Essential Oils for Pregnancy, labor and birth
First
of all Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils from Young Living are safe, organic and
non toxic if used with common ‘scents’. In order to gain proper therapeutic
effects with Essential Oils the importance of purity cannot be overstated!
AFNOR/ISO standards are the highest in the industry and guarantee not only best
quality but also best therapeutic effects!
This
document was born from my own personal experience in using YL Oils for own births as well as my years of experience as a birth doula seeing the resultsof the use of YL oils.
The idea was to create a guideline on how to use Young
Living therapeutic grade essential oils before, during and after birth.
The
information given here is meant to serve health professionals, as well as new
parents, as a guideline to make more informed product choices.
In this way the following ideas are not meant
to serve as prescriptions to solve anybody’s symptoms, but are rather meant to
be applied in a more comprehensive context. Always talk to your health care provider or midwife first.
For
now here is a place begin…enjoy!
A general guideline is that you want to see
responses take place relatively quickly with therapeutic oils. If nothing
happens for a while after you’ve applied an oil, it might be wise to try
another one that addresses a similar pattern and see if that does the trick.
Using EO's (Essential Oils) can be very
self-empowering if we create the time and space inside ourselves and listen to
our inner guidance.
We are all bio-logical individuals and
respond therefore different to different stimuli.
Young Living Essential Oils are safe to work with in general. Most oils
could actually be used’ neat’ (undiluted) on almost all adults but please avoid
contact with the eyes. Avoid using them on the genital area in general or if
then only in diluted form. This applies for mucus linings like the genitals, as
some oils might sting if not diluted with a carrier oil like YL’s V6 eg. or any
other vegetable oil serving as a carrier oil. Furthermore, some people are more
sensitive than others, so diluted an EO in such a case might be appropriate.
Remember that Essential Oils are highly concentrated substances. Often it is
not the amount of EO used at any given application but the frequency of
application that matters, that means how often an EO is actually used, which
creates its powerful results.
Natural remedies
differ vastly from Western Medicine drugs because the strength EOs have comes
often more through their ability in changing the ‘terrain’ than just treating
an isolated single function.
Please also refer to the ‘YL User Guide’
Guidelines for further Safety information which comes with all of your first
orders.
Some ideas:
Here is a list of ideas to work from.
Follow your own intuition and inner guidance when you are in doubt or simply
pick up the phone and call me or someone else you trust who knows how to work
with YL Oils.
If no specifics are given please use your
own common sense.
I
wouldn’t go anywhere without these:
Valor AM and PM on the spine and/or bottom
of the feet - for deep Central Nervous System relaxation and to enhance the
action of all other YL Essential Oils used.
Ningxia Red - 1-2 oz. a day – general
Anti-oxidant support
If
the Immune System needs additional support:
Thieves a few drops on the feet at bedtime
to support better immune function if it is called for.
To optimize intestinal function and
in case of constipation
Comfortone
– if tendency towards constipation exists
ICP
– increase fiber for better bowel formation and movement
Essentialzyme
– digestive enzymes taken before meals to improve digestion, which might be
challenged at times during pregnancy.
After
birth, anointing the baby
YL Frankincense –
Apply on the whole body diluted as an ointment
Eg.30drops in 1oz. Carrier Oil like YL’s
V6 Oil
YL Trauma Life
Blend (Helichrysum, Lavender, Valerian,
Sandalwood,
Rose, Spruce, Geranium, Davana, Citrus hystrix)
Apply wherever
the Trauma happened, head area etc. or simply on the crown and the feet right
after birth.
See also Trauma section
Back
Pain
YL
Pan Away – on the area of pain, directly or diluted with a few
drops
V6 or vegetable oil
YL
Valor, on the area
YL
AromaSiez, on the area
See
also Muscular Pain
Balance
Energy Field
YL White Angelica
Blend on shoulders to strengthen the Energy Bodies
YL Harmony Blend,
applied on all 7 charkas and/or the spine for deeper balancing
YL
Valor Blend on the feet and/or spine to help the Nervous System to ‘unwind’
Bleeding
(any type)
Helichrysum
- internally used depending on situation, talk to midwife
TraumaLife
(Helichrysum, Lavender, Valerian, Sandalwood, Rose,
Spruce,
Geranium, Davana, Citrus hystrix) – externally.
