and you when they go in the real bath. (poppyh)
• To keep track of when a poorly child had his last dose of medicine, stick a post-it note on the box and a pen inside to keep a note of the time it was given. Throw the note away when they're better! (SorenLorenson)
• Chicken Pox: if you're finding it a battle to get the calomine lotion on your toddler, try making it a painting game with cotton buds. Now mine even asks for body painting time! (mammamic)
• Chicken Pox: if you're finding it a battle to get the calamine lotion on your toddler, try making it a painting game with cotton buds. Now mine even asks for body painting time! (mammamic)
• To soothe nappy rash, try putting a muslin or cloth soaked in camomile tea inside the nappy for a while - works wonders! (Looby4)
• To soothe nappy rash, try putting a muslin or cloth soaked in camomile tea inside the nappy for a while - works wonders! (Looby4)
• If your child has nits, try using Australian Tea Tree oil. Massage into the head (with a little normal shampoo), leave for 10-15 minutes and then rinse out. Works like a dream. (megg)
• To make it easier to cut tiny fingernails, try it when they are asleep. It saves all that wriggling around. (pedilia)
• If your child struggles when you try to brush their teeth, try using a hand puppet flannel. My 2yo dd lets moo cow help far more than Mummy is ever allowed to! (ManchesterMum)
• Make up a solution of soapy water in an empty liquid soap bottle for one handed hand washing for those moments when you cannot put your screaming baby down after changing. (HausFrau)
• Use any leftover nipple cream as heel balm to rub into your feet, cuticle cream for your nails and lip balm - perfect! (Coolmama)
• If your child is reluctant to keep a hat on during sunny weather, try getting some badges that they will like and pin one to the brim for every half an hour they wear the hat. (wilbur)
• When your toddler falls over and hurts their mouth/lips/teeth, give them a small ice-lolly to suck; the swelling will go down like magic. (morningpaper)
• If your child hates being checked for nits, offer them 10p an egg and 20p a bug! Child is guaranteed to sit still and parent encouraged to check regularly to keep the cost down! (Bon)
• If little ones have cracked and sore skin under their noses when they have a cold, put a little baby oil in a hanky. It makes the hanky softer and helps moisturise the sore bit. (gscrym)
• To remove a sticking plaster painlessly, rub a piece of cotton wool saturated in baby oil over the surface first. (Suzie333)
• Check whether or not all medicines you give your child - prescribed and over the counter- contain colouring. These can affect some children- their behaviour - which you may mistakenly put down to their illness. (emasp)
• Check whether or not all medicines you give your child - both prescribed and over the counter - contain colouring. These can affect some children's behaviour. (emasp)
• If you have trouble getting your toddler to drink water, pour it into an unusual vessel such as plastic stacking 'cups'. My son is so thrilled by this, the water is gone in seconds and he is asking for more. (Cecelia)
• A good way to get rid of cradle cap is to gently rub baby oil in to your baby's scalp, leave over night and wash in morning. (chloesophiemum)
• If you child falls try this simple trick - it really works! As long as the skin is not broken, cut an onion in half and rub on the area, it will ensure minimum bruising! (dabihp)
• Metanium ointment is the very best thing I have found for curing a nasty nappy rash. It's quite messy - so watch your clothes but really does the job. (ChanelNo5)
• Attend a first aid course for babies as soon as possible. They are often run by your local hospital and are free of charge and they could be a life-saver. (shazaroo1)
• To make it easier to cut tiny fingernails, try it when they are asleep. (pedilia)
• I found that a herbal aloe gel was really effective at getting rid of infant eczema ( works for older children too). Its all natural, no nasty chemicals. I also use it on my face to combat wrinkles! Better than expensive creams! I got mine from an order line 01 865 321900 (kangeroo)
• If your baby has eczema keep small containers of emollient everywhere - in the car, the change bag and every room in the house - so you can put it on whenever you get a spare moment. They say you can't use too much emollient! (vivie)
• Don't continue to sterilise bottles after your child has started crawling. I did, until one day it dawned on me that if they hadn't become ill from all the germs on the floor, how unlikely was it that they would catch something from an unsterilised bottle! (soapbox)
• Invest in a Thermoscan Ear Thermometer. It's quick, easy to use and there is a display light for easy night time reading. (Mez75)
• To get your toddler to drink water instead of sqaush, try a sports water bottle. They'll love feeling grown up and consequently won't notice it isn't sweet. (Polly28)
