Pregnancy, Birthing and Pure Essential Oils
Mother and her unborn baby are the priority during the time of pregnancy.
Having a baby is one of the most significant and pivotal parts of a woman’s life. Her excitement at the life within her womb, the thought of the developing baby and the eventual birth to enfold the cherished babe – awe indescribable.
Most women are excited to be pregnant and cherish the happiest thoughts of their child’s arrival. Mother is delighted preparing for her baby and happily splurges on baby clothes and beautiful décor for baby’s room. In her womb she nurtures and protects the life within – she is filled with joy.
You want the happiest experience for yourself and your baby. With this in mind, here are a couple of safety guidelines for the use of pure essential oils during pregnancy.
- Pure Essential oils are natural in the sense that they are produced from living plants with energised therapeutic chemical substances that could help to soothe and calm the symptoms of pregnancy.
- Because these substances are the very essence of the plant, they are strong and should be diluted in nourishing base oils for safe massage on skin.
- Although having uterine contractions is slight in the critical first three months, it is safer not to use essential oils at this time.
- Many essential oils are safe from the second trimester of pregnancy when it is possible to start massage of the diluted oils on your body.
- With the normal use of safe pure essential oils and their correct dilution you shouldn’t ever have a problem.
Birthing Kits for Preggy Mothers
We have a calming range of pure essential oil blends to prepare your body for birthing. A soothing blend for hemorrhoids, perineum preparation and varicose veins. Calming blends for the mind to calm and uplift emotional perspective when you’re emotional, sensitive or stressed. The blends for insomnia are so calming they should lull you into the calmest sleep.
These Kits are what any pregnant Mom would love. Indulge her with the naturalness of pure essential oils.
The safety of pure essential oils during pregnancy
- Don’t use essential oils during pregnancy if you’ve had a miscarriage, diabetes, epilepsy, heart problems, thyroid, liver, kidney disease or blood clotting problems.
- Avoid essential oils in the first three months of pregnancy.
- Don’t ingest essential oils during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Test the oils for skin sensitivity or allergy and keep moderation in mind when massaging them onto your skin.
- Diffusing essential oils is only possible during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Diffuse your essential oils for no more than a quarter hour twice per day.
Pure essential oils to be used cautiously in pregnancy
Angelica, Cedarwood, Citronella, Clary Sage, Clove Bud, Cypress, Fennel, Bay Laurel, Marjoram, Mountain Savory, Myrrh, Nutmeg, Peppermint, Rose, Spearmint, Vetiver, Yarrow.
Essential oils thought safe for pregnancy after the first trimester
Bergamot, Cypress, Ginger, Marjoram, Petitgrain, Benzoin, Cardamom, Blue Chamomile, Roman Chamomile, Eucalyptus smithii, Frankincense carterii, Frankincense serrata, Rose Geranium, Grapefruit, Lavender Augustifolia, Lemon, Mandarin, Neroli, Sweet Orange, Patchouli, Peppermint, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Spearmint, Tagetes, Ylang Ylang.
THE FIRST TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY
Don’t massage essential oils on your body in the first three months
Although most pure essential oils are safe when diluted, it is wise for the sake of the developing foetus not to apply them on your body in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Everyday moisturising
Sweet Almond, Foraha Tamanu or Argan oils are excellent daily moisturisers and can be massaged on your stomach and body during the whole term of your pregnancy for elasticity and nourishment to your skin.
Upon waking in the morning
Inhalation blend
Inhale the aroma of Ginger essential oil straight from the bottle for immediate calming of nausea. Don’t ingest this potent oil.
Spritzer in a spray bottle
2 drops Lime or Lemon Verbena and 1 drop Mandarin in 100ml water and spritz into the air or put a drop of each on a handkerchief and inhale when necessary.
Diffuser
3 drops Grapefruit or Ginger and Cardamom essential oils and diffused for only a quarter hour at a time. Waking up to these aromas could help to calm your nausea.
Emotional attitude and equilibrium
Improve your mind and your emotional attitude by vaporising or diffusing 1 drop each Roman Chamomile and Mandarin essential oils.
Pure essential oils safe for use from the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy
Benzoin, Bergamot, Blue Chamomile, Cypress, Eucalyptus smithii, Frankincense carterii, Frankincense serrata, Rose Geranium, Ginger, Grapefruit, Lavender Augustifolia, Lemon, Lemongrass, Lime, Mandarin, Marjoram, Neroli, Patchouli, Peppermint, Petitgrain, Rose, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Sweet Orange, Tea Tree, Ylang Ylang.
THE SECOND AND THIRD TRIMESTERS OF PREGNANCY
Moisturise your body every day
Make it a habit to moisturise your body every day with the nourishing moisturisation of Foraha Tamanu, Sweet Almond or Argan oils.
Queasiness
2 drops Lavender and 2 drops Lime in a 100ml Spritzer bottle of water for spritzing into the air to help with queasiness.
