*Disclaimer: I am not a health professional and essential oils are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Always consult your doctor before making any changes*
Essential oils for pregnancy and labor are the handiest tool in your procreation toolbox when you’re looking for natural and holistic solutions to your pregnancy, labor, postpartum and even breast feeding! Find all your needs met in this ultimate guide!
It’s growing knowledge that our world is toxic. Which can be extra terrifying when you’re bringing new life into this world. I don’t generally touch ANYTHING unnatural personally which moves from a preference to an obsession when I’m pregnant! Essential oils for pregnancy have been a life saver for me with dealing with the normal aches and pains of pregnancy just as nature intended!
Essential Oils for Pregnancy
Prenatals
I have a friend who’s been taking some of our vitamins instead of prenatals since the vitamin industry is sketchy and untrustable. I wish I had known about this option before I was nearly done with my pregnancy because I did stress over what prenatals to take.
She takes the Lifelong Vitality Pack, PB Assist and TerraZyme with Doterra.
What the Lifelong Vitality Pack offers:
- General wellness and vitality
- Antioxidant and DNA protection
- Energy metabolism
- Bone health
- Immune function
- Stress management
- Cardiovascular health
- Healthy hair, skin, and nails
- Eye, brain, nervous system
- Liver function and digestive health
- Lung and respiratory health
- Gentle on stomach
- Non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free
What you can expect from PB Assist Probiotic:
- Promotes a positive balance and proliferation of beneficial bacteria*
- Maintains healthy intestinal microflora balance*
- Supports healthy functioning of the digestive and immune systems*
- Supports the health of the GI tract, particularly the intestines and colon*
- Helps support optimal metabolism and absorption of food*
Benefits of TerraZyme:
- Supports healthy digestion and metabolism of enzyme-deficient, processed foods*
- Supports conversion of food nutrients to cellular energy*
- Promotes gastrointestinal comfort and food tolerance*
- Supports healthy production of metabolic enzymes*
- Proprietary blend of 10 active whole-food enzymes
- Contains the doTERRA tummy tamer blend of Peppermint, Ginger, and Caraway Seed
- Sodium lauryl sulfate-free HPMC vegetable capsules
- Safe and effective
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Morning Sickness & Nausea
Cardamom, Ginger, Peppermint and Citrus Oils like Lemon, Lime or Wild Orange all help with nausea and are safe to ingest while pregnant. Digest Zen is a special DoTERRA blend that is also helpful in this area. You can inhale the oils, diffuse them, rub them on your stomach or mix one or two drops in your water to get the benefits.
Hormones
Cheer, Balance, Citrus, Cardamom are all good for helping us to keep our roller coaster hormones balanced. I keep Balance in my diffuser necklace most of the time. It’s one of my favorite oils and really helps me to keep my emotions in check.
Tiredness
I have a Motivate roll on and often rub some on my chest and wrists to help me get up and moving. Peppermint and citrus oils also have a great energizing power! Lemon is my favorite to help me find some get go. These are must have essential oils for pregnancy!
Here’s everything I did to prepare for my labor
(Which was less than 5hrs long!).
Heartburn
DigestZen is the essential oil for pregnancy life saver here. Heartburn, digestive issues and nausea can be kept at bay with this blend. Peppermint can also calm the flames in your esophagus.
Aches and Pains
Back aches, hips pains, sore feet and legs can all be managed with Deep Blue which a specialty blend by DoTERRA. It comes in several easy to apply products like lotion to make it super convenient for you.
Skin Issues
I had horribly itchy rashes popping up everywhere during my pregnancies! The only thing the doctor could do was suggest hydocortisone cream. The only thing that really helped me was lavender oil. I went through some lavender roll ons during this.
Essential oils for Pregnancy: Labor
Labor Progressing Oils
Clary sage and peppermint help get and keep contractions going so labor goes faster. They say not to go near clary sage until after 39 weeks. It’s well known for it’s induction powers.
Use it aromatically or place it on pressure points on the ankles and feet. It’s an earthy grounding oil which is calming and will help you connect to your motherly goddess soul that was made to bring life into this world.
Labor Coping Oils
Peppermint also helps with pain management and cooling as my wonderful doula, Kirsten, suggested. Mix it with a carrier oil in a spray bottle and have someone mist your back with it during contractions. It’ll cool you down, provide for distraction and help you manage the pain.
Lavender, geranium, Peace and ylang ylang help relax and ground you which can help things progress faster and easier.
In labor, the more you can relax, the better and smoother the process will go. You want to surrender to it and your body. Trust that the waves are carrying you to where you need to be. Let them. The more you fight it, the worse it’ll be.