Blood
Pressure
If
too low or too high during pregnancy or birthing:
YL
AromaLife Blend, I drop on the heart and inner wrist
YL
Clary Sage lowers if too high
Breast
infection/ ‘milk fever’/mastitis – if breast
aren’t emptied completely or when milk ducts get clogged or if breast-feeding
is stopped abruptly.
Cold Compress up
to hourly during the day with
YL
Geranium 1drop
YL
Lavender 1drop
YL
Rose 2drops
In 1.5 pints cold
water, dip washcloth into it, squeeze excess water out and apply on breast
If
also fever associated with it: Add
Eucalyptus globulus foot bath to
the
program. 5 drops added to ½ tsp sea salt and added to water
Breech
Babies
Try Myrrh
applied to the belly button, several drops rubbed onto the belly,
repeated
application might be needed.
Circulation
Massage
legs every day with YL Cypress, YL Helichrysum and
YL
Tangerine, each a couple of drops with a squirt of V6
Carrier Oil or other vegetable oil
YL
Ningxia Red juice, 1 oz. twice a day
Congestion
During
labor: Diffuse YL Euc.globulus or Eucalyptus.radiata –
Or
YL Rosemary – all three decongest
Contractions
To
increase and strengthen them:
YL
Clary Sage applied around the inside of the ankles and internally as needed,
eg. 1 drop every half an hour
Colic
YL Roman
Chamomile, compress on babies belly with 1 drop in bowl of warm water
Cesarean/C-Section
YL
Rose – heals emotional trauma plus is rejuvenative to the
skin/tissue
(also part of Trauma Life)
YL
Helichrysum – heals tissue trauma, stops bleeding (also in YL
Trauma
Life Blend!)
YL
Idaho Balsam Fir - one time 10 drops
into ‘OO” capsule taken
internally
to wean off pain medications
after
C-section
YL Believe Blend
(Frankincense, Idaho Balsam Fir and Rosewood)
-
wound healing, diluted on the area
YL
Lavender – prevention of scaring, skin healing
YL Trauma Life
(Helichrysum, Lavender, Valerian, Sandalwood,
Rose, Spruce,
Geranium, Davana, Citrus hystrix) – covers a large terrain of application
Dilation,
if delayed
YL Clary
Sage, use orally 1 drop every 15 minutes or 6 drops and see
what
happens over the next couple hours, then repeat if necessary.
Diaper
Rash
YL Gentle
Baby diluted 1:30 with YL V6 or almond oil
Edema
YL
Cypress and Tangerine, each one drop, repeat several times a day
drink
Dandelion LEAF tea as well several cups a day
Water Retention Massage Oil Blend:
YL Tangerine, 2 drops
YL Lemon, 1 drop
YL Cypress, 4 drops
YL Lavender, 4 drops
YL Geranium, 3 drops
Mixed into: 2 1/2 Tb. almond oil, 1/2 Tb. jojoba oil
1 Evening Primrose oil capsule (approx. 10 drops)
This
can be used all throughout pregnancy.
Relax on the sofa with your
legs
raised on pillows. Apply the oils to
your feet, ankles and legs,
massaging
toward your heart to help circulation. The
help of your partner would certainly be appreciated.
Emotional
Support
YL
Forgiveness Blend – holding on to the past
YL Surrender
Blend – to support in letting go
See also Fear,
Panic, Trauma, Post partum depression, Self-esteem
Energy
To
strengthen energy:
YL
En-er-gee Blend, 1 drop applied to each kidney (on the back, l drop over rib
areas left and right) or on the bottom of both feet and/or on bottom of feet
YL
Rosemary, same as above or on the neck area
Episiotomy
– see Perineum Care
Fear
YL
Peace & Calming – diffuse during labor
YL
Lavender – add to bath water at birth or diffuse it in the room
Group Beta Strep
YL
Thieves, 3 drops on soles of feet morning and night.
