Essential Oils

ksami

Does anyone use them? I'm thinking of starting to use them, but am kinda unsure where to even start.
If you use them, what brands and for what do you mostly use it for? I've heard they help a lot during labor as well.

AmandaNacora

I mostly use mine in a warmer to make my house smell yummy I was thinking of making a linen spray with lavender oils to bring to the hospital with me so I can spray the pillows and stuff to help me relax. Also before pregnancy, I used to put lavender in my Epsom salt bath, soooo relaxing! My husband now loves to take a bath a couple times a week. I forget what brand but I get them from the vitamin shop and pier 1. I do suggest diluting the oil with water if you use a burner, especially if it's a glass burner, the oil gets way too hot by itself and evaporates too quickly.

seamonkey4

I use them! For many things. I rub lavender on my ankles and feet right now because it increases circulation, which keeps them from swelling. I will also be getting my "birth kit" ready soon, which will contain all the bottles I want to take to the hospital when I'm in labor. I've used an allergy blend for about a year and haven't needed any medication since. It's great. Pinterest has lots of great recipes and blends to make. If you start using them, make sure you get good brands, I recommend either do terra, Rocky Mountain oils, or Native American brands...I've used them all based on what I'm looking for. But they are authentic, so they aren't diluted or mixed with other chemicals

schwens3

I have been using them since January. I use Doterra. If I didn't use that brand it would be Young Living. I diffuse Serenity every night, and believe it helps me get the best sleep possible in our pregnant situation! I also used lavender oil and diluted with a carrier oil (coconut is a good carrier oil to use to dilute other oils) and then had my husband rub on my feet when they were swollen pretty bad. And it worked amazingly well!!! Just be sure to research and dilute the oils if required as some are too powerful to use by themselves while pregnant.

WDDCH

I use therapeutic brand oils, like Doterra and Young Living.

Start with 2-3 oils, learn about them and then add as you gain knowledge or have need. Lemon, Peppermint and Lavender are the top three I recommend to start. I use lemon for cleaning and lifting moods, lavender for cuts and 1st degree burns and calming moods, and peppermint is for everything from inflammation to nausea.

kaybee03

I use peppermint with a carrier oil for headache relief.

als8711

I use DoTerra. I've also used Spark Naturals and Young Living but I always ran into the issue of YL having so many out of stock so I just do Doterra. I love me my serenity in a diffuser at night! I also have some ready in case my blood pressure starts creeping up or I get preeclampsia again. I have a lot ready for myself and baby in my hospital bag, and plan on using some right away. There used to be tons of info on Pinterest but now that the FDA is cracking down on it there isn't quite as much, but still a lot. I use Pinterest but I also have books that tell me what to use for different issues.

Boobopgirl

One to absolutely avoid in pregnancy (unless you are READY to have a baby) is clary sage. I mean...don't even look at the bottle.  Super powerful, just opening the bottle caused one of my friends to go into full blown labor (now she was overdue and that was WHY she opened the bottle) but it's powerful stuff.

sarahjensen33

I love my Doterra oils. I made a spray for my itchy skin that works amazing. I also diffuse lavender and serenity for relaxation. Lemon is a must with all the water I'm consuming!

WDDCH

sarahjensen33 said:

I love my Doterra oils. I made a spray for my itchy skin that works amazing. I also diffuse lavender and serenity for relaxation. Lemon is a must with all the water I'm consuming!

Oh yes, lemon helps with swelling!!! Great in water.

nursekatie47

I use Young Living oils every day. I love them. I put Peace & Calming on my feet to help with sleep every night.

acoope20

I use young living oils everyday. Peppermint is the best headache remedy.

Growingapepper

How do you know what brands are good? Should I go for 100% pure or get the "therapeutic grade" kinds..
I would like to find a good sampler pack on amazon. The one I have picked out is kis oil but I really don't know what I'm getting myself into.

lolad5

I use both doterra and young living. Both are amazing. I have been diffusing a lot lately. I don't always use them topically but when I do I'm reminded of how awesome they are!

