Essential oils for labour

The value of a massage with essential oils during childbirth has been known for hundreds of years, and nowadays essential oils are becoming a popular trend for a more gentle and natural way of giving birth.

Essential oils are now being used by health professionals involved in childbirth. Massaging with essential oils such as clary sage, jasmine, neroli, or rose is used to help mothers relax between contractions.

Essential oils have been evaluated in a few studies for their benefits used in a labour ward. The following essential oils were included: lavender, clary sage, peppermint, eucalyptus, chamomile, frankincense, jasmine, rose, lemon, and mandarin.

Lavender was the most commonly used essential oil to reduce anxiety and improve mood. Peppermint was commonly selected to relieve nausea. Clary sage was applied to increase contractions.

But the most common reason for using essential oils was to reduce anxiety, relieve nausea, increase contractions and for pain relief.

The most frequent comment was the relaxant effect of the essential oils such as lavender, clary sage and chamomile. Lavender was regarded as the best mood enhancer.

Essential oils provide a soothing atmosphere in the delivery room enabling a holistic and more natural approach.

Essential oils for the delivery room:

    • Rose – relaxant, antiseptic, analgesic
    • Neroli – calming, antiseptic
    • Lavender – circulatory stimulant, analgesic, calming, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, healing, relieves headache
    • Clary sage – tonic, analgesic, antispasmodic, euphoric
    • Jasmine – euphoric, antidepressant, tonic.

Important. Essential oils which are helpful during labour must be avoided during the first few months of pregnancy. It is a good idea to blend the oils beforehand. Ask a certified aromatherapist, since blending for pregnant women requires more in-depth knowledge.

Our aromatherapist created two blends to use in the delivery room.

One is a synergy of essential oils such as bergamot, frankincense, geranium, lavender, mandarin, and sandalwood for diffuser.

The second is to alleviate pain as a massage oil with the essential oils of clary sage, jasmine, and lavender blended in camellia oil.

We can make these on request for you just call 0800-427662 or send us an email via our contact page here

Essential oils for labour are definitely of great help especially if they are prepared and pre-blended by a certified aromatherapist with all individual preferences and concerns being taken into account.

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