Cramping in your legs and lower back
Massage pain in your legs and back with a blend of 1 drop each of Ylang-Ylang, Lavender and Geranium essential oils, diluted with Avocado, Olive, Tamanu or Sweet Almond oils. Don’t use Lavender in the first trimester of pregnancy because it could stimulate contractions.
A calmer emotional equilibrium is what you really want
Beautiful citrus oils are a joy
3 drops each Bergamot, Roman Chamomile, Grapefruit, Lavender, Lemon, Neroli, Mandarin, Lime and Orange essential oils.
These are the oils to energise your mind and body
Diffuse these oils either in the morning or mid-afternoon
1 drop each Lemon or Citrus and Peppermint. Or make a spritz spray with 100ml water with any of these oils or a blend of them.
Soothe your hemorrhoids
1 drop each Lavender, Clove Leaf and Frankincense essential oils with 5 drops Geranium and 30ml Organic Coconut oil. Apply this to the hemorrhoids for immediate calming of the symptoms. Soaking in a sitz bath is also soothing.
Headaches
Grapefruit, Lavender (after first trimester only) or Ylang-Ylang essential oils are excellent for headaches. Blend 1 drop to 5ml base oil and rub into your temples and on your back and inhale. You could also use Peppermint essential oil.
Glowing nourished skin
Blend 3 drops each Helichrysum, Geranium and Frankincense essential oils with 50ml Coconut oil. Massage 1-2 drops of this blend to improve the skin tone of your abdomen and legs.
High blood pressure
Many testify that Ylang-Ylang essential oil is the oil to enhance healthy blood pressure. Dilute and massage on feet and stomach.
Improve your digestion with these calming blends
Peppermint & Ginger
3‐5 drops Peppermint and Ginger diluted in a base oil on your abdomen or on the soles of your feet. Or you can inhale the vapours straight from the bottle. You could also diffuse this blend or dab a drop under your nose.
Peppermint & Tamanu
3 drops Peppermint in 30ml Tamanu oil or Sweet Almond oil and massage on your stomach to help with digestion.
Cardamom, Ginger & Sweet Orange
3 drops each Cardamom, Ginger and Sweet Orange essential oils in 30ml Coconut or Sweet Almond oils. Massage your stomach and the soles of your feet. This is very effective when inhaled straight from the bottle.
Spearmint diffuser blend
Diffuse 3 drops Spearmint into the air. Spearmint is smoother than Peppermint essential oil and often calms indigestion.
When you want to sleep, calm your mind with these diffuser blends
Lavender, Cedarwood & Tangerine diffuser blend
Lavender, Cedarwood and Tangerine essential oils. Diffuse any of these oils for a calmer mind.
Marjoram, Lavender, Chamomile, Mandarin & Ylang Ylang
1 drop each Marjoram, Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Mandarin and Ylang-Ylang. Diffuse this blend or massage the soles of your feet for immediate calming of your mind.
Itchy skin massage oil
Blend 50ml Almond, Olive or Coconut oils with 20ml Jojoba oil and 5 drops each of the following oils: Mandarin, Lavender, Geranium, Lemon and Cypress essential oils. Store this blend in a dark bottle. Massage gently on the itchy skin.
Perineum preparation for birthing, a month before baby is born
Blend 7 drops Geranium essential oil and 5 drops Lavender in a 50ml base of Sweet Almond, Olive or Coconut oils. Massage this on your perineum 3 x per day. Your skin should noticeably change and soften.
Prepare your tummy for the bulge
Try a blend of Geranium and Lavender essential oils with a moisturising oil such as Sweet Almond oil to improve your stretch scars and also help prevent them from forming.
You could also blend 3 drops each Geranium, Helichrysum, Frankincense and Lavender essential oils in a base oil such as Tamanu oil in a 10ml roller bottle. Massage this blend on your stomach, breasts and thighs 2 x per day after the first trimester to help with stretch scars.
Unclog your sinuses with these fresh oils
Blend 3 drops each of Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Niaouli and Ravensara essential oils in a 5ml or 10ml bottle. Put 3 drops of this blend into a diffuser and diffuse into the air to unclog your sinuses.
Alternatively, dab a drop on your hand and inhale. You may also apply this blend diluted in Sweet Almond oil for massage on your chest.
Varicose Veins Circulation Blends
Sweet Orange, Cypress & Geranium circulation blend
5 drops each Sweet Orange, Cypress and Geranium essential oils with Sweet Almond, Argan or Foraha Tamanu oils in a roller bottle and massage on your legs and feet 2 x per day.
Lavender, Lemon, Geranium & Ginger circulation blend
5 drops each Lavender, Lemon, Ginger and Geranium in a roller bottle with a base oil such as Sweet Almond, Argan or Tamanu oils and roll on your feet and at the base of your legs 2 x per day. Massage your feet and legs, if you have varicose veins, in an upward motion towards the heart.
Calm that yeast infection
This recipe is tried and tested for its effectiveness within one week: 7 drops each Melaleuca and Lavender blended with 50ml bath salts in a warm sitz bath and soak for a while.
Ease lower back and muscle pain
Relax in a warm bath with about two or three drops of Lavender or Ylang-Ylang, diluted with glycerine to ease your muscle pain. Geranium is also effective for pain.
