THIS IS FOR ALL THOSE PREGO LADIES OUT THERE.
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."14I "praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."15 Psalms 139:13-18
Becoming a mother can be extremely joyful and at times extremely fearful. If it's your first child you will think they need every gadget out there. You will soon discover they would be happy with some item that wasn't made to be a toy. From one parent to another you will have times that often you feel like your not doing anything correct. Try not to be overwhelmed about what products are safe for your kiddo, it is really simple. If you don't recognize an ingredient then don't by it. I wish that I knew about the use of Aromatherapy when my kiddos were babies. I looked for products that were as natural as possible. After I received my Masters in Aromatherapy I had gained so much knowledge, I created my very own Aromatherapy Baby Product line it's called AB BABY.
PROBLEMS IN PREGNANCY.
Pregnancy may entail a plethora of minor problems such as back aches, swollen legs, heartburn, indigestion, and insomnia. Pregnant ladies need some spoiling. Here are some marvelous Remidies, which can be massaged into your back by your partner or friend on a regular basis, which will alleviate physical problems at the same time as uplifting your spirit.
Pregnancy Back Rub Blend
Essential oils you can use in your blend are Rose or Geranium, Lavender and Roman Chamomile. The dilution of oil needs to be at 1% that equals to 1 drop of essential oil in 1 teaspoon of base oil like jojoba, grape seed you can even use olive oil. If you want to add more than one essential oil like lavender and chamomile then you would use 1 drop of lavender and 1 drop of chamomile in 8 teaspoons of base oil.
Rose or Geranium 1 drop
Lavender 1 drop or Roman Chamomile 1 drop
8 teaspoons base oil of your choice
I remember well, the heaviness of pregnancy. Perhaps only women who have experienced it, can now know how the tiredness seems to penetrate every part of the body. The uplifting qualities of essential oils are a great help after a tiring day when the legs are swollen in the back aches. Pregnant woman should use only 2 to 4 drops of essential oils in a bath. You can choose your favorites, or try the very relaxing combination of one drop of chamomile and one drop of lavender in your bath.
If you experience morning sickness you can make a spritzer with spearmint hydrosol and spritz it on your pillow before bed or spritz in the air to help calm the nausea. Here are some essential oils you can use to combat nausea coriander, cardamom, lavender and fennel (at 1/3 the dosage of the others). You can add 1 drop of the essential oil choices into a bowl of hot water then cover your head and inhale. Make sure you close your eyes. If that doesn’t sound appealing then you can simply add 1 drop to a tissue and keep in a baggie to inhale as needed.
To help prevent stretch marks you can try this recipe below:
Prevent Stretch Mark Oil
Mandrin - 4 milliliters ( 0.8 tsp )
Rose hip seed oil - 20 milliliters ( 1.33 tbsp )
Hazelnut oil - 200 milliliters ( 13.3 tbsp )
Massage into the skin from the second through the ninth month of pregnancy .
Healing stretch mark oil
Clary Sage - 1 millileter (1/4 tsp)
Rosemary ct Verbenone - 2 milliliters ( 1/3 tsp )
Rose hip seed oil - 20 milliliters ( 1.33 tbsp )
Hazelnut oil - 40 milliliters ( 8 tsp )
For healing stretch marks from previous pregnancy. Massage the oil into the skin with a loofa sponge for a period of 3-6 months.
LET'S TALK ABOUT HYDROSOLS.
The word hydrosol is a chemistry term meaning "water solution." It is derived from the latin hydro meaning "water" and sol for "solution". The chemistry term does not refers specifically to a distillate, and can be applied to any aqueous solution.
In the world of Aromatherapy, hydrosols are also known as hydrolates, hydrolats, floral waters, and plant waters. When aromatic plant material is steam distilled, the water becomes infused with the plant’s water-soluble components. Hydrosols are far less concentrated than essential oils, have very few safety concerns, and most are gentle enough to use on children, elderly and pets.
We are water. By volume, our bodies consist of up to 70% water at mid-life; although it is very interesting to note, that if you count the molecules in the human body, the water molecules account for closer to 99% of the total molecules. Could this be the magic behind hydrosols? I believe our bodies recognize them as "self" and invite them in. So how can we put this floral waters to use? There is almost an unlimited range of use; they can be used on a daily basis. Topically, we can use hydrosols in bottles with atomizers for facial and body spritzers. Simply fill a sterile bottle or atomizer with your choice of hydrosol or hydrosol blend and wet the surface of your skin before you apply. This method is probably the most popular use for hydrosols. Hydrosols work well as compresses, poultices and clay masks. If a heat compress is needed you would warm heat the clean cloth with hot water then add the hydrosol on the cloth before applying; this will help the essential oils in the hydrosol from dissipating to fast. You may also keep clean cloths that have been presoaked with hydrosols in the freezer for a fast and handy cold compress.
