Guest blog post written by Jess from Oyster & Olive Birth Support. Jess is a perinatal doula and antenatal teacher in Bristol, dedicated to supporting families have positive birth experiences.
I have always been very drawn towards the use of essential oils and grew up in a household that used them extensively. I trained as a perfumist and ran a small business where I created bespoke perfumes based on a description of someone’s character or something that wanted to overcome. These explorations often turned into lengthy exchanges where my customers would tell me about their whole lives, their fears and their passions.
I think scent is really powerful, especially when used for relaxation or to be uplifted. I have sometimes felt dubious about the benefits for some things BUT, a bit like with the planning-a-home-birth statistics, where your odds move drastically to the better, I think the process of trying to improve something, trying to understand something, is really beneficial and essential oils offer an accessible ‘in’ for that.
As a Doula, I always try and incorporate aromatherapy into my ante natal sessions as essentials oils act as such fantastic anchors in labour. Association can be so powerful and a scent that helps you relax prenatally, will evoke those same feelings in labour.
I will always advise clients to practise caution and also be VERY aware of allergies (many carrier oils contain almond or hazelnut) and also consider potential nut allergies with babies. The decision to use essential oils on babies is personal. I did with my own and really felt the benefits but I would always advise using 1-2 drops of essential oil per every 10ml carrier oil. Or just a carrier oil alone! As far as I’m aware, most baby massage teachers give you a take-home massage oil which is made of sunflower or vegetable oil and 2 drops of lavender essential oil.
Orange oil is one of my favourites as it’s an adaptogenic, meaning it lifts you up and calms you down – it helps you adapt to stress. This is fantastic when it comes to childbirth because you need energy, you feel uplifted helps you feel energised. But you also need to be calm and relaxed to help your oxytocin flow. So win, win!
I like to share the following with my clients so they have a good idea of what they can use and how it might help with various things;
Babies
Some people choose to use frankincense on newborn babies as it promotes general wellbeing. Use diluted frankincense on the crown of the baby’s head and down the spine, lavender on the soles of their feet and myrrh on the umbilical cord (because it is known to aid healing and fight infection). This also plays into a ritual for you to perform after giving birth which can really help to focus energy and enjoy those first few hours fully.
Rituals aside, there are essential oils that can assist with various ailments that newborns often suffer with:
Colic, reflux, tummy ache
1 drop of orange oil and 1 drop of roman chamomile mixed with grapeseed oil around the tummy button and upwards.
Dry skin/cradle cap
Mix 1 drop of frankincense and 1 of lavender with jojoba oil and massage into scalp (I used this method and it’s magical!)
Ear Pain
Dilute tea tree and basil oils with grapeseed oil and rub around the outside of the ear every couple of hours.
Fever
Diluted peppermint to soles of feet and down the spine WARNING: peppermint oil is known to reduce milk supply so unless that’s your intention, make sure you use this very sparingly if you’re breastfeeding, if at all!
Nappy Rash
Make a spray with either water or carrier oil mixed with tea tree, frankincense and lavender. Just a note, if you put oil into a spray bottle it squirts out in a single jet, rather than a spritz (like with water) so don’t go shooting it directly at your baby’s bum or it might give them a shock!
Teething
Make a rollerball for the jawline, behind ears and down the neck with a mix of frankincense, clove, lavender and roman chamomile.
Pregnancy
First Trimester
Leg Cramps: Add a mix of marjoram, cypress, lavender and geranium into your bath water.
Nausea: Both peppermint and ginger oil are great in a rollerball, as is lemon. Also, a drop of cardamon behind the ears has been known to help.
Anxiety and Low Mood: Orange, bergamot, frankincense, lavender and ylang ylang are all brilliant mood booster. Inhale from cupped hands, diffuse or use in a rollerball on wrists and back of neck.
Breast Tenderness: Grapefruit, ylang ylang and lavender, diluted in any carrier oil and massage into breasts.
Constipation: Lemon, peppermint and fennel with any carrier oil. Massage into tummy in a clockwise motion.
Headache/Dizziness: Lavender and peppermint in carrier oil applied to temples, forehead, back of neck or inhaled from cupped hands.
