Essential Oils for Pregnancy: 13 Best Uses I’ve Found
I love using essential oils for pregnancy symptoms! I have been a Registered Nurse for 7 years, working in Labor & Delivery for the past 5. I’ve worked with every type of patient you can imagine, and experienced all sorts of birth stories- everything from having 20 loved ones in the room, to crunchy natural births, to emergencies that send birth plans out the window. And the one thing I know for certain is that labor is a uniquely beautiful miracle and exercise of enormous strength.
As a labor nurse I do everything in my power to obtain the end result of a healthy baby and healthy momma. However, throughout the course of a mom’s pregnancy, there are a number of issues and illnesses, that without medication, can leave them miserable - since most common medications are dangerous during pregnancy. This is why I love essential oils for pregnancy!
Snapshot from a presentation on essential oils for pregnancy at The Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) annual national convention
I attended The Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) annual national convention last spring. AWHONN is an organization that promotes the health of [pregnant] women & newborns. I was able to attend a session with Susan Lewis, a Certified Nurse Midwife and Audrvedic Practitioner, with a Master’s in Nursing. She has done extensive research in East Asia on Essential Oils (EO), which is considered a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approach in pregnancy, labor, postpartum, and obstetrical issues. It was an incredible experience to learn what the latest evidence based research shows. This post focuses on EO use in pregnancy.
How to Use Essential Oils for Pregnancy: Most Common Symptoms
According to the most current evidence, here is the list of common pregnancy issues and the best EOs remedies:
Acid Reflux/Heartburn/Indigestion:
Oil: Peppermint
How To Use: Dilute with carrier oil and massage into affected area.
Avoid: Near end of pregnancy, as it may reduce milk production.
Allergies:
Oil: Lavender
How To Use: Diffuse into the air. Inhale directly or applied to hands, tissue, or cotton wick.
Anti-inflammatory/Wound Healing/MRSA/Reduce Bleeding:
Oils: Geranium, Cypress, Frankincense, Tea Tree
How To Use: Dilute as necessary and apply on/around affected area.
Anxiety/Calming:
Oils: Lavender, Ylang Ylang
How To Use: Diffuse into the air. Inhale directly or applied to hands, tissue, or cotton wick.
Breast Tenderness:
Oil: Lavender (not much evidence)
How To Use: Dilute with carrier oil and massage into skin.
Depression:
Oils: Citrus Oils (Lemon, Orange, Bergamot, Grapefruit)
How To Use: Diffuse into the air. Inhale directly or applied to hands, tissue, or cotton wick.
Headaches:
Oil: Peppermint
How To Use: Diffuse into the air. Inhale directly or applied to hands, tissue, or cotton wick.
Avoid: Near end of pregnancy, as it may reduce milk production.
High Blood Pressure:
Oil: Ylang Ylang
How To Use: Dilute as necessary and apply over heart area. Diffuse into the air. Inhale directly or applied to hands, tissue, or cotton wick.
Avoid: Rosemary, Thyme
Infection:
Oils: Citrus Oils (Lemon, Orange, Bergamot, Grapefruit)
How To Use: Dilute as necessary and apply on/around affected area.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome:
Oil: Peppermint
How To Use: Dilute with carrier oil and massage into affected area.
Avoid: Near end of pregnancy, as it may reduce milk production.
Nausea/Vomiting (morning sickness):
Oil: Ginger
How To Use: Dilute as necessary and apply on or behind ears, down jaw bone, over stomach as a compress, and on feet. Diffuse into the air. Inhale directly or applied to hands, tissue, or cotton wick.
Skin Issues:
Oil: Lavender (not much evidence)
How To Use: Dilute with carrier oil and apply to clean a face.
Sleep Issues:
Oils: Lavender, Ylang Ylang
How To Use: Diffuse into the air. Inhale directly or applied to hands, tissue, or cotton wick. Dilute with carrier oil and massage into skin. Add 1-3 drops to warm bathwater before bathing.
Cautions
If you are planning on breastfeeding, you may want to avoid Peppermint and Jasmine near the end of your pregnancy, as they have been shown to reduce milk production. Avoid Rosemary and Thyme if you have high blood pressure.
To avoid possible preterm labor, avoid Clary Sage until term, as it has been shown to increase uterine function (contractions).
*Always use Certified Pure Therapeutic Essential Oils for pregnancy! To learn more about what that means, check out this article.
Take Away
As a Nurse, I am very passionate about my job. I believe there is absolutely a time and place for modern medicine. I believe that we have it for a reason, and that it saves lives. I have worked in several fields of nursing and different hospitals, and have SEEN it save lives, time and time again. So how does EO use jive with healthcare? It’s COMPLIMENTARY. There are some instances when I can safely use EOs for minor ailments and comfort without having to turn to over-the-counter meds or expensive treatments and doctor visits. HOWEVER, I will NEVER recommend you REPLACE all modern medicine with essential oils for pregnancy issues.
So if you are interested in trying to help yourself during your pregnancy, while keeping your baby safe, I hope these suggestions help you do just that! If you are just getting started with EOs, this post may have triggered a lot of questions - such as how to use oils, which brands of EO are best, where to get EOs, etc. Quality of the oils is VERY important for a number of different reasons. Poor quality EO can be dangerous to you and your baby, and there are many out there. Please feel free to contact me to learn more and check out my other blog posts on Essential Oils!
xoxo,
j
**I’m not your doctor and this is not a medical recommendation, oils are meant to provide relief, so please, always discuss EO use with your doctor/midwife before using them during pregnancy**
