Essential oils in labour

[Kandle]

Hey Ladies,

I have heard that some essential oils can be used for burning and inhaling (on cotton wool pads) during labour to give pain relieving effects. Does any one have any information or experience of this? I am hoping to have quite a natural labour and birth at home (but am also totally realistic that I might be screaming for an epidural!), so advice on essential oils would be great.

Thanks.

 

[Miss]

Hey ya!

I have been a huge huge supporter of aromatherapy in pregnancy as long as you stick to the safe oils and actually read up on them etc and have found it's helped a lot.

I am unsure that Essential oils are what you are looking for in relation to pain relief tho - essential oils can cure many ailments and can provoke positive experiences and feelings however I have never come across an essential oil that can relieve the pain you are looking for. I could be wrong tho....maybe do an internet search and if you find something back it up with a reputable book....

Please don't go searching the net and then trying things that are not proven or supported (i.e. wacky theories!)

Essential oils can be used in labour and I plan to do so myself but they will be for relaxation purposes and keeping myself calm aswell as massage via my OH.

 

[Kandle]

Thanks, Miss. Which oils will you be using in labour?

 

[Miss]

I will be using the same blends in labour as I have used throughout my pregnancy as a method of relaxtion these are

Neroli and tangerine - This is my stretchmark oil that I put on every night before I chill out with my natal hypno CD
Lavender - Always have lavender in my oil burner and it's burnt from when I get in the bath to just before I go to sleep

I will be using these because to me they mean relaxation and calmness -

The only difference and addition to the above will be Clary Sage (this is not for use in pregnancy) which I intend to make up a small blend with for use on my tummy but also take the bottle with me for using on a cotton wool ball should I need it (I will prob have to mix a little lavender with it tho as I don't know if I am going to like it in Labour it's a very heedy smell!!

None of the above will help tho if you are stressed out - the idea of using them is to help with relaxation. If you are tensed up then your body deals with pain in a different way than if you are relaxed - if you are relaxed pain is not so hard to deal with. At least...thats the theory!

Have you used essential oils before hun?

 

[Kandle]

Not really used them before, apart form foe help with sleeping and as alternative to a painkiller for headaches etc, although those are in a things that I have bought directly from an aromatherapy shop, rather than using the oils themselves. Anything for relaxation is good! How are you finding the hypno-birthing CD - I considered a class by went for the NCT ante-natal classes instead as couldn't afford both. Can you buy the CD without going to the class?

 

[Miss]

Oh if you have a good aromatherapist by you I woudl deffo go and see them - however if it's "just" a shop that sells the stuff don't bother lol they don't always have people who know what they are doing working in them and the strengths are a lot lower for use in pregnancy! If that is the case then Holland and Barret or boots are you best bet for oils.

I am loving the natal hypnotherapy - it's basically hypnobirthings UK alternative they do classes which you can attend or you can buy the book and cd's which we have done. Both myself and my partner have read the book which is extremely informative and makes you look at things very differently and he sometimes does the cd with me. So far I am only on cd1 (Relaxation in pregnancy) of a 4cd boxset.

Personally I feel calmer - I have always been a real stressy person which was the reason I looked for ways of relaxing during pregnancy - I hate the fact that if I am stressed baby can feel it to. I already have a son, so I know what labour is like however the book has made me look at it in a completely different light. I highly reccommend it and the 4 CD set for birth preperation.

I keep meaning to write a pregnancy journal about my use of natal hypnotherapy but I have just not got round to it!

The site can be found here if you want to look into it more hun http://www.natalhypnotherapy.co.uk/

Wishing you luck and make sure you let me know how you get on! xx