Inhalation is also a powerful way to these distillate waters. You would often use hydrosols in the instances that essential oils would be overwhelming or not allowed such as hospitals or in hospice care. You can use these floral waters as room sanitizers ( both atomizers and in wipes) they show promise as effective anti-microbials, and they smell so much better that the alternatives.
Energetically hydrosols can have a profound effect on mood and space clearing. Here is an expample, a therapist can "set the mood" for a session by diffusing or spritzing in the room before the client session. Also you can "clear" the energy of the space after your client leaves for the next client.
Internally, hydrosols can be taken in a couple of ways, from drinks to ice cubes. You can make flavorful and medicinal ice cubes make sure you label the bag before you store them. The ice cubes can be stored for a few months in the freezer. Peppermint hydrosol (I would only spritz on face while pregnant not ingest) or Lemon Verbena ice cubes make a wonderful addition to ice water or tea. Lemon Verbena Tea or a tea made with hydrosol has many great health benefits and is a wonderful overall pregnancy tonic. It supports joint function and your immune system, reduces inflammation, aids digestion, improves sleep quality and helps to relieve feelings of anxiety. Hydrosols definitely have a place in the kitchen and in my opinion they are much easier to cook with than their essential oil counterpart.
AROMATIC CHILDBIRTH.
Aromatherapy has gained popularity among nurses seeking methods to enhance patent care and provide a positive patient experience. In 2010 - 2014, women's health nurses from nine Indiana hospitals completed the educational program, and the following thousand aromatherapy interventions provide pre-and post Aromatherapy intervention data. All Aromatherapy interventions were measured, utilizing a pre-and post Likert scale focusing on patients effectiveness readings for anxiety, nausea, pain, and grief. Throughout the collection of this data, no negative side effects were reported. Maternal, allergies, medical history, and scent preferences, always informed the essential oil selection.
All Aromatherapy interventions were external, done with 2% dilutions in unscented, white lotion, or jojoba oil (1 % anternatal Mandarin) of the following essential oils: Lavandula angustifolia, Mandarin orange (Citrus reticlata ), Rose Otto, Poets Jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum ), Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Spearmint (Mentha Spica), Frankincense (Boswellia Carteri), Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum
Nobile). The nausea interventions with peppermint and spearmint were at a 2 % dilution for safety reasons were kept away from infants.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) hydrosol is anti-inflammatory and can be used as a compress with cypress for varicose veins and in a sitz bath for hemorrhoids and excessive or painful menstrual periods, or postpartum healing. Clary Sage hydrosol can be used during the birth process you can make a hot compress with 250 mL of undiluted clary sage hydrosol, three drops of clary sage essential oil, and three drops of blue tansy oil; apply it to the lower, abdomen and back during contractions for really amazing pain relief. If the birth is taking place in water, skip the essential oils; add the hydrosol directly to the tub and put some in the mothers drinking water. Do not use clary sage, if you are hypertensive.
Roman chamomile is the number one choice for baby care. It can safely be used right from birth in the bathwater, and as a soothing mist for bedding. Mothers can use it diluted to wash the breast area, in addition to helping prevent cracked and sore nipples, it's calming properties will make feeding time even more relaxing. Babies will soon associate the aroma of chamomile with mommy and yummy. Roman chamomile can also be used as a compress or sits bath for postpartum relief.
POSTNATAL DEPRESSION.
Childbirth is a difficult and exhausting process. A female goes through a lot of hormonal, physical, emotional, and psychological changes throughout pregnancy. Tremendous changes occur in the mother's familial and interpersonal world. After childbirth, a mother can experience varied emotions ranging from joy and pleasure to sadness and crying bouts. These feelings of sadness and tearfulness are called "baby blues," and they tend to decrease over the first 2 weeks after delivery.
Around one in seven women can develop postpartum depression (PPD). While women experiencing baby blues tend to recover quickly, PPD tends to be longer and severely affects women's ability to return to normal function. PPD affects the mother and her relationship with the infant. Maternal brain response and behavior are compromised in PPD.
As many as half of PPD in new mothers go undiagnosed because of conflict in privacy and not wanting to disclose to close family members. There is also a stigma around new mothers in that disclosure may lead to abandonment and fear of lack of support. If you are experiencing some "baby blues" here is a few diffuser blends to help uplift your spirits.
BANISH BABY BLUES SYNERGISTIC BLENDS
Blend 1
Geranium 5 drops
Neroli 10 drops
Grapefruit 15 drops
Blend 2
Bergamot 5 drops
Rose 2 drops
Clary sage 5 drops
Blend 3
Grapefruit 10 drops
Geranium 8 drops
Mandrin 5 drops
Keep your diffuser burning for an hour then take a break for 30 mins and burn again for an hour.
I hope that you picked up some things that can help you during your pregnancy, birth process and postnatal care. Keep exploring the many ways you can help your health by using aromatics to enhance your life.
Until next time.