If I had a dollar for every time my daughter said, “Mom, my tummy hurts,” I’d probably be blogging from a beach in Hawaii.

As a mom, it can feel like you’re constantly playing detective—especially when your child can’t quite explain what’s wrong. Is she hungry? Does she need to poop? Is it just gas? Or worse, is it something serious?

I know that spiral. One minute it’s a stomach ache, the next your brain is whispering “What if it’s something really bad?”

Parenting is hard. Caring for your family’s health can be overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to feel powerless.

That’s why I created my herbal first aid kit—a toolbox filled with simple, effective remedies that help me confidently care for my kids with herbs and essential oils that actually work.

In this post, I’m sharing the 5 essential remedies I keep on hand, exactly how I use them, and how you can start building your own kit with ease.

At Seeds and Stalks, I believe every home deserves a healing toolkit—and every mom can become the confident, capable caretaker of her family’s health.

When it comes to choosing what goes into your kit, here’s what really matters:

✅ Versatility

Every remedy should support multiple systems (think: digestion, skin, nervous system). Fewer ingredients, more uses.

✅ Accessibility

Herbs and oils should be easy to find, grow, or buy affordably. No rare unicorn plants here.

✅ Family-Friendly Safety

Everything I recommend has a strong track record of safe use, especially when it comes to kids.

✅ Ease of Use

You don’t need complicated recipes or hours in the kitchen. A tea, tincture, or steam should take minutes—because #momlife.

These are my top picks for first aid—used in my home constantly, trusted deeply, and relied on during everything from upset tummies to seasonal sniffles.

There are some general safety guidelines to follow when using herbs and essential oils. First and foremost, although herbs and essential oils are plants and/or produced from plant matter and are natural, it should not be assumed that just because they are natural they are 100% safe. It is important to note that there are hundreds of herbs and essential oils and they all contain different constituents making them incredibly different. 

You don’t need to be a trained herbalist or aromatherapist to use herbs safely. But here’s what you should know:

✔️ Start Simple

Master a few remedies before expanding your apothecary. Trust me, a small, thoughtful kit goes a long way.

It is best to start off learning about a small number of herbs and essential oils then adding more to your collection as you go. My favorite way is to start with 5 different herbs/essential oils and learn about those 5. Then when you’ve mastered the first 5, add 5 more and keep building. Not only will this approach help you to concentrate your learning, it will also save you money from purchasing unnecessary oils!

✔️ Ask Yourself Questions to Decide What Remedy to Use:

• What’s the goal? (pain relief, digestion, calm)
• What do I have that matches that need?
• What’s the easiest, safest way to apply it?

✔️ Dilute Essential Oils Properly:

In the context of this blog post and it’s application of general first aid for the lay person, when using essential oils, and especially with children of any ages, proper dilution is imperative. See the dilution chart in my Build Your Herbal First Aid Kit or my blog post on Essential Oils to learn more about proper dilution. 

NOTE:  Just like other modalities of natural health, trained aromatherapists often use essential oils differently than the lay person because they have received training on advanced applications. I commonly recommend inhalation and topical to the general population. Essential oils can also be ingested; however, it is not recommended that you ingest essential oils unless you have received advanced training. Likewise, the use of essential oils undiluted, or neat, is also not recommended without advanced training. Yes, essential oils can be used internally and undiluted and there are specific ways to do so with additional safety cautions.

✔️ Use Trusted Resources:

I like to purchase these books from Mountain Rose Herbs!

• Herbal Medicine from the Heart of the Earth and Herbal ABCs by Dr. Sharol Tilgner 
• Alchemy of Herbs by Rosalee De La Foret
• The Healing Garden by Juliet Blankespoor
• The Modern Herbal Dispensatory by Thomas Easley

Join Herbal Academy’s Herbarium where you’ll have access to herbal monographs, mini courses, and tons of reference material!

✔️ Know When to Call Your Provider:

This blog post and guide is for educational purposes only. Please see the terms and conditions of this website for additional safety information. 

Most importantly, if something doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts. Herbalism and conventional medicine can work side by side.

🫁 Trouble breathing (wheezing, gasping, or shortness of breath)

🧒 High fever that doesn’t improve after 2–3 days or spikes quickly

💢 Severe or unrelenting pain (abdominal, head, chest, etc.)

😴 Extreme fatigue, confusion, or difficulty waking

🚫 Persistent vomiting or diarrhea (especially if dehydrated)

🔴 Uncontrolled bleeding or deep wounds

🧠 Head injury with vomiting, confusion, or loss of consciousness

🧑‍⚕️ Allergic reactions (swelling of lips/tongue, difficulty breathing, rash spreading rapidly)

🩺 Signs of serious infection (red streaks, heat, swelling, pus)

🐍 Bites from unknown insects or animals, especially if swelling worsens quickly

Herbs and essential oils can cause adverse reactions. It is suggested that you discontinue using essential oils if you experience any adverse effects. Please consult with your licensed provider before using essential oils for any medical conditions.

These five remedies are just the beginning.

If you’re ready to take the next step, grab my free guide: Build Your Herbal First Aid Kit.

Inside you’ll get:

• ✅ My exact product recommendations (and where to buy them)

• ✅ A printable checklist to keep your kit organized

• ✅ A decision-making framework to guide you in any situation

• ✅ A shopping guide, essential oil dilution chart, and more

👉 Click here to download your free guide

Let’s make sure you have what you need to take care of your family naturally and effectively.

Natural remedies don’t have to be intimidating or complicated.

With just a few versatile herbs and essential oils, you can begin caring for your family with confidence—and without panic.

You don’t need to be an expert. You just need to start