PURE ESSENTIAL OILS AND THE BIRTHING OF YOUR BABY
Get your birthing blends prepared
Vaporise Geranium, Lavender & Clary Sage
1 drop each Geranium, Lavender and Clary Sage essential oils to calm the emotions of the mother in delivery. Lavender essential oil is gently encouraging in early labour.
Massage during labour
Citrus essential oils are invigorating, while Frankincense helps focus. Dilute the oils and massage your lower back. Once labour starts there’s no turning back, so Clary Sage essential oil can be effective for starting contractions if labour gets stalled.
Just 1 drop mixed in a base oil and massaged on the stomach or ankles. Jasmine essential oil has a similar effect. Clary Sage is excellent for placenta delivery.
Lower back pain during contractions
A compress of 1 drop each of Frankincense, Jasmine and Lavender essential oils on your lower back can help relieve the discomfort of contractions.
Keep your cool and calm your mind
Peppermint Spritzer
3 drops Peppermint in a spritzer bottle to freshen the room and clear your head.
Diffuse calming Lavender
Diffuse Lavender essential oil in the labouring room.
What about some energy
Inhale or diffuse Peppermint or Sweet Orange essential oils.
Labour Pains
You could include a couple of drops each of Lavender and Clary Sage essential oils with 50ml bath salts for a bath soak during labour.
Perineum Tearing – During labour massage this blend
Blend 5 drops Clary Sage and 2 drops Geranium with 50ml Sweet Almond or Tamanu oil. Massage hourly onto your perineum.
Postpartum Contractions
2 drops Lavender, 2 drops Frankincense with 30ml Sweet Almond to calm and help any discomfort. Apply straight to area of cramping.
Postpartum Depression
Dispense 5 – 7 drops essential oil in a diffuser 3 x per day of either Lemon, Sweet Orange, Clary Sage or Bergamot. Get our anti-depressant diffuser blends for their calming and invigorating therapeutic effects on the mind and emotional equilibrium.
Pain and Inflammation after the birth
Blend 13 drops Lavender and 13 drops Frankincense with 50ml Tamanu or Sweet Almond oil to soothe the pain and encourage a calming of symptoms after birthing.
Soothe those hemorrhoids
Blend 1 drop each of Cypress, Geranium, Clary Sage, and Helichrysum in 5ml Coconut oil. Apply each time you go to the bathroom.
The veins of the anus and rectum
Blend 2ml each Peppermint, Frankincense, Marjoram, Roman Chamomile, Rosemary and Basil with 50ml Coconut oil. Apply on the area as necessary.
Perineal Soothing
Include 2 drops Cypress and 2 drops Lavender essential oil in a warm sitz bath and soak a while for up to 3 x per day.
PURE ESSENTIAL OILS AFTER THE BIRTHING OF YOUR BABY
Post-birth soreness
Geranium and Lavender essential oils are very soothing. Dilute very well because of such a sensitive part of your body. One drop each diluted with a base oil in 1 cup of warmed water in a spray bottle for spritzing or gently dabbed on with cotton wool or a wet wipe. You could also use Citrus essential oils.
Fatigue after birthing
Sleep is so necessary after giving birth. Keep yourself hydrated by drinking enough fluids, particularly when breastfeeding. Drink broths, natural herbal drinks and clean pure water. Citrus essential oils are invigorating and uplifting when diffused or vaporized.
Sore and sensitive breasts
Lavender essential oil is excellent for this and so is Roman Chamomile. A drop blended in 20ml pure Coconut oil may be applied liberally. For clogged ducts massage with Lavender or Chamomile essential oils to help your body naturally unclog. For cracked nipples, Geranium or Helichrysum essential oils are very soothing in a base of Sweet Almond or Coconut oils.
Flabby stomach and breasts
Geranium is an excellent oil for firming the skin after birthing and when blended with Lavender and Pomegranate oils is even more effective.
Pure essential oils to avoid in pregnancy
Aniseed, Arnica, Basil, Birch, Black Pepper, Blue Cypress, Carrot Seed, Calamus, Cassia, Cinnamon Bark, Cedarwood Atlas, Clary Sage, Coriander, Costus, Clove Leaf, Dill, Elecampane, Fennel, Fir, Horseradish, Hyssop, Idaho Tansy, Lavandin, Laurel Bay Leaf, Lemongrass, Lemon Myrtle, Lemon Balm, Melilotus, Jasmine, Juniper Berry, Mugwort, Mustard, Myrrh, Nutmeg, Oregano, Parsley, Pennyroyal, Pomegranate, Ravintsara, Rosehip, Rosemary, Sage, Tansy, Tarragon, Thuja, Tonka, Thyme, Tansy, Savoury, Savin, Sassafras, Rue, Spikenard, Wintergreen.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER
The information on this website is for informational and educational purposes only. Information or products discussed are not meant to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent any disease or illness. Please approach a health practitioner before making changes to your diet, taking supplements or using essential oils that may interfere with medications.
