Olbas oil in babies under 3 months - why not?

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My girl has had a terrible cough on and off for weeks, hv told us to put olbas oil in warm water at night for her to decongest.
She said to out quite a few drops in as they dispel easily and wear off quickly.
But it says not for under 3 months, does this mean not to put directly on them or their clothes under 3 months or even in the air?

We used it when DS was little. We put some drops on a muslin which was then tied above his cot. The HV told us to do this. I think that it shouldn't be put on baby's skin or get too close to them.

We used it when DS was little. We put some drops on a muslin which was then tied above his cot. The HV told us to do this. I think that it shouldn't be put on baby's skin or get too close to them.

Yes should be fine just keep it well out of reach and not on their skin or bedding. Olbas oil is miraculous stuff, only thing that helps my DS when he has one of his very frequent coughs.

I usually put blocks under the head end of the cot to raise it slightly, then put bowl of boiling water on floor / low table next to cot with a good few shakes of
Olbas oil in it. Replace the water every couple of hours as necessary.

It probably requires more rigorous testing for companies to get a licence to market something for newborns, and this is expensive so they don't bother and just put 3 months +.

It's the same with toys - that's why so many say suitable from 36 months when they really don't need to be.

Thanks for that ladies, I used some the other day in a bowl of hot water and put near us and it was quite strong Smelling but wore off very quickly ( within 15 mins ) so probably not making much difference.
Maybe better to put near her on a muslin :-)

Children's Olbas Oil "a gentle formulation for the smaller members of the family - even ones as young as three months old"

Maybe use this one.

Not long after putting Olbas Oil on muslin tied above cot, one of our babies had to be hospitalised for breathing difficulties. Probably coincidence (that's what the hospital said) but I never felt confident to use it on small babies again. This was 16y ago and I don't remember the warnings about

Sorry should have said, the baby was 8w old.

Yuuule : what do you mean by breathing difficulties? As in coughing?

Sorry, I maybe shouldn't have linked it to the Olbas. As I said it was me that made the possible connection and it was me that felt uneasy about using it again. Hospital were dismissive when I suggested it. I don't want to panic anyone.

My 8w baby's breathing difficulties were that she couldn't breathe. As she was in the same room as us we were alerted to this. If she had been in her own room she would likely have been found in the morning. The hospital took 1 and half hours to stabilise her (antibiotics, lumbar puncture) and the episode is recorded as a near-miss cot-death. She was fine on release from hospital 3 days later (iv antibiotics and observation).

Other suggestions were put forward for the cause but no-one had any answers. I just wondered if the Olbas had anything to do with it (too strong for an 8wo? interrupted her breathing rhythm?) I was probably looking for answers that weren't there and understandably avoided anything that could have been remotely responsible.

That sounds awful :-(
I hope she was okay soon after?
I'm exactly the same, the moment one of my children are I'll I overthink what could have caused it and my mind runs away :-(
I've heard of olbas oil being a skin irritant for babies hence why not to put it on skin and also can irritate the mucous membrane so could cause coughing if placed under the nose but never breathing problems, although every baby is different.
Hope she's okay now!

She's fine. :)

My DD was 8 wks when she got a really bad cold. My gp advised dabbing snufflebabe on her blankets and grows, just not directly on her. Worked a treat.

Olbas Oil is toxic would'nt have the stuff in my house.