Safe Aromatherapy

[kelly2202]

Don't know if there are any that exist but I have been doing some research and have conflicting information and thought I would ask and see if anyone knows the answer.

I am hoping that I am pregnant, will find out by Wednesday next week hopefully. I love to burn oils in our bedroom, especially citrusy oils ... my favourite at the moment is orange!!! but I am wondering if it is still safe to do so during pregnancy.

I would be very appreciative of any information you could give me.

Thank you in advance

[Lucy]

Hi Kelly,

Fingers crossed that you are indeed pregnant!

Hopefully I can help with your aromatherapy question. I am not a qualified aromatherapist, but my Granny was an old witch who used nothing but herbal remedies, & I've done several courses, and practice aromatherapy in our home.

Not all essential oils are safe, but most of them are. The below is a list that are definately safe during pregnancy, and luckily many are "citrussy":

Tangerine, Mandarin, Grapefruit
Geranium, Chamomile Roman, Rose, Patchouli
Spearmint, Ginger
Jasmin, Ylang-ylang, and Lavendar.

Certainly these are safe to burn in a burner, or in the bath or mixed with a base oil for a massage. (Douching is a no no.)

The main thing with oils when you are pregnant is to use the minimum: ie use as few a drops as poss:

In a massage oil: 1 drop per 5ml of base oil
In a bath: no more than 8 drops in a full tub
In a burner: 3 drops per 1/4 cup water
In a mister/room spray: 4 drops per 300ml water

If you are pregant, you'll maybe find your sense of smell is really heightened (I know I have) so you'll be able to smell these even if you are usually used to using more.

Again, if you are pregnant, there is a strong recommendation to put a drop of spearmint oil on you pillow to alleviate morning sickness, but it made me feel worse! (I have since switched to lavendar, and that helps me sleep well, and certainly makes me feel less "squirgly", IYKWIM? A drop of ginger oil in a bowl beside your bed is also supposed to work.

Patchouli is good for symptoms of pregnancy constipation (in a massage oil, massaged over the whole abdominal area). It has worked for me, but the smell is not one of my favourites, so I have suffered with the constipation regardless!

The best application of essentail oils in pregnancy, I believe, is massage to make sure you don't get any stretch marks. My Granny had 6 kids (one set of twins) and swears she massaged daily through all of her pregnancies, and she had no stretch marks at all! She thinks about 50ml of base oil to about 8 drops of essential oil, and massage over the tum and over the tops of your legs and around your hips.

Kelly, I have burbled on, but I hope you are pregnant, and I hope the above helps!

[BellyBelly]

Kelly,

It is only when you put oils on your skin that there could be any risk, burning the oils is perfectly fine. Checkout our pregnancy section and I have written up a story on Aromatherapy.

Orange is also a great oil for labour

[kelly2202]

Thank you for your replies. I was glad to see I could still use my favourite oils and thank you for clearing up the fact that oils are safe when burning them. I usually only burn them as I dont get much of a chance to have a nice relaxing bath!!!

I think it is time to go shopping again for more oils.

Thank again

Cheers

[BellyBelly]

Kelly,

While burning the oils is perfectly fine, just a word of warning though, don't put the oils undiluted onto your skin. Even if you want to use them for massage, I would still recommend seeking the advice of a professional. I am not at all doubting your skill Lucy or the accuracy of the information that we have provided on the website, however I am vary wary of self-diagnosis on health orientated websites and I would hate for anything to happen to any of you and I would also like to ensure BellyBelly remains a credible site - last thing we need is to be on A Current Affair but for the wrong reasons!!!

I am sure you all understand!

[belindaleen]

Hi All,

Does anyone have any idea what oils are good for pre-conception?? Like all your responses too - keeping in mind for future use!!

Cheers,

Bel

[Jen Schuster]

Hi Bel

I used alot of aromatherapy when TTC. We used our favourite relaxing blends. I have one that I love the recipie is as follows:
2 Drops Geranium (Soothes, Stabalises and Balances)
3 Drops Sandlewood (Tranquility, peace of mind)
3 Drops Lavender (Nurtures, Comforts and Soothes)

It is very strong and not for everyone but was successful for us.

Hope this helps

Jen :wink:

[Lucy]

Hi Bel,

As Jen says, relaxing blends that you both really like are the best.

Here is another blend that DH & I have used: not sure if it did the trick or not, but it definately smells lovely: we used it in a massage blend as well as burning it in water in a vaporiser/oil burner:

In burner:
1 drop Rose (any)
4 drops geranium
1 drop nutmeg

As a massage oil:
5 drops rose (any)
20 drops geranium
5 drops nutmeg
Mix with 30ml massage oil

There is an Enlglish lady called Valerie Wormwood, who writes a lot of aromatherapy books, and she recommends massaging this oil into yourself every day, starting on the first day of a new cycle, and massaging it into the whole mid section of your body: abdomen, thicks, hips, buttocks, lower back etc (but not into any of your nooks and crannies, IYKWIM!).

As Kelly says earlier on in this thread, I would still recommend seeking the advice of a professional aromatherapist, as the above is just my own experience, and I certainly have no idea if it actually works or not!