• If your child has chicken pox, keep the calamine lotion in the fridge. It makes it far more cooling and soothing. (Coops)
• When struggling to get a child to take some less than tasty medicine, try mixing it with a few drops of concentrated blackcurrent squash - will make it taste better and the pink colour might look more like their favourite medicine.... (Mo2)
• To encourage regular and enthusiastic toothbrushing and hairwashing, let your older chidren choose their own toothbrushes, toothpaste and shampoo. (Tigermoth)
• One of the best things I ever did for my family was to switch GP practices when I wasn't happy with ours. If there's a choice in your area, do some research and find the best medical care possible. It can really improve your life. (expatkat)
• If your baby suffers colic, try peeling the skin of an orange and leaving it to infuse in a bowl of boiling water for about 15 minutes. When cool pour the water into a bottle for your baby. (JAMoma)
• A brilliant solution to cradle cap - rub olive oil into your baby's head, leave on over night or and the following morning comb through with a finely toothed nit comb. It comes out SO easily. (monty)
• If your newborn has a cold and is all stuffed up, express a bit of breast milk on to some cotton wool and drip it up their noses - it helps to clear it up. (Nisnat)
• When your children have chicken pox or an itchy rash pour the calamine lotion into a clean spray bottle( if the lotion is a little too thick to spray just add a little water). You can get the lotion directly where you want it, it's quicker if you need to give them a thorough coating and it's a bit more fun! (Chiccadum)
• Lock away your essential oils today. Our playgroup had a talk from an A&E consultant at the kids hospital who said that any essential oil (packaged in small brown bottles) can and will kill a child if s/he drinks the lot. (Yearzero)
• Get your baby used to toothbrushes before they get teeth. Give them the smallest toothbrush you can find to chew on. Once their teeth come through brushing will be a natural progression. (MalmoMum)
• When your child is having trouble sleeping because of a snuffly cold/cough try a vaporiser. They're not cheap but so good that we have one per child! (nmd)
• If you are struggling to get your baby to brush his/her teeth, use two brushes and let them brush your teeth with one whilst you do theirs with the other. (mexico)
• Take your child to the dentist from when they get their first tooth. This makes any subsequent visits less scary (like the emergency dental treatment my child needed after slipping on a tiled floor!) (soraya)
• After struggling to convince my two year old to take her antibiotics on a spoon and having her spit it everywhere, my husband disguised it by putting it in fruit juice and she drank it with no problems! (ellamum)
• If your baby is breastfed, give it a feed when it has its innoculations - it's harder to cry with a mouthful and feeding can be very reassuring for both of you! (lynnw)
• If you have a tetchy toddler with chickenpox, a great way to apply the clamine is with a paint brush. Better still, let the toddler to pain themselves! (JoeR)
• If your child doesn't like having their teeth checked by you, try turning it into a game where you 'see' things in their mouth while you're brushing. My 3yr old dd loves this, and finds it hilarious when I see fairies, witches, teddy bears and all sorts of other things hiding in her teeth!! (Fionamc)
• After struggling to convince my two year old to take her antibiotics on a spoon and having her spit it everywhere, my husband disguised it by putting it in fruit juice and she drank it with no problem! (ellasmum)
• If your child has eczema and scratches at night, sew a pair of cotton socks or mittens onto the arms of their babygrow or pyjamas, then they can't make themselves sore. (Bowesy)
• If your toddler battles against cleaning their teeth, try buying them an electric toothbrush. Our son really thinks it's fun now, and it probably means his teeth get a better brushing too. (Mo2)
• My daughter suffered from nappy rash within a week of being born. This is because I was using Pampers and Sudocream, both products contain lanolin, which my baby seems to be allergic to. Bought some Bee Balme produced in New Zealand from the 'First Born' shop which was brilliant, plus I changed to Huggies brand. (Greengage)
• If you can't get the teething gel into those troublesome nooks and crannies, try smearing some onto a dummy and offering this to your little one. (PixiePixie)
• If your child has earache, wrap a hot water bottle in a towel (if it isn't already in a cover) and get them to rest the sore ear on it. Very soothing. (emmagee)
• Superdrug do small 'see through' first aid packets that are perfect for handbags. They contain 4 or 5 plasters and antiseptic wipes all for about £1.50. (fms)
• Keep a small ice pack in the freezer (one that can easily be held by a small child) for when fingers/hands get shut in doors. Easier than trying to get your child to hold their hand under the tap. (bluestar)