YL
Valor Blend on the spine, 5 drops distributed along the spine,
morning
and night
Heart
Burn
YL
Peppermint internally 1 drop when needed
YL
Di-Gize on the belly, 3-4 drops directly for the mother
Combination of
both works best!
Itching,
vaginal
Sitzbath with 1
drop YL Rose and 1 drop YL Peppermint into a ½ tsp salt, added to the bath
water
Indigestion
YL
Di-Gize – a few drops on the belly, diluted for babies to support
digestion and to
prevent colic.
YL
Peppermint – internally one drop on the tongue for mother, on the bottom
of the feet 1:10 diluted for babies
Lactation
YL
Fennel oil 2 drops in honey water every two hours.
Labor
Early Labor – to
halt labor
YL
Clary Sage 5-7 drops and/or Fennel
YL Lavender, apply a few drops on the
belly and wait and see –
calming and relaxing
YL Peace & Calming Blend, apply on
the heart and solar plexus, just
1 drop or so or diffuse it.
Encourage labor: in general Jasmine and Clary Sage can be helpful.
Amount varies from case to case. Taking a drop of Clary Sage
for
Example once every 15 minutes to an hour might do it.
Use Jasmine only externally as a fragrant, don’t use it
internally.
During Labor:
4 drops YL Helichrysum
4 drops YL Fennel
2 drops YL Peppermint
5 drops YL Ylang Ylang
3 drops YL Clary Sage
1/2 oz. V6 carrier oil
Apply only after the labor starts. Massage inside the ankles, on little
toes, little fingers and lower tummy and back.
Or Frankincense, applied diluted around
vaginal opening
Diffusing Blend:
40 drops YL Lavender
37 drops YL Frankincense
21 drops YL Ylang Ylang
20 Chamomile Roman
Diffuse in birthing room
Or
simply Single Oils that call you
Wash Cloth Blend:
10 drops YL Jasmine
5 drops YL Chamomile
Roman
5 drops YL Geranium
20 drops YL Lavender
Use in a bowl of water, swish a washcloth and use to cool
mom's head and face.
Afterbirth Blend:
10 drops YL Geranium
15 drops YL Jasmine
Use with a carrier oil to help expel placenta and tone the
uterus.
Morning
Sickness – see Nausea
Muscular
pain
YL
AromaSiez Blend on sore muscle with a squirt of V6 or other
vegetable
oil
YL
OrthoSport Massage Oil – ready to go muscular and skeletal pain
Formula,
apply on location several times a day
YL
Rosemary – directly on muscles or with V6 carrier oil
YL Valor –
directly on sore areas and/or on bottom of feet and/or on
on spine.
Mouthwash/Oral
Hygiene
If
sensitivity to breath smell of support team, have them take a
sip
of YL Thieves Mouthwash
OR
a drop of YL Peppermint and YL Lemon oil orally on the tongue
Nausea
Peppermint
on the tongue, 1 drop at a time
Lemon
or other YL Citrus EOs in water, 5 drops to a quart keep
drinking
all day long, purifies the lymph system
Ningxia
Red, 2 oz. a day
Perineum
care
Avoid a possible Episiotomy:
- Perineal
massage prior to labor:
- Blend
of:
YL Clary Sage 5
drops and YL Rose 2 drops , in 1oz Wheatgerm oil.
- Myrrh
applied on the perineum diluted 1:10 with YL V6 carrier oil
- YL
Claraderm Spray after every time peat or several times a day on the
perineum
Three weeks before delivery:
8 drops Geranium
5 drops Lavender
1 oz. almond oil
Mix and rub on the perineum three times a day. This helps to
soften the cervix and thins the membrane to get ready for delivery.
