Essential Oils for Pregnancy, Labor & Delivery

Our family has been using essential oils for 3 years and I have loved using them during pregnancy. There is no better time to use essential oils as there are no medications or drugs that are safe for our unborn babies. I realize there are many conflicting views regarding essential oils on the internet. It is not my purpose in this post to try to "prove" that they are safe. I also do not endorse any other oils except Young Living oils. These are the only oils on the market that have been rigorously tested for safety and purity and are the oils that are recommended below. I believe it is a true joy to take responsibility for our own health and to experience the wonderful benefits. In the beginning you may just want to start by smelling the oils or using them well diluted. And that's okay- as you use them, your confidence will grow!

After lots of research and reading, these are the oils I feel very comfortable recommending for your pregnancy, labor, delivery and beyond. *But, of course, please always consult with your health care provider before using any essential oils {I have to say that, right?}

To Halt Early Labor: rub generous amount of Lavender on the belly, can also be added to a warm bath. Peace & Calming can also be applied to the feet and/or diffused. I have found that Lavender is wonderful for soothing Braxton Hicks contractions and also helps alleviate round ligament pain.

Pre-Labor Perineum Spray: softens and thins the membranes to prepare for birth (place in glass spray bottle)

3 weeks before delivery

  Geranium- 8 drops

  Lavender- 5 drops

  1 oz. carrier oil

1 week before delivery

  Geranium- 8 drops

  Lavender- 5 drops

  Fennel- 5 drops

  1 oz. carrier oil

To Encourage Labor:

Jasmine, applied topically or inhaled (do not ingest). I added this essence to my baths during my last few days of pregnancy- just a drop or 2 in some Epsom salt.

Clary Sage- massage a few drops on the inside of ankles or ingest 1 drop every 15 minutes until contractions/dilation progresses. Clary Sage also relieves anxiety. This is also a good oil to combine with Myrrh to help move labor along.

Labor:

Frankincense for pain; this is also calming. Rub directly on back and/or belly. Also good to diffuse in labor room. This is probably my favorite oil and one that I highly recommend. If you can only get a few oils, invest in this one.

Many women use Peppermint, Pan Away or Wintergreen for pain (remember Wintergreen is a natural form of aspirin, so should be used cautiously during pregnancy; Pan Away contains Wintergreen as well)

Basil is a great oil to use when contractions become hard to manage (close to transition). Rub with a little carrier oil on lower back.

Black pepper is also good for pain management and is especially helpful with back labor.

Labor blend (from Gentle Babies by Debra Raybern) Mix the following in ½ oz carrier oil AFTER labor starts. Massage several drops on inside of ankles, little toes, little fingers, lower belly and back…

           
                Helichrysum- 4 drops

                Fennel- 4 drops

                Peppermint- 2 drops

                Ylang Ylang- 6 drops

                Clary Sage- 3 drops

For fatigue during labor: En-R-Gee, applied on the spine, behind ears and/or feet

Oils to help you focus: equal parts of Peppermint and Orange

Oils for relaxing/grounding during labor: Peace & Calming or Valor (With the shortage of these oils there are new formulas with similar benefits called Peace & Calming II and Valor II that are just becoming available)

Perineal massage once labor is well established: Myrrh applied to the perineum, diluted in carrier oil. This helps numb the “sting.”

Crowning oil blend:

Mix 20 drops each of Helichrysum and Frankincense with 1 oz. fractionated coconut oil. Gently massage this blend while baby is crowning on both the perineum and the baby’s head. Helichrysum is the oil of choice to help reduce swelling, bruising and bleeding

For hemorrhaging: mix a few drops of Gentle Baby with a few drops Helichrysum and rub on lower back, belly and on inside of ankles. If you have a history of bleeding postpartum, you can use these oils for the week prior to giving birth.

For nausea during labor: inhale Peppermint (on a washcloth) or place one drop on tongue

Afterbirth Blend:

This helps expel the placenta and tone the uterus. Mix the following with carrier oil

                Geranium- 10 drops

                Lavender- 10 drops

                Jasmine- 15 drops

Thieves can be diffused in the labor room after the birth to kill germs and freshen the room

Trouble urinating post-partum: add a drop of Peppermint to the toilet. I learned this trick from my midwife and it really works!

Post-partum Spray:

Add 40 drops of Frankincense and 40 drops of Lavender to a 2 oz. glass spray bottle. Fill up to almost the top with distilled water and shake well. Use this spray to help soothe and heal the perineum. This same spray can be used for boys who are circumcised.

Afterbirth pains:

Basil- can be applied topically or taken internally (a few drops in a capsule)

Other oils that are helpful (and safe for baby if he/she were to touch your belly) are Lavender and/or White Fir

Oils for newborn:

• Baby can be anointed with Frankincense & Myrrh. Frankincense offers protection and helps with bonding
• Clara Derm spray can also be used for a few days after birth (contains Lavender & Frankincense)
• Valor can be applied on baby’s spine and feet for proper alignment following birth.
• Peace & Calming can be applied to baby (and mama’s) feet for relaxation
• Melissa can be applied to bottoms of the feet to repair DNA, and to help with trauma and negative emotions that baby may have experienced in the womb. This oil helps bring harmony and is also very beneficial for mom as well.