• Cleaning a toddlers teeth can turn into a battle. Our solution has worked remarkably: cleaning them whilst he is in the bath. (Cecelia)
• Arnica cream is just fantastic on bruises. My son was unfortunately bitten by a friend recently. We got to the bite quickly (no broken skin), and applied arnica cream liberally. It really seemed to lessen the resulting bruise. (Rae)
• For nappy rash wet a tea bag and place in nappy against sore area. You may need to do this with a couple of nappy changes. Tea bag may colour baby's bottom but this will disappear by the next day. (SamH)
• Avoid spillages when giving your baby medicine by measuring it on to a spoon and then putting it in to a teat - but do make sure you put your finger over the end of the teat while pouring the medicine in. (twin)
• Before your baby has any teeth try giving them a soft baby toothbrush to play with/chew on. Once they have teeth, they will be used to the idea of a toothbrush and will be only too happy to let you clean them without a struggle. (sparkle)
• When your child falls, put milk of magnesia (yes, the stomach stuff) on the sore area. It cools it down and has prevented my son from some pretty nasty bruises. (annmaire)
• A great way to sooth a baby when they are teething is to let them bite on an ice-pop or small ice lolly. The coolness against there sore gums and something sweet, works a treat. (cuddly)
• If your baby has a cold, put two (equal sized) large books under the feet at the head of the cot - helps to stop them getting bunged up at night. Airport block buster type novels work well! (bossykate)
• Always keep in stock some ice cream, fromage frais, smash and anything else soft or cold for those teething days when anything requiring chewing will just not do. (Joe1)
• Keep the baby sheets from your moses basket and lay under an older baby's head when they have a cold. You can just change this daily instead of the whole sheet if it gets dirtied with snot. (indie)
• Try Calendula cream on rashes, mild exczema, dry patches etc. A member writes: use it in preference to the barrier creams as they just block the pores.
• Mix a drop of washing up liquid with powder paints before the little Michaelangelos begin their masterpieces. The debris will be much easier to clean up afterwards.
• Save potty training until the Summer. There's less clothing to whip off at the crucial moment. Not to mention less washing if you're too late.
• Chill out. There's no such thing as a perfect parent and don't forget to organise a night off now and again. You deserve it.
• I always carry a 'busy bag' in my handbag for when my 2yr and I are kept waiting (e.g. doctor's surgery, bank queues) and he starts to climb the walls with boredom. It contains small items such as toy car, colouring pencils, small notepad, pocket etch-a-sketch, yo-yo, etc. Whipped out at the right time, it can keep him busy for a good 20 minutes: just long enough to prevent world war 3!
• We found that the best cure for nappy rash was olive oil. Dab cotton wool into a bowl of olive oil and spread generously on the baby's bottom - it works miracles! It works especially well overnight. (emilys)
• I sit my toddler on the edge of the kitchen sink to wash his hands after a meal. Sounds a simple way to clean up but it took me 2 years and a variety of cloths, flannels and kitchen towels before I thought of it!
• If you have a clever toddler who taught themselves to escape their harness in the car or pram by slipping their arms out, thread the two shoulder straps through a thick hair elastic, so the band sits at the back of their neck. If they try to take the shoulder straps down, the elastic keeps the strap in place and is comfortable for the infant.
• If you're trying to go out with more than one child, get everybody totally ready, individually, in decending order of age - start with yourself, then the oldest child, finishing with the baby who is least able to occupy themself after having had your attention.
• I was getting fed up with chasing my 21-month son around the landing with a loaded toothbrush, now I brush his teeth while in the bath - there's nowhere to run, nowhere to hide!
• To help combat allergies, don't introduce cow's milk to your baby's diet before 12 months, or eggs before 10 months.
• Soothe a fractious or restless child with some (safe) essential oils. Add one drop of Chamomile to the evening bath and once child is dry, massage with long gentle movements (works for parents too!).
• When children have a high temperature they rarely want to drink, yet it's essential to give them fluids. One thing my children will never turn down is an ice pop! Perfect for this situation, it gives them fluid and is nice and cool. I always keep a box in the freezer for such an occasion.
• To help your baby combat food allergies, introduce new foods one at a time, several days apart, to check for a reaction.
