Essential Oils for Labor & Delivery
Here is a quick guide to using essential oils during labor and delivery. There are also some great DIY recipes to make ahead and throw in your hospital bag!!
Essential Oils for Labor and Delivery
Jasmine: at 39+ weeks on inner ankles (vita flex point for uterus) and abdomen to kick start labour. Can also help to progress stalled labour/slowed contractions
Calming / Stress Relieving:
Lavender - diffused or inhaled for relaxation/calming.
Stress Away (blend by Young Living) - inhaled or diffused for relaxation/calming
Lemon - inhaled or diffused for uplifting, transition and applied to throat for burning feeling in your esophagus.
Geranium - inhaled or diffused to promote a peaceful environment and ease nerves or negative feelings firing labour. Also great with frank in the warm water basin with washcloth applied to perineum.
Joy (blend by Young Living) - diffused or inhaled to promote feelings of joy and ease negative emotions during labour.
Peace & Calming (blend by Young Living) - diffused or inhaled for relaxation/calming
Frankincense - inhaled or diffused for grounding/relaxation/calming
Transition / Energy Levels:
Peppermint - inhaled during transition
Lemon - inhaled or diffused for uplifting, transition and applied to throat for burning feeling in your esophagus.
Nutmeg - balances hormones, calms the central nervous system and can help alleviate stress
Ningxia Red (Young Living Mineral Drink) - to keep your energy up for when you need it most
Frankincense - inhaled or diffused for grounding/relaxation/calming. Also for anointing babe after birth to help their transition from womb to earth and offer spiritual protection. Can also be applied to abdomen/legs to help ease discomfort during labour or in a warm water basin with wash cloth and applied to perineum during crowning to ease discomfort.
Discomfort:
Black pepper - applied to lower back in labour if experiencing discomfort due to back labour.
Helichrysum - applied to back in case of excess blood loss and also applied to abdomen with firm massage post labour when experiencing uterine cramping/shrinking.
Copaiba - applied to body as needed to ease discomfort, also great diffused or inhaled for relaxation/calming.
Others that may be helpful are:
Clary Sage - to progress contractions or help stalled labour
Grapefruit (or any citrus) - diffused or inhaled to uplift mood
Claraderm (spray by Young Living) - for the weeks leading up to labour and post labour as well.
Gentle Baby (blend by Young Living) - soothing, can be used to help avoid episiotomy
Essential Oil Recipes for Labor, Delivery and Postpartum Wellness
Peri spray (To help heal any tearing)
Gentle Baby (can also be massaged by itself into perineum to help prevent tearing)
Lavender
Frankincense
Helichrysum
Geranium
Rosemary
10-12 drops each in a spray bottle topped with 50/50 alcohol free witch hazel and distilled water
This can also be applied on a Pad over a thin layer of pure aloe gel then frozen to make padsicles
Happy mama happy baby roller blend
To inhale or apply during labour
Frankincense
Grapefruit
Bergamot
Geranium
10 drops each in a 10ml roller topped with carrier
Energy and tummy roller blend
12 Orange / Lemon
6 Spearmint
In an empty 5ml bottle topped with carrier to inhale
Post labour uterus massage oil
10 black pepper
15 helichrysum
10 copaiba
5 lavender
In a 10ml roller topped with carrier
Applied to abdomen with FIRM massage during post labour uterine cramping
Let's get this show on the road!
5 drops jasmine
5 drops fennel
5 drops clary sage
In a 1ml dram neat (no carrier)
Applied to inner ankles along with acupressure massage
Can also add a squirt of carrier to apply over abdomen if labour is stalled.
These can be used together or separate for slowed/stalled labour/contractions but if you're looking to start labour I suggest jasmine alone
Ingredients of Young Living Blends:
Gentle Baby (blend by Young Living): Coriandrum sativum† (Coriander) seed oil, Pelargonium graveolens† (Geranium) flower oil, Cymbopogon martini† (Palmarosa) oil, Lavandula angustifolia† (Lavender) oil, Cananga odorata† (Ylang ylang) flower oil, Anthemis nobilis† (Roman chamomile) flower oil, Citrus aurantium bergamia† (Bergamot) peel oil (Furocoumarin-free), Citrus limon† (Lemon) peel oil, Jasminum officinale** (Jasmine) oil, Rosa damascena† (Rose) flower oil
Peace + Calming (blend by Young Living): Citrus reticulata† (Tangerine) peel oil, Citrus aurantium dulcis† (Orange) peel oil, Cananga odorata† (Ylang ylang) flower oil, Pogostemon cablin† (Patchouli) oil, Tanacetum annuum† (Blue tansy) oil
Stress Away (blend by Young Living): Copaifera reticulata† (Copaiba), Citrus aurantifolia† (Lime), Cedrus atlantica† (Cedarwood), Vanilla planifolia† (Vanilla), Ocotea quixos† (Ocotea), Lavandula angustifolia† (Lavender)
Now, where do you get these oils? I specifically use Young Living. If you’ve read some of my previous posts you know that I’ve been using their essential oils and products since I was 8 years old.
That’s right - 8 YEARS OLD. Thank goodness my Mom found them. So I can tell you that after using them for 20+ years, I not only know they work, but I trust them as a company. And for me, trust in a brand/product, especially when you’re now worrying about a little person inside you, is extremely important. I trust that their quality is the absolute best.
If you want to learn more about Young Living, click here. Or, if you’re ready to grab some oils and get started on your own adventure, click here.
Questions? Shoot me an email at hello@thewillowfield.com or send me a message on Instagram at @thewillowfield
XO, Cait