WDDCH

Growingapepper said:

How do you know what brands are good? Should I go for 100% pure or get the "therapeutic grade" kinds..
I would like to find a good sampler pack on amazon. The one I have picked out is kis oil but I really don't know what I'm getting myself into.

Therapeutic grade are the purest. They're also most effective.

HWKI

Gritman Essential Oils is a family run business in Houston, TX. They have lots of information on their website regarding quality and even have online classes. If you live nearby they will even consult with you and make a blend just for you. They have a special blend they sell online to help with early labor contractions and other special blends for other discomforts and for LO (I would ask your pedi before using any oils on or around LO). During my first labor I used EOs to help with the contraction pain and it did help. (I had complications and had to lie on my side, so pretty much all the natural strategies were off the table, so having one thing I could do was helpful.) In our hospital birth class I remember the instructor saying something about if you smell the oil with each contraction it interferes with your brain processing the pain (no idea if there is any science behind her statement). If you use EOs during labor you would put a few drops on a cotton ball to smell because you may get nauseous during labor and want to be able to make the fragrance go away if necessary.

ksami

Boobopgirl said:

One to absolutely avoid in pregnancy (unless you are READY to have a baby) is clary sage. I mean...don't even look at the bottle.  Super powerful, just opening the bottle caused one of my friends to go into full blown labor (now she was overdue and that was WHY she opened the bottle) but it's powerful stuff.

I have heard this before! I got a bottle of clary sage and definitely not even touching it until I need it. I heard it could help bring on labor, but did not realize it was that powerful!

Taekarate1978

I use Young Living, their oils are 100% pure. If you have doubts about purity of oil, try freezing it, essential oils don't freeze. I see several people mentioning peppermint oil, but you aren't supposed to use that in the third trimester because it can make the baby turn. I recommend the book Gentle Baby. It tells which oils are safe during pregnancy and to use with babies. I love using lavender in my diffuser to aid with sleep.

seamonkey4

Peppermint oil is great to get baby to turn. If baby is breached, using peppermint oil from hip to hip in a rainbow on top of your belly will make baby turn head down, so it's definitely going in my hospital bag.

louloubelle84

Hi I normally lurk here. I'm a FTM due September 18, planning a natural birth using the Bradley method. I have been looking into using Essential Oils during labor, but don't know where to start! I've met a rep for Young Living who has told be about the starter pack for $160 that includes samples of 11 oils and a diffuser. I was also looking into the Doterra starter pack that only has lemon, lavender, and peppermint for $27.

Which Essential Oils do you recommend most for labor? Will you be diffusing them, applying them topically, or using them another way? I'm not sure I'm ready to make a $160 investment, but I will if it includes more of what I need.

seamonkey4

@louloubelle84 , I will not be diffusing them, just because scents can seem very strong while in labor and can make you nauseous. So I will just be putting them on topically. That being said, I have 2 diffusers for the home, and will be getting a 3rd for the nursery and I absolutely love them. But you can get them on Amazon and probably save money. On fb there's a page called the essential midwife, she's a doterra rep, but you do not have to buy her products, just read through her info. I will be taking my lavender to help calm me, peppermint incase baby is breech and frankincense, which helps with back labor pains. I still have some research to do, and plan to mix up my own blends(which you should do early if you go that route because they bind better as they "ferment") feel free to personal message me if you have any questions. I personally use Rocky Mountain essential oils...but doterra and young living are good too, I have some doterra from when I first started using oils

kassner0802

I love essential oils! I bought a starter kit off amazon for $25 - KIS oils. And they've apparently gone down in price to $19.

https://www.amazon.com/Aromatherapy-100%-Therapeutic-Eucalyptus-Lemongrass/dp/B005IHJ556/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437673304&sr=8-1&keywords=kis+oil

