Pregnancy is a beautiful journey marked by a lot of physical changes, and taking care of your wellbeing becomes even more important during this time.
I often get asked what products are safe to use during pregnancy, so I wanted to write this blog to share some educational information about the topic. In this blog, we’ll delve into the world of aromatherapy during pregnancy, focusing on safety, essential oils for nausea, preventing stretch marks, and supporting labor.
Safety first!
First, let’s start with some guidelines.
As a general rule, the first trimester of pregnancy is the most critical one and the guidelines are to keep the essential oil use to a minimum, focusing mainly on combating morning sickness and nausea. Everything else, including your skin, can wait. See below some recommended essential oils for nausea and morning sickness.
During the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, we can start using essential oils topically, with a dilution of 1 to 2%. This is when you can start making massage blends for relaxation and for pain, a blend for stretch marks, and even a blend to help you with labor.
Essential Oils for Nausea
“Morning” sickness and nausea are often a companion in the early stages of pregnancy. Aromatherapy can be very beneficial to ease this discomfort. Here are my favorite oils:
Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis): This citrus oil is an amazing digestive aid and is also very uplifting!
Lemon (Citrus limon). Take a look at this research about the effectiveness of lemon essential oil on nausea and morning sickness: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4005434/
Ginger (Zingiber officinale): A study examined the effectiveness of ginger essential oil inhalation in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4818021/
You can inhale the oils individually in a diffuser or an inhaler, or you can try Enjoy the Ride blend for nausea, morning sickness, and motion sickness.
Inhalation is the fastest way for essential oils to reach the brain. So, even when we are “just” smelling the oils and not applying anything on our skin, the effects are magical. If you want to learn more about how essential oils reach and affect our brain, read this blog.
Oils to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy:
In the first trimester, avoid applying any product with essential oils (or make sure you are using blends at 1% concentration only). As mentioned above, keep the essential oils use for inhalation only, to manage nausea and morning sickness. Explore alternative options for skincare that don’t include essential oils but remain highly effective such as: Shea butter, calendula oil, avocado oil, jojoba wax, and many more. Our Luscious Body Butter, available in two variants – one with essential oils and one without – is particularly suitable during the initial trimester when a cautious approach is paramount.
As you transition into the second trimester, you can start using essential oils on your skin, but always keep in mind general safety guidelines. Our Luscious Body Butter was formulated with pregnant women in mind and contains only organic, raw, and unrefined ingredients. If you use other brands, just make sure you read the ingredients list and understand them. Less is better most of the time!
What truly matters is selecting high quality products that prioritize our well-being and the health of the baby, ensuring a nurturing and gentle approach to skincare during this amazing journey.
Oils for pain, cramps, and swelling during pregnancy:
During the second half of the pregnancy and specially towards the end, women tend to have cramps, back pain, and swelling in legs. This is when an aromatherapy massage oil can really help.
Oils to use for pain include:
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): Linalool, a main constituent in lavender oil has been well researched and found to be excellent for pain management.
Frankincense (Boswellia carterii): One of the best oils ever! Frankincense is anti-inflammatory and is considered to have great pain-relieving properties. Frankincense was also found to reduce stress levels and give you better quality of sleep.
Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens): Helps with circulation.
Lemon (Citrus limon): Also helps with circulation and is very uplifting.
Pick one or two oils and add to a carrier oil (such as coconut oil or any other oil you like for massages). Keep the essential oils at 1% dilution rate (5 drops of essential oils for 30 ml/1 oz of carrier oil).
Oils to support labor:
There are some wonderful essential oils to support you during labor. Here are a few examples, backed by research:
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): Several studies were conducted on the effects of lavender essential oil for pain management during labor. Lavender was found to “significantly decrease pain intensity during labor” (Vakilian K, Karamat A, Mousavi A, Shariati M, Ajami E, Atarha M. The effect of Lavender essence via inhalation method on labor pain. Journal of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences.) Link to article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7445940/#:~:text=Mohammadkhani%20et%20al.,labor%20pain%20intensity%20(19).
Clary sage (Salvia sclarea): This oil is believed to be uterotonic and therefore can induce labor. It should only be used during active labor, and under the guidance of a healthcare professional.
Clary sage could be inhaled (just add 10-15 drops to an inhaler) or applied topically. To apply topically, dilute with carrier oil and massage it on the ankle, feet, lower back, and hips. You can even apply it on your palms and inhale the aroma during labor.
Jasmine (Jasminum sambac): Jasmine absolute is another great oil to support birth. Use it in a massage oil to help soothe and calm the nerves. Jasmine is also a lovely scent, and a Jasmine roller can be used as an alternative to perfume for new moms (or anyone, really).
It is important to note that the use of essential oils during labor should be done with caution, and always under the care of a healthcare professional. If using medications for labor, we do not recommend using aromatherapy.
Essential oils contra-indicated during pregnancy.
No matter how far you are in your pregnancy, here is a short list of essential oils that are restricted during pregnancy. This list is not complete, but these are the most common oils you should know about. In addition to this list, when you want to use any essential oil, always read safety warnings on the bottle, or ask a certified aromatherapist or your medical doctor. If an oil is contra-indicated for pregnancy, it should say so.
Anise oil (Pimpinella anisum)
Cinnamon Bark Oil (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
Blue Cypress Oil (Callitris intratropica)
Myrrh Oil (Commiphora myrrha)
Oregano Oil (Origanum vulgare)
Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas)
Wintergreen Oil (Gaultheria fragrantissima)
If you have any question or would love to learn more, message me on Instagram or send me an email :)
