Read Part 1 of this post here to find out why I started researching natural remedies for preventing and treating ear infections.

First things first, let me begin by saying that I am not a doctor, nurse, or any kind of medical expert. I am a homeschooling mama of four with a background in Middle Childhood Through Early Adolescent Education. What I am about to share is based on my own research and experience. Please be sure to do your own research--including consulting your child's pediatrician, when necessary. I truly believe that a mother's gut-intuition is the best indicator when something is not right with her child, so please listen to your instincts and get professional help if needed.

{Garlic Olive Oil/Ear Oil}

Because of the pediatrician's negative comments about the ear oil, I had not ordered it right away. When Theo's cold symptoms began, I immediately kicked myself for holding off. I hopped on Amazon and somehow lucked into being given the option of free one-day shipping.

In the meantime, I had asked one of my favorite bloggers about how she had nipped her son Honor's ear infection in the bud. She explained a simple recipe and method, as well as her experience that the garlic oil had always worked, as long as she caught the ear infection early enough. Based on her advice as well as instructions from Wellness Mama, I made my own garlic olive oil. Here's what I did:

Ingredients:

• 1 clove of fresh garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons high-quality olive oil (Actually, I just used the Great Value brand we had in our cupboard.)

Directions:

1. In a small pan, heat the oil on your stove's lowest setting.
2. Add minced garlic, and allow the garlic to infuse for twenty minutes.
3. Strain the oil and discard the garlic.
4. Cool the oil to skin temperature. (I popped mine in the refrigerator and checked it with a candy thermometer before applying. Four minutes did the trick for me.)
5. Using a dropper, place about two drops in the ear twice a day or as needed.

Note: The garlic oil is not shelf stable, so you will need to make a new batch every 24 hours.

Not only does the garlic oil stave off infection, but the warm oil also provides immediate pain relief.

Now that I have used both the storebought and homemade versions of the oil, I think that they are both effective in preventing and treating ear infections. The homemade garlic oil smells delicious. I kind of wanted to stick a breadstick in Theo's ear after applying the oil. (Kidding!) The Wally's brand smells more like a combination of essential oils. (Pleasant, but not as mouth-watering.)

{Chiropractic Care}

After I lamented about the boys' seemingly chronic ear infections on social media, a couple friends recommended that I try taking the boys to a chiropractor. I wasn't really sure how having their spines adjusted would help prevent or treat ear infections, but several people swore by this, and I was willing to try anything if it meant avoiding those horrible antibiotics. At the first sign of drippy noses, I scheduled appointments for Logan and Theo to see a chiropractor.

Turns out, adjusting the spine ensures that the body's nervous system is functioning optimally, resulting in a more effective immune system. Our chiropractor spent some time massaging the area behind the boys' ears and neck, which I'm guessing might help the flow of fluids through the sinuses. The chiropractor also advised me to give the boys probiotics on a regular basis (even when they are not sick) to aid their immune systems. (He recommended doubling up the dose if the boys did end up with ear infections.)

{Probiotics}

I decided to follow the chiropractor's advice and start giving the boys probiotics on a daily basis. The downside to this is that probiotics are expensive. I'm no expert on probiotics, but I think the best kind are the ones the require refrigeration. (I had purchased Florajen, which I heard was very good, from Walgreen's.) I tried to find something a bit more reasonably priced, so I landed on this one for Theo. (I just grind it up with the back of a spoon and stir it into his probiotic yogurt). Logan didn't like the flavor of those, so I gave him some Walgreen's brand "Probiotic Yogurt Gummies" that I had in our cupboard. (Sorry, I couldn't find a link to them online.)

{Oldies But Goodies: Essential Oils + Cool Mist Humidifier}

I've used essential oils (EOs) and a cool-mist humidifier all along, so I can't say that their use alone prevents ear infections. However, I continue to use them because I still believe they offer some benefit. I'm not an EO expert, but I do know you have to be careful with what you diffuse around and apply topically to children, so I really like the Plant Therapy KidSafe brand. When my children have colds, I like to apply EOs at bedtime (and throughout the day, if I think of it). I apply this one to my children's spines and the bottoms of their feet, this one to their chest, and this one to their upper-lips. I also diffuse this one at any sign of illness in our house. I wish I were more proactive rather than reactive when it comes to EOs. (I usually forget to use them when we're healthy and only bust them out at the first sign of illness.) If I do happen to be on top of things, I like to support their immune systems by rolling this one onto their spines and the bottoms of their feet.

Per the advice of the boys' pediatrician, I always run a cool mist humidifier in their bedrooms at night when they have colds. Not only is the moist air more comfortable to breathe, but I guess germs have a more difficult time living in humid environments. Tip: To make my life easier when it comes to cleaning and maintaining the humidifier, I only fill it with distilled water.

{The Results}

"The proof is in the pudding," they say, and I am so excited to share my results with you! Since I started using natural remedies (garlic oil + chiropractic care + probiotics) Theo has had TWO colds, and Logan has had one (very long) cold, and NEITHER OF THEM HAS HAD AN EAR INFECTION! {Cue Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus."}

I should mention that I purchased an otoscope... you know, the tool doctors use to look in their patients' ears. I studied the pictures of healthy and unhealthy ears that came with the otoscope and watched a couple of YouTube videos, so I could get an idea of what to look for. (I also have a doctor friend who [bless her!] promised to show me how to use it and what to look for, but I haven't coordinated that with her yet.) Anyhoo, as Theo's cold progressed (and I continued to apply the garlic ear oil), I frequently monitored the condition of Theo's ears with my otoscope. They looked good to me! One morning, however, Theo took a very short morning nap and woke up very irritable. I immediately panicked and doubted myself and my examinations with the otoscope. (I'm not a doctor! I don't know how to use that thing or what I'm looking for!) I scheduled an appointment with the pediatrician and whisked Theo into the doctor's office. His pediatrician declared that not only did Theo's ears look uninfected, they looked "AWESOME, not even a tiny bit suspicious." These were her exact words, you guys! At the time, Theo had only had one chiropractor appointment, so if I had to attribute his AWESOME inner ears to any one thing, it would be the garlic oil.

Now, again, I'm not a doctor. I totally admit that Logan's and Theo's healthy ears could be attributed to any one of these remedies, a combination of them, or simply better fortune. But I'm telling you... I'm a big believer in these natural remedies! I wish I had known about them sooner, and I hope that this post will be a blessing to your family.

Here's a round-up of all of the goodies I mentioned:

Organic Ear Oil - I recommend getting a bottle of this even if you plan to make your own garlic oil. I really like the dropper, and it's nice to have some shelf-stable oil on hand.

Probiotics

Germ Destroyer EO Roll-On

Nighty-Night EO Roll-On

Sniffle Stopper EO Roll-On

Germ Destroyer Undiluted Blend (for diffusing)

Immune Boom EO Roll-On

Crane Cool Mist Humidifier (There's a 10%-off coupon on Amazon right now!)

Otoscope