Today I welcome Rachel from Healing in Our Homes to the blog! Rachel is a homeschooling mother of 5 wonderful children and a doula and birth photographer to many women. She is a wealth of information when it comes to supporting pregnant and I’m so blessed to have her share more about essential oils and labor.
Labor, like pregnancy, can involve a lot of changing needs and feelings – first your hot then your cold, youʼre excited then youʼre crying, one minute you want someone to rub your shoulders, the next you want to hurt anyone that touches you. This is normal and essential oils are a wonderful tool to have to manage our changing moods and comfort levels during labor.
As a doula Iʼve been privileged to be a support to many women as theyʼve given birth. I love when my clients use oils already or are open to me using oils to support them. It doesnt matter if you are giving birth at home, at a birth center, or in a hospital there are still many ways for essential oils to bring comfort, both, emotionally and physically.
Where to buy high quality essential oils at a discount
Here are some of my favorite essential oils for labor:
1. Peppermint
This refreshing oils is so fabulous for when you are hot or tired. You can smell directly from the cap for some quick energy or dilute with a carrier oil and apply to the back of the neck for a cooling effect.
2. Wild Orange & Citrus Bliss Blend
Both of these oils make a wonderful compliment to peppermint for energy and stamina. They are also a great mood lifter if you feel discouraged. You can make a spray (see recipe below), diffuse them together in a diffuser or simply put them into your hands to inhale. Citrus oils can also help a laboring mama stay focused and help to calm nausea.
3. Clary Sage or Clary Calm Blend
Clary Sage is a powerful support for labor, especially when labor is stalled. Typically Clary Sage is avoided in pregnancy because of the possibility of this effect on the body. But once you are full term and your body is ready for delivery, it is a great support.
4. Balance Blend
The tree oils that make up this blend are wonderful for stabilizing mood. If you are feeling frustrated, defeated, out of balance or super emotional have someone rub a few drops into your foot and apply some to the back of your neck as well.
5. Lavender, Serenity blend, & Ylang Ylang
These are my top choices for calming during labor. I like to have my client smell the oils and make a choice by what is most attractive to her in that moment. I would offer one of these oils if mama was agitated or stressed. For mood issues, always go with whatever smells the best to you. Your body knows what it needs.
6. Marjoram
This oil is often underappreciated in the oil world. Marjoram is a great oil for soothing the discomforts of contractions. Dilute and apply to the lower abdomen. Its also great after birth for the cramps that can come while nursing so keep it around!
7. Deep Blue Blend & Black Pepper
I can verify, from my own multiple personal experiences, that back labor is the WORST. First, if you can, get on all fours to encourage that little stinker to turn the right way and relieve you of your misery. But if they insist on coming out looking up at the sky then these two oils are your friend. Get someone to rub them in thoroughly for you. Following with a heating pad or pack can help drive the oils in and give further relief.
Additional tips & recipes:
- Put 20 washcloths in a crockpot , fill with water, add 20 drops of lavender and set to “warm”. Apply a washcloth to lower abdomen or back at the beginning of each contraction.
- Cooling spray: Mix 25 drops of Wild Orange or “Invigorating” blend, 25 drops of Peppermint and water in a 4oz spray bottle. Spray on during transition or when feeling tired or discouraged.
- Perineum support: Mix 10 drops Helichrysm or Geranium in 1 tablespoon Fractionated Coconut Oil and massage into perineum at crowning. These oils support the skin tissue to help minimize puffiness and help the tissue stretch to avoid tearing.
- Use Lavender and Geranium over the uterus after birth for soothing all of those tired muscles.
- Peri Spray: (This is RAVED about amongst our team for soothing after a vaginal birth) Mix 5 drops of Lavender, Geranium and Helichrysm in 1oz of filtered water or fractionated coconut oil. Spray on after each time you use the bathroom or rinse. Donʼt leave this one out, you will be so glad you have it!
- Keep your Clary Sage and “Women’s Monthly” blend around because Clary Sage can help aid in milk production as well as support a balanced hormonal system postpartum. Dilute and apply to the lower abdomen daily.
So make sure to add your oils to your hospital bag or birth kit. Enjoy your oils during labor and delivery! To see how to use essential oils on newborns and babies, click here!
How to purchase therapeutic-grade essential oils at a discount!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Rachel is a wife and homeschooling mom to 5 spunky kids. She serves as a doula and birth photographer, is an avid researcher and love to share what she learns on her blog, Healing in our Homes. Her passion is to support other women as they journey through childbirth, the challenges motherhood and creating healthy homes. DoTERRA has been the perfect way for her to practically empower women to care for themselves and their families naturally.
Where to Buy High Quality Essential Oils at a Discount:
I recommend that when using essential oils to support your labor, that you use the highest and most therapeutic quality you can find. CLICK HERE to see my brand of choice and how you can purchase them at a discount.
Great post, thank you!! I am due in less than 3 weeks so this will be extremely useful. I recently just bought my first doTERRA kit so I have a few of the ones listed here that I’ll be able to use. I have wild orange but I was wondering, are there any other oils you would recommend to put in a diffuser during labor?
Hi! Great article, but I also noticed there were no contraindications posted along with the use of the oils. While many of these oils are great during labor, they also can have some non-desirable side effects for mom or baby if not used in the corrected context of labor. A huge example is the effect of peppermint on the respiratory system of the newborn, among other things. Just thought I should point that out.
Thanks!