Essential Oils for Pregnancy.
I believe that knowledge is power, and having natural, safe, and powerful tools to turn to during pregnancy, labour and birth can truly change everything.
Most of you have probably heard from other new and expecting mumma's out there about essential oils and their benefits. How they have supported them through feeling queasy to creating a relaxed birthing atmosphere. It feels like all of a sudden everyone has started using oils to help support them.
But do they really work? Are they safe? Where do you even start?
I get tonnes of questions about using essential oils, and with 4x babies earthside and 5+ years of using oils in my home, I've got the low down on essential oils and I get to spend my day educating ALL THINGS essential oils and low tox living.
I used essential oils throughout my last 2 pregnancies and births to support my body and my babies and over the past 4-5 years I have transitioned into a low tox lifestyle for myself and my family.
Here's a rundown on what makes essential oil brands different and the top 7 essential oils to support a mumma to be…
Essential oils are an amazing tool that can be applied topically and used around your labour tens machine to maximise your body's natural abilities during your labour and birth. You will find warnings everywhere about which oils you should and should not use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It can make you quite anxious especially if you are new to oils. Mama, I am here to take the overwhelm out of the way!!! BYE FELICIA!!
Most of the time essential oil bottles will have a warning label “to contact your doctor before usage.” When talking to my pregnant mumma's, I definitely agree. Speak to your doc or consult your physician, as all bodies are different and respond differently to essential oils much the same as all bodies respond differently to medication. And with that in mind, if you don't quite get the effect of the oil you were hoping for, remember all bodies are different and you might respond differently to another oil... It’s all about finding the right oils for YOU!
There is SUCH a difference in the purity of the oils! This is where the safety comes in.
I love research! So naturally, when I began my essential oil journey I thoroughly researched essential oils and the purity and standard of oils.
After all my research I found that dōTERRA is the brand of essential oils that I wanted to align with and use for myself and my babies. DōTERRA’s Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade (CPTG) essential oils are 100% pure, naturally extracted from plants, they do not contain fillers, chemicals, or artificial ingredients that would dilute their natural qualities, and they’re free from all contaminants such as pesticides, herbicides, or any other chemical residue. They test each and every batch of oils with 8 different purification processes. They even test for purification even after bottling the essential oil and overtime to ensure constant quality.
They’re so many brands out there. Do your research! Don’t go buying any essential oil of the shelf and start rubbing it over your belly or massaging on your baby's skin. The purity and quality of the essential oil is everything! DōTERRA has set a standard that reassures us we can use dōTERRA oils with confidence in pregnancy. Now there are definitely some oils that you will need to stay away from and some that you can use only when labour starts such as Clary Sage and Jasmine but that is where education is key to using essential oils.
With each one of my pregnancies, I have been blown away at what our bodies are capable of as women. I came out of all four experiences feeling so incredibly proud of myself and amazed and truly empowered!!! And during my third and fourth pregnancies is when I utilized essential oils throughout the whole journey.
So what are my top seven essential oils to support a mumma-to-be?
Lavender: From head tension to breast tenderness. This oil is basically the swiss army knife of essential oils. I also loved diffusing next to my bed at night to help promote a sense of peace and relaxation for this emotional and tired mumma! And it was always diffusing whilst I was in labour of course. Calm mumma, calm baby.
Easy Air: A go-to for deep breaths, for opening up my airways when it felt like a baby was sitting on my lungs (it kinda was) and for leaning on when I was feeling like an overwhelmed beached whale trying to chase after two other monkeys. Easy Air was a staple in my diffuser the whole way through my pregnancy and was often rolled over my chest.
Balance: Yes just as the name suggests…. I diffused this as I was in labour and giving birth. My special diffuser blend of Lemon, Lavender, Wild Orange, and Balance…. Such an empowering and grounding blend of essential oils that gives feelings of courage, confidence, and strength. It also helped me connect and stay present during contractions. Also amazing for after the birth, dilute with a carrier oil and apply down the spine to help support emotions.
ZenGest: From literally week 6 of pregnancy I had morning sickness. Now let me be clear… Oils aren’t going to completely take it away but they definitely help improve the feeling. I would rub over my belly and chest and as soon as I woke up I would inhale it straight from the bottle. It really relieved the digestive discomfort and I would pop it in my bag and never leave the house without it!
Peppermint: I suffered so much hormonal head tension. I lived with Peppermint next to my bed, and would roll around the back of my neck and shoulders and would instantly feel the amazing benefits of this oil doing their work!!
Frankincense: If you haven’t yet tried this oil then girl you are in for something special. It is the KING of essential oils and truly is something of magical powers! From diffusing for sleep support to applying over your body to help ease the growing discomfort or even supporting you through anxious feelings, Frankincense is definitely one to pop in the baby bag!
Lemon: I basically inhaled this (and peppermint) all day to help improve my energy. It smells fresh and clean and something that a pregnant mumma needs when she has had her head in the bowl all day long… I got you, girl!!! Lemon is the bomb!!! Also amazing for basically every aspect of your home - cleaning, diffusing, even cooking!
Essential oils were absolutely incredible during my labour and birth and I’m so thankful that I had them to turn to when I needed extra support!! There are so many wonderful resources when it comes to using your oils confidently and safely throughout pregnancy. Some of our favourites are:
Stephanie Fritz - The Essential Midwife
Eric Zielinski
Dr Axe
dōTERRA Blog
There are so many oils that I haven’t even mentioned that helped me through my pregnancy and birthing journey but these are definitely my top 7 essential oils that I recommended for mummas to be!!! During pregnancy, there is heightened sensitivity so we always use a carrier oil like fractionated coconut oil and special dilution ratios. Less is always more when it comes to essential oils, no need to be heavy-handed!!
Education is also key to learning about the precious properties and aromatics that these amazing oils possess! I have a 60+ page Pregnancy, Birth and Postpartum ebook that you will receive when you purchase your essential oils through me.
Simply click on the link HERE and grab the Home Essentials pack (including the 7x oils above plus three more incredible oils) and let me plug you into our incredible resources and supportive community of mumma's just like you!