While pregnancy is amazing and you are slowly learning new things about yourself and your body, it can also have its own stressful times – as any mother will tell you. From the aches and pains that come with it, it can quickly become a time in your life where you develop anxiety or chronic stress, yet many drugs are out of the recommended list because you do not want to harm your unborn child
Many pregnant women are understandably on the hunt for a safe way to manage all these health issues, and you might be on the lookout for aromatherapy, especially if you are a frequent spa visitor. While this method has been in use for thousands of years thanks to medicinal advancements from the ancient world, it has become highly popular in recent years due to many people wanting more natural remedies.
What are essential oils, and are they good for you?
Essential oils are derived from the term ‘quintessential oil’, and they are chemicals that are sourced from different parts of plants and separated through mechanical processes or distillation. They are generally good for your health in terms of a more natural healing perspective, but the validity of their use becomes more complicated in pregnancy.
With the increased availability of essential oils, questions have started to arise on the safety of essential oil use during pregnancy. While you might resort to using diffusers such as Aromatech aroma oil diffuser, the safety component of the oils themselves is in doubt – especially for the sake of your unborn baby.
If you are still interested in the health practice, there are some precautions you should take after discussing it at length with your doctor.
Some precautions to take
Be careful how you use it
Because essential oils are basically concentrated forms of plant substances, you should never use them as they are, although the situation becomes even more sensitive when you are pregnant. They should never be ingested either – you are supposed to dilute them into a solution, then apply them on the skin or inhale them.
During pregnancy though, you cannot use every oil that is out there, even though most will give you the relief you need when you experience pregnancy symptoms like nausea.
When you use vaporizers with the oils, never leave it on for longer than 15 minutes every hour, and never use them in stuffy or closed rooms – otherwise, you will experience bad cases of nausea.
Note that the composition of the individual oils you purchase can vary greatly, as there are no set standards on them from the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Because of this, there is a chance they can even have harmful side effects or interact with drugs you are currently taking. In fact, they can even get to the fetus because of their organic nature, which allows them to cross the placenta.
Know the oils you should avoid
So you have done your research, talked to your doctor, and decided on some essential oils you can use. However, that does not mean you use them with abandon – you still have an unborn life to take care of. That means you must still proceed with caution, even if you trust those oils.
Numerous oils have the potential to affect you negatively during pregnancy, since some can led to complications like uterine contraction or their effects on the mother and fetus are unclear. These are many – they include cinnamon, parsley leaf or seed, fennel, wintergreen, caraway, basil, hyssop, and sage.
Change oils after some time
While you may want to stick to using particular oil frequently throughout your pregnancy because of how much it helps you out, the best thing is avoiding this strategy. The best thing would be changing it as the days go, such as after some days. In addition, do not use it too much – you do not wantto suffer from withdrawal symptoms when you stop using it.
What oils should I use during pregnancy?
As long as you consult widely and do your research, you will find good aromatherapy oils that can help you on your pregnancy journey. However, do not just rush to choose one of these oils – make sure to ask your doctor first.
In addition, avoid using these oils during the first trimester – the fetus is still in the early developing stages of its main organs, and you do not want to sabotage the process or lead to birth defects.
For relieving nausea
You will need something that eases upsets in the belly and the discomfort of morning sickness. These include chamomile, lavender, ginger and peppermint. When using them, you can either sniff a piece of cotton ball or tissue that has a drop of these, or sniff them directly.
Dealing with hemorrhoids
The best ones are lavender, tea tree, geranium, and cypress. When you are trying to deal with irritation or swelling, they will help you immensely. You can blend them together to make them more effective, and then add the mix to two tablespoons of Aloe Vera gel, then apply them topically on the affected areas using tissue or cotton balls.
Reducing muscle aches
You can go for lavender, chamomile, ginger, frankincense, and ylang-ylang. For greater effectiveness, use two tablespoons of a base oil like almond or jojoba, then mix a dozen drops of any of these oils and apply on the affected area.
Dealing with insomnia
One of the major issues many women have during their pregnancy is the lack of sleep, which affects their moods the next day. The body is constantly going through changes that may lead to discomfort and pain, and these interfere with sleep, as well as the growing uterus that forces changes in sleep positions.
To soothe the problem, the best oils are frankincense, lavender (it is a recurring oil in solving many pregnancy issues), mandarin, and ylang-ylang.To use them, add a dozen drops of any of these oils to 2 tablespoons of distilled water in a spray bottle, then spray your pillows before you go to sleep.
Final thoughts
Aromatherapy during pregnancy might be a tricky subject to navigate, but it is important to do adequate research on what you are using and consult widely. As long as you use it correctly, it will help you get lots of relief.