• If your baby has chronic colic, try taking them to a cranial osteopath. If you're London based, the Children's Osteopathy Centre on Harley Street only charges £15 a session and will even charge less if you can't afford it. It worked brilliantly for us.
• If your child doesn't like having their hair washed because the water goes in their eyes, try letting them wear swimming goggles - most kids think this is great fun!
• I was getting fed up with chasing my 21-month son around the landing with a loaded toothbrush, now I brush his teeth while in the bath - there's nowhere to run, nowhere to hide!
• I used to struggle to get my 2 1/2 year old to brush his teeth. Then I started telling him that I saw little trolls waving to me from his mouth and we need to brush them away. (He thinks that the old troll from 'The Three Billy Goats Gruff is realy bad). Works like a dream!
• If your toddler's reluctant to let you clean their teeth, look out for a toothbrush with their favourite character on it. I picked up a Winnie the Pooh toothbrush by chance and it's transformed the bedtime routine. All we say is 'let's find Winnie the Pooh' and she's happy to open wide.
• If your baby has a blocked up nose and is having trouble sleeping, buy a pipette bottle and some sachets of saline solution from the chemist and squirt a bit up each nostril before bedtime. It loosens everything up and she'll be able to breathe more easily.
• If your baby has a rotten cold lift the cot at one end, using some books for example. Works well because the mucas runs away instead of blocking baby's nose.
• After treating my son's hair with smelly lotion for head lice a couple of times and the lice coming back, I discovered a battery-operated lice comb that can be used on dry hair (ours came from Argos). The head lice problem is now gone and we use it most days as a preventative measure.
• If your child has a food intolerance to milk/colourings, make your own advent calendar. I used 24 mini raisin boxes filled with hair bands, sweets, magnets - anything they would like that would fit. I wrapped the raisin boxes in paper, numbered them and blu-tacked them onto a painted cardboard cracker. The kids can't wait to get started and no longer want a 'boring' chocolate one.
• Our son had a cold for a fortnight and our new GP recommended taking him off all dairy products for 24 hours and it worked. Apparently dairy products provide the perfect medium for viruses to continue thriving in the body. You wouldn't normally think to take dairy out of a toddler's diet, but a couple of days aren't going to hurt and his general health has picked up astonishingly.
• There's a herbal treatment that really does kill headlice AND nits. It's brilliant. You only need one application and there's no wet combing. It's called Delacet and is not widely available but the number for orders is 020 8360 0386. (JP)
• If you've got a big day ahead - try a few drops of lavender oil in your chidren's (and your) bath. It's soothing and seems to pretty much guarantee a calmer night's sleep.
• Move your child from bottle to beaker as soon after his first birthday as possible. It will take a bit of effort to adjust but it's much easier doing it now than later (when they really know their own mind) and it's better for their teeth. (Jraven)
• Try giving teething babies those hard chewy fruit bars you can buy in health food shops. Keeps my son happy for ages and it's all natural ingredients. (Soup)
• If your child is suffering from a hacking cough, try soaking a cloth with water, adding a couple of drops of Olbas oil and putting it on the radiator of their room at night. It got us our first decent sleep in a week.
