Is Earthing Safe and Beneficial for Your Baby?

Can babies and infants benefit from grounding (earthing)? And more importantly, is it safe for them? Grounding for infants is a topic of growing interest among parents looking for natural ways to support their baby’s health. In this article, we’ll explain what grounding could mean for infants, the potential benefits, and the precautions to keep little ones safe.

What is Grounding?

Grounding means touching the Earth directly so that your body picks up the Earth’s mild electrical charge. Adults do this by walking barefoot outside or using grounding sheets or grounding mats indoors. Some reported benefits in adults include better sleep, calmer moods, and reduced inflammation.

The idea is that the Earth’s electrons can help stabilise our nervous system and body rhythms. When it comes to babies, proponents suggest that infants might also experience calming effects or improved sleep from safe grounding practices.

Could Grounding Help Babies?

Babies naturally spend a lot of time barefoot or being held, which means they often make skin contact with a parent or the ground. There isn’t much formal research on grounding specifically for infants yet. However, one fascinating study looked at premature infants in a hospital setting.

When these preemies were connected to a grounding wire (which simply linked them to the Earth’s electrical field), researchers noted a significant improvement in their vagal tone – an important measure of how calm and stable the nervous system is. The babies’ skin voltage dropped by 95%, and their vagal tone (measured via heart rate patterns) increased by 67% during grounding.

Vagal tone is associated with better stress regulation and better digestion. In fact, doctors observed that improving vagal tone could help protect infants from complications like intestinal disorders.

This small study (Passi et al., 2017) suggests that grounding may help infants relax, which in turn might support their growth and recovery in the early weeks of life.

Outside of a hospital, parents have anecdotally reported that grounding helps babies who are fussy or have trouble sleeping. For example, letting a baby play barefoot on grass for a few minutes or holding a baby while you stand barefoot in the backyard might soothe them.

Some moms and dads also use specially made grounding bedsheets or mats under supervision, noting that their babies seem calmer. It’s important to remember that every child is different – and what works for one might not for another.

Overall, a bit of gentle outdoor time (with appropriate weather and supervision) can be a healthy, calming experience for most infants.

Safety First

If you decide to try grounding with your infant, safety is the top priority. Here are a few tips:

1. Never leave babies unattended during grounding. If you’re outdoors, ensure the area is safe (no sharp objects or choking hazards within reach). If you’re using an indoor grounding device, do not place wires or cords where the baby can grab or get tangled in them. Experts urge that no baby’s crib sheet should be directly attached to an electrical outlet in a way the infant can access. Always use grounding products exactly as instructed and designed – this means using only certified grounding bedsheets that have built-in safety resistors.
2. Consult your pediatrician: Before using a grounding device for an infant (such as a grounding mat in the crib), it’s wise to discuss it with a pediatrician. Doctors may not all be familiar with earthing, but you can explain what it is. They can at least provide guidance on general safety and whether it might affect any medical devices (for instance, if your baby uses a monitor).
3. Use common sense with weather: Just as adults shouldn’t go barefoot outside during a storm, you shouldn’t ground your baby outdoors in unsafe conditions. Also, an infant should be dressed appropriately – grounding doesn’t require them to be cold or exposed to the elements. You might simply hold your baby’s bare feet to your chest while you yourself are grounded, for example.

It’s encouraging that early research indicates grounding can positively affect infants’ physiology. The study in preterm infants found grounded babies had better autonomic stability, which could mean less stress on their tiny bodies.

Parents who practice skin-to-skin contact (the well-known method of bonding and calming infants) might be interested to know that if the parent is also grounded (say, by standing barefoot), it could potentially amplify the calming effect.

Grounding an infant may gently engage their parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and digest” system), similar to cuddling or gentle rocking.

Important to Note

Grounding is not a cure-all. It won’t replace proper medical care, good nutrition, or safe sleep practices. Think of it as one more tool in the wellness toolkit.

For instance, if your baby has colic or is very fussy, grounding time might help a little by soothing their nerves – but you’d still want to address feeding techniques, burping, or any possible medical causes of discomfort. Always make sure the basics (clean diaper, not too hot or cold, fed, and loved) are covered.

Conclusion

In summary, infant grounding is generally gentle and low-risk when basic precautions are taken. Letting your baby connect with the Earth can be as simple as a few minutes of barefoot play on a blanket in the yard, or a short cuddle outdoors. Many parents report their babies seem more content and sleepier after a little earthing time.

While scientific research on babies and grounding is still in early stages, what we do know about infants’ health – like the importance of touch, nature, and a calm environment – aligns with the idea that grounding could be beneficial.

As long as you put safety first, grounding might be a lovely way to help your little one feel more serene and connected.

References

1. Passi, R., Doheny, K. K., Gordin, Y., Hinssen, H., & Palmer, C. (2017). Electrical grounding improves vagal tone in preterm infants. Neonatology, 112(2), 187–192. DOI: 10.1159/000475744
2. Oschman, J. L., Chevalier, G., & Brown, R. (2015). The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Journal of Inflammation Research, 8, 83–96. DOI: 10.2147/JIR.S69656