. A lot of the reviews say they are just as good as DoTerra, just a lot cheaper. I especially love the lavendar and use it everday - foot soaks, linen spray, topically before bed to relax. It just smells so good and is soooo relaxing. I made a lotion with coconut oil, eucalyptus, and peppermint that my husband uses a lot for muscle pain (he stands 8+ hours a day at work). You aren't suppose to use peppermint while pregnant though, so I haven't been able to try it for my pregnancy aches

I highly recommend them. I was skeptical at first but I definitely will continue to use and purchase essential oils.

kassner0802

WDDCH said:

How do you know what brands are good? Should I go for 100% pure or get the "therapeutic grade" kinds.. I would like to find a good sampler pack on amazon. The one I have picked out is kis oil but I really don't know what I'm getting myself into.

Therapeutic grade are the purest. They're also most effective.

I got the KIS oils and love them.

rebeccabloomwood

I'm intrigued by essential oils but have never tried them. Is there a trusted site or blog that people use to gain insight on how to use them?

WDDCH

rebeccabloomwood said:

I'm intrigued by essential oils but have never tried them. Is there a trusted site or blog that people use to gain insight on how to use them?

Each essential company used to have a ton of info but because they are not regulated by the FDA many companies got in trouble. They can't offer medical advice or suggestions for the oils; but other people can. And there are several blogs out there.

I have the book Essential Oils for Pregnancy, Birth and Babies. It's specifically for Doterra oils and their blends.

seamonkey4

I have the same book as mentioned above. Although the blends are specifically doterra, you can learn about individual oils and buy them from whichever company you use. I got mine on Amazon so it came in about 2 days. Doterra has one called deep blue, I have it in lotion form, and I will definitely be packing it in my hospital bag for labor pain relief! There are plenty of books out there with reliable information. Just know some oils aren't good during pregnancy, or should only be used towards the end or during labor...but that info is all pretty accessible.

ksami

I am new to essential oils myself and I ordered from Edens Garden. I've only heard good things about them as well. They are therapeutic grade oils and are affordable. I can't wait to start using them and hope it will help make the last 7 and a half weeks of pregnancy a bit more bearable.

akashleyf

I use Young Living EssentiL Oils. I use Gental Baby with Vitamin E oil on my belly for not getting stretch marks, which has worked so far! I use lavender a lot as well as Peace & Calming for bed time. I will be packing my essential oils for labor, including lavender and clary sage. But note.... ONLY use clary sage for laboring. Do NOT use before.

Taekarate1978

louloubelle84 said:

Hi I normally lurk here. I'm a FTM due September 18, planning a natural birth using the Bradley method. I have been looking into using Essential Oils during labor, but don't know where to start! I've met a rep for Young Living who has told be about the starter pack for $160 that includes samples of 11 oils and a diffuser. I was also looking into the Doterra starter pack that only has lemon, lavender, and peppermint for $27.

Which Essential Oils do you recommend most for labor? Will you be diffusing them, applying them topically, or using them another way? I'm not sure I'm ready to make a $160 investment, but I will if it includes more of what I need.

I plan to diffuse lavender, frankincense, and ylang ylang during labor.

brit1983

Just a word of caution ordering from Amazon - there have been lots of cases of the oils being diluted or replaced with something else. Brands like DoTerra and Young Living do not sell on Amazon. Google it and decide for yourself - just thought it was worth mentioning!

brit1983

I should also say I use oils a ton on my toddler! I've used them for excema, cradle cap when he was little, lavender at bedtime, for diaper rashes...there are tons and tons of uses. I put OnGuard on his feet during the winter to keep him from getting sick at Tyne baby-sitters. I also use them to clean (diy kitchen cleaner and I put some on my steam mop). We don't use Tylenol anymore because I have a headache blend that works much better!

kkerner87

I use Spark Naturals. Tea Tree oil is good one to have I make an all purpose cleaner with in it. It's a natural anti-bacterial. Great for my counter tops with out all kinds of yucky chemicals. Be careful with some while pregnant. They are known to stimulate blood flow and/or cause labor!