Lactation:

A few drops of Fennel sublingually or in a glass of water or tea every 2 hours. Can also be applied to breasts after nursing.

Basil is another great oil to increase breast milk- add a few drop to a capsule and swallow.

(Peppermint oil is known to decrease milk supply in some women, so use cautiously)

Post-partum Depression:

Frankincense- apply topically or diffuse (lifts the spirit and is healing at the same time)

Ylang Ylang, Rose, or Joy- add a few drops to bath water (can add Epsom salt or sea salt and some carrier oil as well) or rub on wrists, or diffuse

White Angelica- place a drop on each shoulder; protects against negative energy, lifts spirits

UTI’s while pregnant:

2 – 10 drops of Idaho Balsam Fir in a capsule twice a day

Can also apply Idaho Balsam Fir, Frankincense and Lemon (a few drops of each) over the bladder area and massage in- this is a powerful combo. Although I haven't had to use this personally while pregnant, I have used this with great success on one of my children. Purification and Idaho Balsam Fir can also be used together to fight a UTI- again, massage a few drops of each over the bladder area. You can add a carrier oil if you like- especially if using this combo with children.

Yeast Infections:

For Baby (if mom has yeast)- apply Melrose (diluted or neat) to lower abdomen

For Mom- Apply Melrose neat to lower abdomen

Mountain Savory- take 3-5 drops orally, twice a day (this is highly effective against yeast and candida)

Vaginal suppository: in a base of coconut oil, combine Mountain Savory (2 drops), Frankincense (2 drops) and Myrtle (2 drops). Use nightly for 2 weeks

Hemorrhoid ointment:

Combine the following oils with a few drops of carrier oil and apply to the area…

   Peppermint (1 drop)

   Helichrysum (2 drops)

   Cypress (2 drops)

   Geranium (2 drops)

Varicose Veins:

Massage legs every day with Cypress, Helichrysum and Tangerine and/or Lemon- a couple of drops each with a carrier oil of your choice. This formula has been a life saver for me. I combine these oils in a small glass spray bottle with fractionated coconut oil for easier use. I also add some peppermint oil which is great for throbbing and "hot" feeling veins. {At first I didn't use the Helichrysum because it was so expensive, but adding this oil made all the difference. Since using this blend I don't have any pain, nor have I gotten any more veins}

Drink Ningxia Red- at least 1 oz., twice a day

Gestational Diabetes:

Ningxia Red (available through Young Living)- drink 3 oz. throughout the day

(This supplement, although expensive, is highly effective at regulating blood sugar levels)

Ocotea- take 2 drops orally, 3 times a day (can be added to Ningxia Red if desired) This oil is powerful in lowering blood sugar levels

Edema/Swelling:

   Aroma Life- 10 drops

   Cypress- 10 drops

   Lavender- 5 drops

   Ginger- 5 drops

   Lemon- 5 drops

   Mix these oils with 2 oz. of fractionated coconut oil or carrier oil, and apply to legs, ankles

   and feet.  These oils can also be added to a warm salt bath.

Heartburn/Indigestion/Nausea:

Peppermint and/or Digize- add to water or make into a tea. Can also be rubbed on the belly, just below the diaphragm

I drank Peppermint ice water liberally throughout my first 14 weeks when my nausea was severe. It helped a lot. I also carried a bottle of Peppermint in my purse and would place a drop on my tongue (neat) to combat nausea. This helped me to be able to get food shopping and errands done without getting sick!

For overall well-being while pregnant (Mary Young’s protocol- wife of Gary Young, founder of YL)

Mary applied Valor to her belly, back and hips every morning and every night. She would follow this with other oils she was drawn to- Joy, White Angelica, Peace & Calming, or Gentle Baby… to name a few. These are both great for your skin as well as for your developing baby.

Turning babies that are in the wrong position:

Myrrh is known to turn babies- apply liberally to belly

Peppermint- apply to area you want the baby to turn from (if baby is breach, place a drop of Peppermint at the top of the belly)

Feeling sick/fighting illness while pregnant:
If you feel like you're coming down with something or fighting a cold or flu, make an oil "tea" with the following- 1 drop Thieves, 1 drop Lemon, 1 drop Frankincense and 1 drop Peppermint. Add a little raw honey and cream, if desired. I have never had to drink this more than twice to fight off anything. Best used when symptoms first start...This is a family favorite at our house and is very effective.

Spray bottles and roller filaments are super handy during labor- they make oils easier to apply and keep hands clean

I only recommend using Young Living therapeutic grade essential oils. These are the highest quality oils available today (and I have used and studied many others!). They are the only company that has the SEED to SEAL promise of purity- they grow, cultivate, distill, test and seal all of their own oils. No other company can claim that- most are merely bottling companies, and most oils on the market today are adulterated and made for the perfume industry.

Oils generally avoided during pregnancy: Basil, Birch, Calamus, Cassia, Cinnamon bark, Hyssop, Idaho Tansy, Rosemary, Sage and Tarragon

Oil blends must be stored in glass bottles or containers. Essential oils will break down plastics.

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