One Week Before Delivery:
8 drops Geranium
5 drops Lavender
5 drops Fennel
1 oz. almond oil
Apply this on the perineum to further get it ready.
Perineal
massage once labor is well established
Myrrh,
few drops diluted in carrier oil (V6), 1:10
Perineal tear and trauma
·
YL Claraderm Spray - apply several
times daily to hourly
·
YL Melrose Blend dilute 1:10 with
vegetable oil and apply
·
Sitzbath with:
YL
Cypress 2 drops
YL
Lavender 3 drops
Add
to 1/2tsp of salt and mix into bath water
See
also Episiotomy prevention
Panic
- YL
Peace & Calming Blend, apply on your body (chest, wrists) or diffuse
in air fan or diffuser or use in bath
- YL
Lavender, same application
Post Partum Depression
- often arrives with onset of lactation, one to four days after birth
- Thyromin,
2-3 capsules at night to support thyroid gland function
- Ultra
Young Sublingual Spray to jump start pituitary
- YL
Jasmine bath, add a few drops into 1/2tsp of salt and mix into bath water
or …
- If
you don’t have YL Jasmine, do the bath with YL Ylang Ylang o r YL Clary
Sage
- YL
Rose , simply just smelling it or applying it on the body
- YL
Frankincense, diffuse or apply anywhere on the body, direct or diluted
- Blend
of:
YL
Bergamot 2
YL
Ylang Ylang 2
YL
Clary Sage 2
Add
to 1/2tsp of salt and mix into bath water
Self-Love
Rose
– invokes it, apply on chest
Self-esteem
YL Believe Blend
(Frankincense, Idaho Balsam Fir and Rosewood) – apply anywhere
YL
Valor Blend, apply on soles of feet or chest
Skin
dry in infants
YL
Rose 1 drop in 50 ml sweet almond oil
itchy Skin Blend during pregnancy
4 drops Tangerine
4 drops Geranium
4 drops Lavender
4 drops Cypress
3 drops Lemon
Added to 2 1/2 Tb. Almond oil
1/2 Tb. jojoba oil
1 Evening Primrose capsule (approx. 10 drops)
1 Vitamin E capsule
(approx. 10 drops)
This oil can be used almost daily during pregnancy.
Apply it to wet skin after showering, especially on the
growing belly. It may help in not having to experience the itch that most
mothers speak of, plus it could be beneficial for stretch marks as well.
Sleeplessness
YL
Lavender, drop a few drops on you pillow or have a bath with it.
YL
Valor Blend on soles of feet at night before bed time
Sore
nipples
YL
Rose, 1-2 drops in 20ml sweet almond oil or YL V6 Blend
Stretch
marks
Prevention:
YL
Tender Tush Ointment, apply a few times per day
YL
Lavender in V6
YL
Gentle Baby Blend in V6
YL
Valor Blend, like it comes out of the bottle
I
suggest you rotate Oils/Blends
Treatment:
Same
as prevention, continue protocol
YL
Gentle Baby
Blend and Prenolone+ cream
also work well on stretch marks
Tiredness
(see also Energy)
YL
Rosemary bath, 10 drop in a tsp of salt, added to the bath
Invigorating
massage oil blend
Formula:
Rosewood
17
Orange 6
Geranium 2
Add
to 50ml vegetable oil like V6
Trauma
Rose
– Supports in strengthening Spirit
Trauma
Life – in physical and psycho-emotional trauma, can be
Applied
to the mother or child after birth, diluted 1: 30 with V6
on
the baby
Or
directly on mothers whole spine and feet after birth
See
also Perineum tear/trauma
Umbilical
Cord
YL
Myrrh, apply to end of umbilical cord for better healing, 1:10 with
Carrier
oil like YL’s V6
Uterine
Tonics:
Jasmine, Clary Sage, Frankincense,
Ylang Ylang, Nutmeg
Water
birth, during
YL
Peace & Calming or YL Lavender, mix 10 drops to bath with ½
Tsp
of salt added to bath water - to relax
Water
Retention – See Edema
* * *
Precautions
in using ESSENTIAL OILS
- Avoid Citrus
oils on skin areas that are exposed to direct sun
light during the day to avoid photo-sensitivities.
