Pregnancy has always been a time when I have been so thankful for my knowledge of essential oils and aromatherapy. I am not one of those women who carry pregnancy beautifully. I gain tons of weight, have heartburn and gas, swell up and sleep all of the time. Even though I am not the perfect pregnancy specimen, I still feel like one with aromatherapy.
When I lived with midwives as a teen, I first saw the results of aromatherapy on pregnancy. For my own pregnancy, I expanded upon this knowledge. I discovered that a wonderful thing about aromatherapy when pregnant and after the babies are born is that it gives you a reason to take the time to heal and pamper yourself. What could be better than pampering “medicine”?
I originally formulated the following blends for myself in 1996. Pregnant women,midwives and doulas in the United States have since used them.
Leg Cramp Oil
This oil is so soothing and relaxing on tired muscles. It is not only great for leg cramps, but also for varicose veins, varicosities and sore backs. Put the following ingredients into a container and shake well before using:
- 2 ounces St. John’s Wort oil
- 5 drops neroli essential oil
- 5 drops grapefruit essential oil
Belly Balm or Stretch Mark Prevention Oil
This oil feels wonderful going on. It is smooth and moisturizing and can help with the itching that so often happens when the skin starts stretching. In a double boiler, melt the carrier oils listed below. Carrier oils are nut or seed oils, like almond oil, shea butter, coconut butter and olive oil, for example. These are pressed and not distilled.
- 1 cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup cocoa butter
- 1/8 cup apricot, almond or grapeseed oil
- 1/8 cup Kukui nut oil, shea butter or mango butter (I love using mango butter.)
When these oils have melted completely, remove the mixture from the heat. Allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes, then add the essential oils listed below. Essential oils are distilled from leaves, seeds, roots and flowers that are very concentrated and fragrant. Transfer the blend to a container and allow it to cool completely before using.
- 10-20 drops sandalwood (try to purchase from an ethical source*)
- 15 drops patchouli
- 15 drops sweet orange essential oil
There are additional options for essential oils. Use what you like and/or can find locally. You can also try rosewood, rose, lavender, tangerine and neroli. If you blend your own mixture, be sure to keep the amount of essential oils used at less than 50 drops total.
Massage the balm all over thighs, breasts, stomach and anywhere else that needs nourishing and moisturizing. I have also used this on my face. Living in the Green Mountains, I often need a protector from the frigid winds for my fair skin.
Nausea Spray
Add the following to four ounces of distilled water and use in a spray bottle:
- 20 drops spearmint essential oil
- 15 drops lemon essential oil
- 5 drops sweet orange essential oil
Shake the mixture well and mist the air with it when a woman feels nauseous. You may find that different women prefer other types of scents, so you can also try ginger, neroli and rosewood. Experiment to find the mixture that works best. When making an alternative blend, keep the amount of essential oils used at less than 60 drops.
Labor Mists
The point of using mists during labor is to be as noninvasive as possible. Every person is different and has individual needs. Make sure that you understand and know the person you are making a blend for because the wrong blend can assault the senses. In our need to help, we do not want to create something not so beautiful for a mother.
Relax and Focus
This is a relaxing blend to promote clarity and focus. Fill a four-ounce spray bottle almost full with distilled water and add:
- 20 drops grapefruit essential oil
- 15 drops sweet orange essential oil
- 10 drops spearmint essential oil
Shake well and mist labor room. You can also make a compress by misting a wet cloth with the blend and applying it to the laboring mother’s forehead or back. This mist is great for fathers, too.
Uplift
Transition can be a trying and tiring time for the mother. We want to support her and use a mist blend that will ground and calm her and help lift her spirits. Add water to spray bottle as
above and add:
- 15 drops mandarin essential oil
- 10 drops bergamot essential oil
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 10 drops Clary sage essential oil
This is a strong blend and it should be used away from the mother. Never spray the mother directly. Always remember to use essential oils with education and care. Research each oil before use, especially in regard to pregnancy and labor.
* Companies that are ethical sources try to use plants that are sown and harvested for essential oil use specifically. When plants are taken from the wild, these companies insist that they be taken from a sustainable source only.
