Aromatherapy & Pregnancy
The word armatheraphy mens 'treatment using scents' and that's exactly what it is. Aromatheraphy is a therapeutic and complementary treament that reaches the very core of our senses through touch and smell, using the scents from aromatic oils to heal and uplift the body and spirit and make us feel better mentally and physically.
Contrary to popular belief, aromatherapy is not just massage with scented oils. Aromatherapists do use massage as an important and very valuable part of many treatments, but they also use oils in other ways for aromatic baths and in creams, lotions, compresses and vaporisers.
Essential oils
Essential oils are the highly concentrated and potent oils which are used in aromatherapy. They are extracted or distilled from various parts of plants and trees, where they can be found in special secretory glands or cells. Some plants contain essential oils in their leaves or roots, others in their flowers, fruit, stem, bark or seeds. Oil of rose, for example, is found in the flower. (Extract from Aromatherapy for Mother & Baby, Allison England, Chap 2 Page 8)
It is especially important to take great care in selecting oils during pregnancy and birth, essential oils can be very powerful and should be used carefully. Find a good book or visit an aromatherapist in order to find out exactly how and what to use during preparation of your oils.
Preparing a pregnancy massage oil
- make a base oil by mixing 80ml (4 tblsns) sweet almond oil with 20ml (1 tblspns) avocado oil.
- add 10 drops tangerine and 5 drops of neroli oil or 10 drops tangerine and 5 drops of lavender oil.
Problems in Pregnancy
- Morning sickness:
- A bowl of boiling water with 4-6 drops of spearmint oil added, placed on the floor by your bed overnight, will help the stomach calm. The aroma molecules will waft up and gently do their work as you sleep and after using this method for 3 consecutive nights the morning sickness should be gone. Or put one drop on your pillow.
- Stretch marks - massage base oil:
- shake the oils together and use when needed -
- 30ml almond oil
- 15ml wheatgem oil
- 10 drops borage seed oil
- 5 drops carrot oil
Haemorrhoids:
If you already have the problem of haemorrhoids, make yourself a cream by adding 15 drops of geranium and 5 drops of cypress essential oil to the contents of a small tube of KY Jelly. Simply squeeze into a small jar, add the essential oils, mix very well and rub the anal area when required.
- Cramp - foot bath for leg cramps:
- place in a bowl of hot but not boiling water -
- 5 drops Geranium
- 10 drops Lavender
- 2 drops Cypress
- Massage oils to increase the flow of breast milk
- Diluted in 30ml good quality nut or vegetable oil:
- 15 drops Fennel or
- 15 drops Geranium or
- 10 drops Clary-sage
- Remember to wash oil off before feeding baby!
- Post-Natal 'Lift" special oil
- Use these quantities to 30ml vegetable oil for a massage oil or body rub, or, use these proportions to make a concentrate and use in a diffuser or room method, or as a perfume:
- 7 drops Nutmeg
- 6 drops Bois de rose
- 2 drops Frankincense
- 9 drops Lemon
- 6 drops Rose
These excerpts were from The Fragrant Pharmacy A complete guide to Aromatherpy & Essential Oils, Valerie Ann Worwood.