How to Safely Use Essential Oils During Labor

Essential oils can be a welcomed addition to the birthing process: They can help relax, reduce pain, reduce anxiety, ease both the mind and body and create a pleasant aroma for both the mother and the baby. Many essential oils also have antibacterial properties and will help to disinfect the air in the room while adding a pleasant aroma. You need to do a little bit of planning, though, since you will want all the oils and the mister ready before you go into labor and head to the hospital.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Clary sage (salvia sclarea)
• Geranium (pelargonium graveolens)
• Jasmine (jasminum officinale)
• Lavender (lavendula officinalis)
• Neroli (citrus aurantium)
• Rose (rosa damascene)
• 2 oz. room mister (small spray bottle set on a fine mist works well)
• Distilled or bottled drinking water

1. Make sure the mother enjoys all the scents that will be packed to go to the hospital, as not all the essential oils in the list of supplies are required. Pack the essential oils, water and mister in a small makeup bag, as this will help to keep them all together once you get to the hospital and things start getting moved around.
2. Once the mother goes into labor let her pick what oil she would like to use. During labor, she may not like one or more of the oils that she previously favored. If she does dislike the oil, set it aside, as she may choose to use it later.
3. Pour 2 oz. of water into the bottle and add 2 to 4 drops total of the selected essential oils. Vigorously shake the bottle and immediately spray in the air around the mother (but not on any equipment in the room). This will give the room a light aroma from the oil, but not an overwhelming smell that would be more trouble than help to the mother.
4. Once the smell is gone or if the mother asks for more, again vigorously shake the bottle and spray again. The 2 oz. of water will last for a while, but when it's gone make a new batch. Use the same oils, or if the mother would like a different mixture, rinse the bottle with hot water and make a new batch with the desired essential oils.
5. Repeat steps 3 through 4 until the mother no longer wants the essential oils sprayed. You can continue to lightly spray the essential oils after the baby is born, but spray them away from the baby so that there is a light aroma that is not overwhelming to the baby.

Tips & Warnings

• It’s best to use distilled or bottled water rather than hospital water because the hospital water will most likely have chlorine in it. The chlorine will sometimes take away from the scent of the essential oil and the mother can sometimes be bothered by the smell of the chlorine.
• Properties of the oils: clary sage helps ease breathing and relaxes muscles; geranium eases breathing, increases circulation and is a good oil for the female reproductive system and an antidepressant; jasmine is relaxing and tranquil; lavender is relaxing, calming and helps increase circulation; neroli helps ease breathing and is calming; and rose helps the muscles to relax, helping to reduce pain.
• You may want to research the oils to make sure that there are no health concerns that would make an oil unsafe to use.