Author: Demetria Clark
About the author: Demetria Clark is a childbirth doula and runs Heart of Herbs Herbal School in Vermont (see her Web site at Heart of Herbs ). She lives with her husband and two sons, and is currently writing an herbal sourcebook for mothers. Originally printed in BirthKit www.midwiferytoday.com
Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/cafemama/2112984619/
Aromatherapy can be a wonderful aid for pregnancy, but please be aware that certain oils should not be used, or at least used with caution when you become pregnant. These oils are sage, wild tansy, Clary sage, and fennel. Also, use cypress and basil only in small amounts.
Have you heard of Gentle Baby, the essential oil blend that’s great for diaper rash and preventing stretch marks?
Posted by Marie@essential oil | February 24, 2010, 11:23 pmLavender and Tea Tree Essential Oils are wonderful during pregnancy as long as they are USDA certified organic.
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Posted by ana | April 22, 2010, 12:16 pmI hope this isn’t a silly question, but I once heard that certain oils can actually be dangerous during pregnancy. Can anyone please tell me if this is true and what to avoid.
Thank you
Jenny
Posted by Jenny | May 5, 2010, 6:11 amThis posting is great and what a fantastic investigation that you have done. It has helped me good deal. a person really much.
Posted by bud glass vase | May 17, 2010, 12:23 amIn many places, hospitals have replaced chemical sedatives with essential oil blends which include lavender, marjoram, geranium and cardamom oils.
Firms in Japan are pumping aromatherapy oils through air cooling systems for a unique purpose – to increase employee efficiency! In India, many homes have been into this business of essential oils since long, though not knowing the fashionable term ‘aromatherapy’.
The burning of incense sticks and the use of ittars (traditional perfume concentrates) is something you’d find in many Indian homes.
Posted by Sam@DIA Limo | June 7, 2010, 9:15 amSome oils such as rose, jasmine or clary sage can be beneficial during the actual delivery despite their contraindications during the pregnancy.
Posted by Robert@New Forest Hotels | June 8, 2010, 2:22 amExcept for the morning sickness remedy below, it is important that you do not use essential oils during the first three to four months of your pregnancy. Moreover, even if your essential oils come from natural sources and are certified pure (as they should be), that does not necessarily make them safe to use during pregnancy. In fact, if you are pregnant there are some herbs that should be absolutely avoided, including bay leaves, clove, basil, clary sage, sage, marjoram, oregano, thyme and wintergreen.
Posted by Anderson@DIA Car Service | June 8, 2010, 8:41 amAromatherapy products are just great and I’ve used them in all sorts of ways.
If you’re worried or are experiencing leg cramps during pregnancy, I can recommened some help and an excellent product.
Sarah
Posted by Sarah@ Leg Cramps at Night | July 12, 2010, 5:06 amGreat post, i personnaly found it very informative.Keep it up
Posted by saed Tabat | July 13, 2010, 1:16 pmHmm.. I would be careful which aromatherapies you use. I would not suggest using any of the alternative herbal aromatherapies like the ones our site reviews.
Posted by Stan@Red Widow | July 15, 2010, 9:09 amGood tips but i agree with the last poster (Anderson)
You dont want to be using some oils in the first part of pregnancy!
Posted by Make Female Friends | July 30, 2010, 9:15 pmIt is great to get realistic info rather than the usualy junk. You are using a valuable tool: Help others meet THEIR needs & you can meet your needs at the same time. That is all we do at my company: Help others & we can be graciously compensated for doing so. Gracias!
Posted by Bailey@Herbal Incense | August 10, 2010, 7:19 pmThanks for this! anything to help me relax during the process! Proper pregnancy nutrition is also very key!
Posted by Katya | September 23, 2010, 7:17 pmI have always found ginger very soothing for nausea. However, I agree you need to experiment. If you are like me, then mints will drive you nuts when pregnant.
What to Eat While Pregnant
Posted by Maegan | September 28, 2010, 6:59 pmvery interesting but please all of us should be cautious because some of them can cause spontaneous abortion, others can cause uterine contractions, and others should not be used by diabetics (some women become temporarily diabetic during pregnancy).so be careful.