Second Trimester
Heartburn: Massage a mix of peppermint, ginger and orange with carrier oil and use on abdomen.
Backache: Massage lavender, marjoram and rosemary in carrier oil into lower back.
Stretch Marks: Dilute lavender, myrrh, geranium, frankincense and orange in carrier oil and massage into stretch marks – this also works as a balm when mixed with shea butter.
Third Trimester
Fluid Retention: Diluted cypress, lavender, ginger and grapefruit massaged into legs and ankles. Really common after 28 weeks when the fluid in your body increases dramatically. You can use this blend pre-emptively as well as reactively.
Sleep: Apply diluted lavender, chamomile, vetiver, juniper or frankincense to soles of feet and back of neck.
Foetal Position: If you want your baby to turn into the optimum position you can try massaging a diluted mix of peppermint and myrrh from hip to hip over your bump, 2-3 times a day then crawling on all fours for a few minutes.
Labour
Early Labour
Wild orange and geranium promote safety and security which is excellent in early labour.
A lavender and peppermint spray (to the face and neck) will help you stay cool and calm.
You might be feeling a bit tense when you’re in early labour, a bit unsure of what’s ahead of you. A lavender, frankincense and peppermint rollerball, applied in any areas holding tension, can we really beneficial.
Remember, your sense of smell is often heightened when you’re in labour so don’t make your blends too strong!
Second Stage
Frankincense is brilliant in the second stages of labour as it evokes grounding feelings. During the final surges, peppermint and orange in a great blend as it’s uplifting and energising. Apply to back of the next and temples.
Third Stage
Clary sage is a brilliant tool for the third stage of labour. Apply using firm pressure to the inner ankles and to the abdomen. It will increase the strength and effectiveness of your surges. Mixed with frankincense it’s a lovely way to help the delivery of your placenta.
Fourth Trimester
Post Natal Depression
This is a real thing that affects so many people. I would always make it clear that essentials oils can help, but they should always seek help from other people as well and not try and process this alone.
Essential oils that can help though, include:
Frankincense, bergamot (known to boost self esteem), roman chamomile and vetiver – all known to calm nerves and aid restlessness.
Grapefruit is connected to body acceptance and clary sage helps to balance hormones.
A nice Epsom bath salt mix that I include in my post-natal gift bags contains frankincense, orange and clary sage.
Afterpains
When you’re breastfeeding, your uterus continues to contract as a reaction to the oxytocin you’re producing, which can be uncomfortable in the early days after giving birth. Apply lavender, white fir and clary sage to your tummy or inside of the ankles. These oils are gentle so it’s ok if the baby touches them.
Caesarean
Helichrysum and frankincense, mixed with jojoba oil, massaged into the scar.
Breastfeeding
Low Supply: Fennel, basil and clary sage are all known to help increase milk supply as well as fenugreek tea.
Oversupply: Peppermint oil, diluted, and dabbed onto breasts.
Clogged Ducts: Make sure you change your feeding position as often as possible then massage a diluted mix of cypress, fennel, grapefruit, lavender and patchouli.
Cracked Nipples/Sore Breasts: Dilute myrrh, geranium and sandalwood with any carrier oil then massage into breasts and nipples after each feed.
Tearing, inflammation and soreness:
This is a great one! Get yourself a reusable sanitary pad (wear ‘em out are a good brand!) and spray a mix of 5 drops lavender, 5 drops frankincense, 5 drops of tea tree, 8tbsps filtered water and 6tbsps witch hazel. Add a line of aloe gel down the centre of the pad and freeze. I would make up a batch of these that live in the freezer, ready to be used when needed.
You can also use the spray on your perineum.
This is a snapshot of what essential oils and aromatherapy can do. Ask for advice and find the scents that you like and make you feel good. It’s all very well and good being told a scent can help with something but if you don’t like that scent, it will rarely work for you. Experiment and find your positive anchors and then, when used in pregnancy, labour and postnatally, you can find there are enormous benefits to be found.
I am available on both Instagram (@oyster_and_olive_birth_support) and also over email (oysterdoula@gmail.com) to answer any questions.
Happy pregnancy!
Love, Jess
Oyster & Olive Birth Support