Click here to start your birth plan!
Citrus oils like lemon or wild orange help you to stay energized.
Labor is a marathon. You’re going to reach a point where your exhausted and ready to give up. These oils will awaken your senses and give you some energy to keep going.
Use these essential oils for pregnancy aromatically such as diffusing or simply inhaling from the bottle. You never know what scents are going to sit well and which aren’t during labor so I’d only put it in a diffuser if it without a doubt is going to benefit you.
Blends like motivate or balance help you to stay focused and strong.
You’re a warrior goddess. Your body was made for this. But no one said it would be easy. You have the strength inside of you. You only need to awaken it. These oils will help you to keep your eye on the prize. Embrace your raw tribal nature. There’s no space for weakness or modesty here. Let me hear your battle cry.
I’ve also heard great things about vetiver for calming and focus.
Essential oils after Pregnancy: Postpartum
Padcicles
Have we all heard of padcicles? Adding essential oils to them can provide extra relief and faster healing.
You simply unfold some pads, put all your ingredients on them, refold them, place in a ziplock bag (or a paper bag if you’re looking to minimize plastic) and freeze.
The basic recipe floating around is 1 part witch hazel and one part aloe vera (I used the aloe vera juice instead of the gel). Adding Lavender and/or Frankincense can boost their healing and soothing powers. Plus they smell beautiful which is a great plus when you’re feeling a bit yucky.
Make sure you drench them in the liquid so they don’t melt so quickly. Add 5-10 drops of your essential oils.
- Lavender: fights swelling, inflammation and promotes cellular regeneration as it also provides pain relief. Minimizes scarring, helps skin to regain it’s elasticity. Conditions skin.
- Frankincense: Minimizes scarring, supports tissue regeneration. Holy anointing oil. Great for skin healing of any sorts.
- Geranium: Minimizes inflammation, skin health, Muscle toner, Healing, Blood clot inducer, supports cellular regeneration, Aids in nerve pain.
- Rosemary: Fights infection, strengthens muscles, calms inflammation, pain killer, improves blood flow.
Oils don’t mix super well just dropping them on there so mixing them with the witch hazel first can help with making sure they get on there with full coverage.
It took me roughly 1 episode of Vikings to make about 30. I’ve heard that’s about a week’s worth. I’ve seen people do as many as 80 or you can take my lazy approach and make some now and if you need more later, worry about that then.
Peri Spray
A spray can be made super simply with witch hazel and any or several of the above oils. Whatever you prefer. Get creative with it. Add about 5-10 drops of each oil you use in a spray bottle. Dark glass bottles always work best with essential oils. Shake and spray.
Postpartum Coping
The fourth trimester is always said to be the hardest. We can deal with all sorts of postpartum depression or anxiety on top of no sleep and learning how to juggle motherhood.
- Balance, Geranium, Bergamot and Citrus Oils can help with keeping emotions as level as possible.
- Peace, Balance, Lavender, Geranium, Vetiver and Bergamot can ease anxiety.
- Frankincense can help erase scars and stretch marks.
- Peppermint and Citrus Oils help to wake up and energize you after a sleepless night.
- Diffusing On Guard or Lemon can help cleanse the air and keep immune systems up. (Especially since everyone’s gonna wanna see baby)
Essential oils After Pregnancy: Breast Feeding
Get on the Life Long Vitality Vitamins! I’ll have more to say about this particular section as it unfolds for me. I’ll be updating it as I learn new things and implement more for our own breastfeeding journey but until then.
There are also oils to aid in breastfeeding if you plan on doing that.
Clary Sage can get milk production going.
Fennel can help increase and maintain milk supply. Apply on breasts, spine and around lymph system. *Not while baby is feeding. Avoid contact with baby’s face and do not use more than 10 days in a row. *
Basil works the same as fennel but doesn’t carry the same warnings. You can mix them together with a carrier oil if you like, just reinstate the above warnings when using this way.
*Avoid nipple area. We don’t want baby ingesting anything other than milk*
Avoid Peppermint as it can lower supply.
Drop us your questions and comments below!
Best Vibes Always,
S.S.Blake
Other pregnancy related posts:
- My all natural hospital birth plan
- My minimalist hospital bag
- Preparing your body for a natural labor
- I took castor oil twice with no ill effects
Author
S.S.Blake; Spiritual Life Coach, Yoga + Meditation Teacher and Founder of Earth and Water
LET’S BE FRIENDS!
Explore working with me to find your voice and share your message with the world.