• If you want to avoid decay in your children's teeth chew xylitol gum. Children of mothers who chew this gum had 70% less decay at age 5. (robinw)
• If you have a sudden outbreak of spots (weren't they supposed to stop at 17?) try using Sudocreme. Sounds mad, I know, but it really does the trick. (Philly)
• I tried all the various recommended potions for cradle cap and the only thing that really worked was Olive oil. Oil them up just before bathtime and then just wash hair normally. Easy. (Ems)
• We found that the best cure for nappy rash was olive oil. Dab cotton wool into a bowl of olive oil and spread generously on the baby's bottom - it works miracles! It works especially well overnight. (emilys)
• If you have a baby who won't stop scratching at night, try safety pinning a pair of socks over their hands. Fold the sock back over the safety pin to avoid accidents. (noggin)
• If you've got a child in quarantine because of chicken pox, throw a chicken pox party inviting friends who've had it already. You can make spotty food (eg pancakes with blueberries) and draw spotty pictures (. Robbie)
• My teething daughter loves having her sore gums massaged with our electric toothbrush (strictly under supervision, of course). She'd seen us using it and was quite happy to have a go. (QD)
• If you have a period without hols/major events ahead, don't shy away from children with chickenpox. It's much better to have the illness as a child and it's a nightmare if your kids catch it just before a special event. (Cl)
• If your child is prone to being car sick try letting her sit in the front and use sea bands (bands that go around wrists on accupressure points - available from chemists). (DianeH)
• A teaspoon of vinegar stops hiccups but needs to be quickly followed by something that tastes nice. (Rosie68)
• For unsettled children over 12 months old, sprinkle a few chamomile heads (or use a chamomile tea bag), into a pan of milk. Heat slowly, stirring occasionally, strain off, and serve. It's really calming. (KarenThereasa)
• Before you put new shoes on a child put potato peel in the shoes and then put the shoes in a brown bag overnight. This ensures they don't get blisters. (gingerwinger)
• Make sure you have some fruit ice-lollies in the freezer for when your child is ill with a temperature and reluctant to eat and drink. (Ems)
• Infacol is one of the best inventions ever! I gave it to my little boy when he suffered from colic at 4 weeks, and I threw the gripe water away for good! I now buy everyone who is having a bady a bottle as a gift! (Niki)
• To ease teething pain add an ice cube to a bottle of very diluted juice. The combination of the cold liquid and teat seems to help. (Lozza)
• When my two year old daughter had a coldsore I put some teatree spot solver on it and the coldsore dried up in just a couple of days. (kid)
• If your child gets conjunctivitis, ask the doctor for the ointment, not the eye drops. The ointment can be pasted into the eye from the tip of a clean finger. We have found the drops completely impossible to deliver into the tightly clenched eye of a very wriggly, screaming toddler! (Lal)
• When bathing your baby use aqueous cream (available from the pharmacy in a big tub - v cheap) rather than soap - keeps their skin beautifully soft. (Elderberry)
• Camomile tea helps to clear up sticky eyes - just dab a bit (cooled!) on cotton wool to the affected area. (Elderberry)
• Another tip for bad nappy rash. Separate an egg and wipe the egg white onto the area affected by nappy rash. This forms a breathable barrier while the rash heals and is more natural than nappy creams. (Benjie)
• For colicky babies I strongly recommend Colief drops added to formula milk (cannot be used if breastfeeding unfortunately) - it worked like a miracle remedy for Fleur, who used to cry from 5-11pm, literally overnight. It's pricey and you may have to order it from your local chemist but it's worth every penny for them... and for you! (suzoo)
• A well aimed squirt of breast milk into a sticky eye of a new born( or anyone for that matter) is fantastic at clearing up eye infections. (boo321)
• I have found the best way to overcome fights when cleaning my toddler's teeth is to have two brushes. She plays with one under the running tap and she's quite happy for me to use another to clean them properly. (Jes)
• When my child was severly congested I used a steam steriliser without the lid on with olbas oil in and held her close to inhale the steam. It really worked well. (Puffin)
• When I was breastfeeding, I found Boots Antiseptic Nipple Spray to be really good at soothing any soreness. As it is a spray, you don't even have to touch any really tender bits and it helped to prevent infection. (ChanelNo5)
• If your child has head lice try using Australian Tea Tree oil, massage into the head (with a little normal shampoo), leave for 10-15 minutes and then rinse out. Works like a dream. (Selja)
• To help with blocked noses and nasty coughs invest in a humidifier that has a resevoir for essential oils/ econgestants. Start humidifier about five mins before putting baby to bed and add three drops Myrtle and three drops of Pine Needle to the resevoir. (HayleyJ)
• Soothe a restless child in the evening with some (safe) essential oils. Add one drop of Chamomile to baby's evening bath and once baby is dry massage with long gentle movements. Both Chamomile and Lavender are safe to use on babies and children, in moderation, and have excellent relaxing properties. (HayleyJ)
• When my children were due to have immunisation, I always told them what was going to happen, that it would hurt a bit, that they could yell if they wanted, and that we'd go and get a treat as soon as it was over. Obviously they still didn't enjoy it but they made hardly any fuss about it. (Pamela2)
• For getting rid of nappy rash use a hairdrier on cool setting after cleaning the bottom with cotton wool and water. Then apply the vaseline/zinc oxide/nappy cream. After a day the redness will be much better! (sar1)
• For colds and dry coughs, a humidifier is an essential piece of equipment. You can also add essential oils to the water for relaxation and easier breathing at night.