I became passionate about vegetable and essential oils and I started using them during my first pregnancy. Like any mother who cares about doing good and is guided by the desire to protect her baby, I chose to treat myself/us only with natural products. In my home too, only one formula, the Purifying , was created for me when I wanted to sanitize without it being harmful to my baby. Then my Souvenir d'enfant room fragrance arrived to be surrounded only by natural benefits (unlike artificial fragrances which can disturb and upset). This is how, if life has offered me the opportunity to evolve and grow to become who I am today, I owe it to my three children.
Obviously I continued my beauty ritual with my rose trio (if you are ever afraid of essential oils in the first trimester, you can take the pure jojoba oil to cleanse yourself, the rose water and the neutral serum).
In particular, I wore the vanilla shea butter on my stomach (to nourish the skin and avoid sneaky stretch marks): the subtle scent of the essential oils accompanied me and gently stimulated them, until the 3rd month, knowing that then an intrauterine connection can be created between the natural scents and the baby (the fetus already has observable sensoriality and motor skills and measures around 10 cm).
From the 4th month onwards, I also used essential oils to protect myself from possible illnesses, such as colds for example: so, I put a few drops, in small touches on the wings of the nose only, always diluted in a vegetable oil.
I am often asked: are essential oils recommended for pregnant women (during pregnancy and childbirth, and even later during breastfeeding) and can we continue to use beauty products that contain them?
Yes, knowingly. And I would add that it is so much better to turn to natural rather than slathering our skin with fragrances and preservatives that can be endocrine disruptors, while petroleum derivatives (which make up the majority of non-natural skincare products) clog the pores of the skin (hello, spots galore), which is already quite capricious given the hormonal changes we experience.
Please note that the Rose Trio, Baby Oil (designed for him and without essential oil, only with soothing calendula) and Vanilla Shea (which my 3 babies loved to eat!) are safe. However, the Draining should not be used and we also point out that Light Legs and Naturépile are not dangerous for pregnant women but we do not recommend their use on a daily basis.
Here are the explanations I was given:
“Too much is the enemy of good”: this is the subtlety of approaching essential oils and using them without any concern for us and our baby.
It's all about common sense and wisdom, dosage and quantity, timing, and, above all, the quality of the raw materials. You need to know the safety rules inside out for the precise health/wellness use of aromatherapy, with these particularly active natural concentrates, whose perfectly natural products offer powerful yet gentle health/wellness benefits.
To enlighten you, here are the lists and the answer given by Danièle Fetsy, doctor of pharmacy, concerning essential oils during pregnancy. *
" I am regularly asked if it is possible to use essential oils during pregnancy. The answer is yes, but with caution and, preferably, on the advice of a doctor or pharmacist specializing in aromatherapy. For self-medication, it is strictly not recommended to swallow or apply essential oils during the first trimester of pregnancy (some doctors or midwives may, however, prescribe them for very specific reasons). From the 4th month, a number of essential oils, certainly limited but still able to address most everyday ailments, can be used strictly without any risk ."
Essential oils are completely prohibited during pregnancy and breastfeeding**
- Absinthe
- Camphor
- Cajuput
- Mentholated eucalyptus
- Field mint
- Peppermint
- Bitter myrrh
- Compact oregano
- Oregano from Greece
- Parsley
- Common sage
- Thuja
- Vetiver
From the 4th month only:
- Basil
- Bergamot
- Ho Woods
- Chamomile
- Cardamom
- Cistus
- Lemon
- Tarragon
- Lemon eucalyptus
- Eucalyptus radiata
- Wintergreen
- Rose geranium
- Ginger
- Inula odorata
- Noble laurel
- Lavender
- Lavender aspic
- True lavender
- Lavandin super
- Mastic tree
- Mandarin
- Mandravasarotra
- Marjoram
- Matricaria
- Niaouli
- Orange tree
- Small grain
- Ravintsara
- Pink
- Tansy
- Thyme with thujanol
- Lemon verbena
- Ylang-ylang
References:
*https://www.danielefesty.com/2009/05/huiles-essentielles-et-grossesse---les-listes.html
And finally, do you know about hydrotherapy?
This use of aromatic hydrosols and floral waters, much gentler and simpler to handle, is completely suitable during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
So, dare to take the plunge… into floral water!
And take full advantage of their therapeutic and emotional virtues, with their more delicate scents for cutaneous application, or even to drink them safely, simply for the pleasure that leads to well-being. This complementary and equally sensory alternative pampers mom and baby at the same time and without any danger.
The biochemical content of aromatic hydrosols and floral waters is both very light in active ingredients and yet present and effective enough to provide beautiful natural health properties. All offer unique and specific qualities. Combined, they offer even more virtues generated by synergy. And they know how to respond to all disorders: from skin care to drainage of the body; from stimulation of the blood system to improvement of digestion; from support of daily mood to the relief of pain…!
Gentle, generous and safe aromatherapy.
For your information, here is an interesting article including a video on the subject of aromatherapy and music and pain management during labor and delivery, which can be found on the website of the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Ste-Justine.
Isabelle Arcand, clinical nurse in the birthing unit at CHU Ste-Justine, answers these many questions:
What is aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils extracted from natural plant materials for their properties to promote health and well-being.
How can I use them?
What are the main effects that can be experienced when using essential oils?
Do all oils have the same effect?
Are there any risks in using essential oils?
How can music help me during labor and delivery?
What are the benefits of this pain management method?
What should I listen to?
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