Essential Oils & Aromatherapy Pregnancy Considerations

Pregnancy and essential oils is a topic that has many different viewpoints. These aromatherapy pregnancy considerations seem to vary with the source one is consulting. For example, the British school of aromatherapy and their followers seem to be the most restrictive. The French school seems less so. The greatest freedom in use typically comes through using 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oils.

Only the Best for Your Baby

Isn’t pregnancy one of the most important times in life to be using the best possible quality of essential oils? You probably realize that almost every vendor on the planet will either tell you that his oils (1) are 100% pure or (2) are the best on the market. This is probably what they have been told by the people who sold the oils to them. But for the sake of that little one growing inside of its mother’s womb, when you are considering aromatherapy pregnancy oils, please use only 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oils.

Here’s a few of the reasons why the quality offered by 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oils is so important:

1. Synthetic chemicals. I don’t think you want to give these to your baby, yet unscrupulous manufactures replace some of the natural compounds in the oils with synthetic ones. U.S. law says that for an essential oil to be labeled “pure,” what is in the bottle must contain at least 5% of what is on the label. Would you like to take a guess as to what is in the other 95%? Know your supplier!

2. Organic. Wouldn’t you prefer that your baby and its mom be absorbing oils that have been grown with no pesticides on land that has never had pesticides?

3. Profit or Prayer. Some companies are driven by profit, while others may have distributors who volunteer of the time to help plant the seeds by hand, help with the harvest, and offer their prayers over the plants that are being distilled.

Which do you want for your baby?

Oils to Avoid During Pregnancy

Even with the best quality oils that have been grown and harvested with love and prayer, there are a few that are simply not recommended during pregnancy. These include basil, calamus, clary sage, fennel, hyssop, nutmeg, rosemary, sage, tansy, and tarragon.

Cleansing During Pregnancy

A number of pregnant moms make no changes in their essential oil usage, but often, these are the moms who are already accustomed to using essential oils. They more often than not have done various cleanses before becoming pregnant.

The idea of a pregnant or breastfeeding mom doing a cleanse makes me uncomfortable. I’m much more comfortable with the idea of cleansing before becoming pregnant or just waiting until after breastfeeding is complete, but as always, it is smart to check with your certified health practitioner.

Oils Can Benefit Mom and Baby

The Gentle Baby blend is one of my favorite gifts to give an expectant mom. Many moms report that applying this aromatherapy pregnancy blend to the tummy every day prevents stretch marks, and of course, the calming properties of this oil benefit both mother and baby. After the baby is born, it recognizes the aroma and once again, may become calmer when he/she smells it.

To better determine which oils to use, please consult with (1) your certified health professional and (2) the Essential Oils Desk Reference. In the EDR, you’ll find a “pregnancy” entry which mentions using the following oils:

• Gentle Baby blend
• Lavender (be very careful about quality on this one!)
• Myrrh
• Rose
• Geranium
• German chamomile
• Neroli
• Sandalwood
• Rosewood
• Forgiveness
• Valor

Of course, there are more oils than just these that are safe to use during pregnancy, so your next step is to go to the front portion of the EDR and check out the single oils or oil blends that interest you. If there is aromatherapy pregnancy concerns regarding their safety during pregnancy, the entry will include a caution area that suggests you consult with your health care professional using.

Next, I invite you to read the most beautiful birthing story I have ever heard. Yes, it’s with essential oils and when you read it, it will warm your heart!

If you would like to be put in touch with a mom who has recently used essential oils or aromatherapy pregnancy techniques, please contact me and I will then arrange for one of these moms to be in touch with you.