USING AROMATHERAPY IN PREGNANCY

Essential oils can bring relief from the many minor troubles which can occur during pregnancy. Discomforts commonly experienced by women include morning sickness, backache, oedema (swollen legs and ankles), constipation, varicose veins, digestive problems (include heartburn), leg cramps and exhaustion. Coping with these discomforts can be especially difficult while the woman is working or if there is a small child or children to look after in the home. Essential oils are also useful during labour, to ease the pain and to facilitate delivery.

As pregnancy proceeds, you will feel your baby's first movements. Setting aside some time each day to relax and be with your unborn child can help the mother-child bonding process.


Morning Sickness

Nausea, which typically occurs in the morning, is often one of the first signs that a woman is pregnant. Inhalations with a vaporizer can be helpful at bedtime and first thing in the morning. The oils can be left to vaporize overnight in the bedroom. If the sickness persists through the day, prepare a tissue with the relevant oils, and keep it with you at all times.


A room vaporizer is a convenient way of inhaling oils. To help with morning sickness, vaporize a combination of lemon, ginger and basil at bedtime and when you wake up.





Add a few drops of bitter orange to a bowl of water and
make a compress to help constipation.

Constipation
This is also another early sign of pregnancy. Prepare essential oils in a suitable carrier base and apply them to the abdomen in a clockwise direction. Alternately, use the oils in the bath and/or on a compress. Eating a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water will help to reduce the risk of constipation.

Stretch Marks
By the beginning of the second trimester, your clothes will be feeling tighter as your abdomen swells. Halfway through this trimester you will be able to feel the baby's first movements (an exciting moment). Start using essential oils at this time to prevent stretch marks on the skin of the abdomen. Through the correct and diligent application of appropriate essential oils it is possible to maintain a supple and undamaged skin, and you will greatly appreciate your efforts after the baby is born.

Prepare a carrier base (include calendula oil) containing oils with regenerative and skin-toning properties. The mixture should be applied to the abdomen twice daily, morning and night. The area to be covered increases as the pregnancy proceeds, and will include the sides of the body, the groin and on and above the breasts.

Backache
As your baby grows, so the likelihood of backache increases. Sitting and standing with correct posture can go a long way to minimize backache, but it will usually occur at some stage and can be helped with essential oils when it does. Prepare a carrier base, then add the appropriate oils and ask a friend or your partner to give you a back massage, ideally at bedtime. Try using the same essential oils (but without the carrier oil) in the bath. Include basil and marjoram in the massage-mix; these can also be used if you suffer from leg cramps later on.

Backache is a common complaint of pregnancy. Ask your partner for a back massage, using basil and marjoram, before going to bed.





Your growing baby can cause painful heartburn.
Put two drops each of mandarin and peppermint
on a tissue and sniff throughout the day.
Heartburn
The growing baby may also put pressure on your stomach, causing indigestion and heartburn. For heartburn, add 2 drops each of mandarin and peppermint oils to 10ml (2tsp) carrier base and apply to the painful area. These oils can also be inhaled neat from a tissue or cupped hands, breathing deeply.

Varicose Veins, Swollen Legs And Ankles
It is as well for all women to watch out for early signs of these conditions throughout pregnancy. Resting with the feet and legs raised is beneficial for all leg conditions. Although the essential oils are different for each condition, the method of use is the same. prepare a carrier base and add the oils.

Apply the mixture to the whole leg, then bring your hands firmly from the foot up to the knee, before returning to the foot to start again. Massage only in an upward direction, to encourage blood flow to the heart. For varicose veins on the upper leg, massage upwards, going only from the knee to groin - not back again - several times.