Aromatherapy During Pregnancy - Yes, Essential Oils Are Safe
Guest Post By Donna ChisholmAromatherapy is safe during pregnancy, although some of the more active oils should be avoided in the first trimester as a precautionary measure, and some oils should only be used if under the supervision of a trained aromatherapist.
If essential oils have not been used on a regular basis prior to pregnancy, cypress, chamomile, marjoram and peppermint should be avoided, unless you have a trained professional in aromatherapy who is looking after you.
Basil, cajeput, clary sage, cypress, myrrh, niaouli and rosemary are all okay in the second half of pregnancy, but should not be used in the earlier stages.
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SEE ALSO: ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE AND HOME REMEDIES FOR PREGNANCY AND MISCARRIAGE
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It is better to err on the side of caution and stick with the oils that are known to be safe. The small group of oils above could be left alone during pregnancy to ensure no issues will arise.
Essential oils that can be used all through the pregnancy include bergamot, black pepper, cedarwood, eucalyptus, frankincense, geranium, ginger, grapefruit, lavender, lemon, lime, mandarin, neroli, orange bitter, orange sweet, petitgrain, pine, ravensara, rose geranium, rose otto, rosewood, sandalwood, spearmint, tangerine, tea tree and ylang ylang.
Another important note for mothers-to-be is to only use half the normal dosage. A normal dosage for a healthy adult is 8 drops, so if pregnant, only 4 drops of the essential oil should be used (to 15ml of carrier).
If you want to use a mix of 3-4 oils, a good idea is to make the blend of oils first in a larger quantity, ie 4 drops of each oil equals 12-16 drops in total, and then use 4 drops of the actual blend.
Choose two or three oils from those recommended - no need for all the oils at the same time! Enjoy these recipes.
Morning Sickness:
Ginger, spearmint, lemon, pine, sweet orange
In a burner or a few drops on a hanky
Emotional imbalances:
There will be mood swings, from high highs to very lows in the last stages of pregnancy. This can be caused by many things. The mother to be could be extremely happy at the thought of her soon to be born baby, but then there may be other times when she gets frustrated or angry at all the extra weight she is carrying, and not being able to get around like she normally does.
Conflicting emotions can cause mood swings. To be aware that these emotions will get out of kilter at times, and to accept that, will go a long way to lessening the impact if it happens.
Essential oils can greatly assist in balancing the emotions, and some great choices include lavender, geranium, frankincense, rose otto.
A qualified aromatherapist can be a great ally during pregnancy and should be consulted with any questions you may have.
Would you like to know more about aromatherapy and essential oils, particularly for your children? Great educational resource here
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