Posted by boulder limo guy | October 8, 2010, 11:46 pmAromatherapy is inexpensive and popular with laboring women and midwives. One large uncontrolled study reported that the majority of users found it helpful in reducing pain and anxiety. On the basis of these findings, and its increasing popularity, this modality merits further scientific study to establish its rightful place in maternity care.
Posted by Jane@dumb quotes | November 19, 2010, 2:41 amEssential oils are as potent as pharmacological drugs and are equally open to misuse or abuse, whether intentional or not and until more clinical research trials have been undertaken it would be prudent for midwives to work cautiously with essential oils, using the lowest possible dose and on the least number of occasions.
Posted by Simon@web design blackpool | November 20, 2010, 1:26 amAny woman who has been reading about the 101 things they need to avoid during pregnancy knows that essential oils is among the many no-no’s. This is primarily due to the fact that researchers have linked uterine contractions with the use of some of these natural botanicals.
Posted by Jake@killsometime.com | November 24, 2010, 2:28 amPlease check with your doctor before making or applying any essential oils lotions to your body during pregnancy, as there may be certain ingredients that your doctor prefers you not to use, based on your current health and the health of your baby, as well as the doctor’s experience with other pregnant patients that he or she has treated.
Posted by Ramona@high heel shoes | November 28, 2010, 11:36 pmIt is a very nice posting. I like the whole blog too.
Posted by Dave@Wizardnote | December 27, 2010, 9:12 amIf any one out there has made the stretch mark balm can u please tell me what the consistancy of the final product is like after all mixed and cooled!? Is it sticky, hard to get out of what ever u end up putting it in, creamy like lotion, etc…??? I’m trying to find out ASAP because I would very much like to make this stretch mark balm for my sister in law who is about 4 months along.
Posted by suzy | January 18, 2011, 6:00 pmThis is a great article. I love all that Demetria writes. She has a new book out that looks totally awesome. http://www.amazon.com/Herbal-Healing-Children-Demetria-Clark/dp/1570672148/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1301856856&sr=8-1
Posted by Amanda | April 3, 2011, 1:27 pmI believe more in natural remedies than in prescription drugs and I think aromatherapy can be a great aid for any pregnant woman. However, be also aware that certain essential oils should not be used during pregnancy
Posted by Sylvie @ Ways To Get Pregnant | April 11, 2011, 2:54 amI havent done much aromatherapy lately but did qualify as an aromatherapist a few years back. A great book to read is Fragrant Pharmacy by Valerie Ann Woorwood, it has loads of handy recipes and if I remember rightly has a case study based on a client treated for stretch marks. Care should really be taken when using aromatherapy oils during pregnancy, yes they can be great for relaxing and water retention, fatigue etc, but some oils are dangerous as the body cannot remove them efficiently also we do not know the effects that these powerful oils, essentially the hormones of the plant they are derived from, can have on our unborn children.
When I was pregnant i hardly used essential oils, maybe a little lavender or chamomile but that was it really. My advice if your pregnant, take qualified advice before using aromatherapy oils.
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Posted by car in denever | May 27, 2011, 8:07 amThe feeling that a pregnant lady gets is absolutely normal. This does usually happen during pregnancy. My dad is a doctor. He used to suggest my wife to take complete bed rest in such situations. This kind of a feeling does not lasts for more than 2 months. And also the oil which is mentioned is the best one to reduce your strechmarks. The marks might not completely vanish but yes it will be reduced to a great extent.
Posted by Joseph@hair extensions | July 2, 2011, 4:58 amWow! There’s loads of great info being shared here. Very helpful and I will keep coming
Posted by Julie@howtoplanforababygirl.com | July 3, 2011, 12:40 amI was just reading across the comments when I came across Jenny’s comment. Dear jenny, marie has already discussed with us about the oils to be used and also the oils which are not supposed to be used.
Posted by David Madison@skin exfoliation exton | July 7, 2011, 3:56 amI do consider all of the ideas you’ve presented on your post. They’re very convincing and can certainly work. Nonetheless, the posts are too brief for novices. Could you please lengthen them a little from next time? Thank you for the post.
Posted by chariot elevateur | August 23, 2011, 10:53 pmOils are just lovely when you are pregnant!
Posted by Jenny@Get Pregnant help | September 13, 2011, 12:32 pm