- Dilute all
Essential Oils for babies, when in doubt 1:30
with a carrier oil like YL’s V6.
- Using Oils
‘neat’ that means undiluted will create a
tendency for the skin to dry out easier. Using a carrier oil like V6 will
create a more sustained effect and reduce the possibility for over
sensitivities to occur, especially in newborn. Sensitivities to YL
Essential Oils are seen very rarely. IF they are seen the cause is either
that a different brand of chemically adulterated oils were used or because
they were used in excess which simply overloaded the system. Or the oils
used per to high in Phenols (eg. Oregano, Thyme)
- We
only recommend the use of Young Living Therapeutic Grade
Essential Oils, as high quality standards (AFNOR – French
Standards for Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils) are an essential
prerequisite to gain therapeutic
results without producing side effects.
- Oils to AVOID during pregnancy:
Basil, Birch, Calamus, Cassia, Cinnamon bark, Hyssop, Idaho
Tansy, Lavandin (a form of Lavender often sold in stores), Rosemary, Sage,
Tarragon.
Here
are some ideas for a Essential Oil Birth Kits (the
reasoning for these can be found by getting more familiar with the above
mentioned EO Reference Guide.
Note:
If you have any
specific issues that have been mentioned earlier please get these oils
independently from the following recommendations.
Basic
Birth Kit
Essential 7 Kit
(Joy,
Peace & Calming, Lavender, PanAway, Lemon, Purification)
See the other attachment for more information
on this!
Valor – to ‘unwind’ , relieves aches and
pains, central nervous system
relaxation
TenderTush Ointment – preventing stretch
marks
Gentle Baby – comforting, soothing, ,
reducing stress during pregnancy,
preventing
stretch marks and scars and for bonding with baby pre-
natally by
rubbing it on the belly and later on by using it to prevent
diaper rash.
Apply also on perineum for softening of it.
Clary Sage – support labor, relax, support
and balance hormone levels
Claraderm Spray – Perineum preparation
before birth and after birth for
healing
this it
Fennel – support with lactation, digestion,
colic etc.
Essential
Birth Kit
Basic Kit plus:
Trauma Life – any trauma to the mum or
baby, physically or emotionally,
brain and nervous
system balancing, most comprehensive oil in dealing with trauma, tissue healer.
Myrrh – softens Perineum during labor,
analgesic, anaesthetic, heals
Umbilical cord
ending of baby, immune support, spiritual uplifting, stimulates upper brain
centers/master glands similar to Frankincense and more.
Comprehensive
Kit
Essential Birth Kit plus:
Frankincense – great purifier, opens brain
function, pituitary and pineal
gland, one of the
most holy oils for anointing the newborn, help in any type of wound healing,
enhance immune function and more.
Rose – the greatest healer on the
psycho-emotional plane, helps with healing
trauma (also one
of the TraumaLife ingredients), stabilizes moods especially during post partum,
relaxing, anti-scaring. deepens bonding with baby and more.
Note: I believe
that this is the greatest treat you can give a woman who enjoys fragrances.
Note that it takes 5000 pounds of Rose
PETALS to make just 1 pound of Rose EO! We are talking a truck loads here!
Any Rose Oil that is cheap is basically garbage (sorry to say!) and therefore a
hazard to your health! Please don’t use any Rose Oil if you aren’t sure about
it’s purity.
DISCLAIMER:
The information provided here is for educational purposes only, and is not
intended as diagnosis, treatment or prescription for any disease. The decision
to use, or not to use, any of this information is the sole responsibility of
the reader. Also, any and all recommendations made only apply to YL Essential
Oils!
If you have any questions or need
assistance or like to place an order, please don’t hesitate to call me, I would
be happy to help you!
Have a Grace filled day
~Lisa