Pregnancy is one of the most awe inspiring and beautiful experiences a woman can go through in her lifetime, but it also comes with its own set of challenges. When I was pregnant with my daughter almost 5 years ago, I really had no complaints, other than being uncomfortable as we passed my due date by 2 weeks. I wish I could say my labor and delivery experience was magical, but it simply was not. I felt like I had something to prove, dragging myself through 34 hours of unmedicated labor. I felt robbed of control and peace. After not having any food or real water for 24 of those hours, I was severely dehydrated, lethargic, and exhausted. It’s truly a miracle I had the energy to push my daughter out in 45 minutes under those conditions. I promised myself I would be more prepared and empowered next time. 

Back then I didn’t have Doterra. I’ve been using essential oils for a long time, but was unaware of quality differences and ways of fullybsupporting myself until I found DōTERRA.  Little did I know that when my labor stalled I could have used Oils to get things going instead of a slow drip of Pitocin, that ultimately surged my pain levels through the roof. I wasn’t aware of the benefits of diffusing oils to promote peace, relaxation, and calm. I was clueless that I could use oils to manage my pain and discomfort instead of enduring it on my own without an epidural. I was literally blind to the many ways I could transition my baby Earthside with  oils. So many things I simply did not know. With my son who was born May 2015, everything was different because I planned it that way. He was the Doterra baby I longed for.  Those little brown bottles that have saved me and my family time and time again, were guardian angels as we welcomed and celebrated new life. Here are some areas you can improve and enhance this special journey using Doterra! I cannot vouch for the quality and purity of other essential oil companies, other than Doterra, so please be sure to use Doterra when following these protocols.

PERINEUM PREP

There is so much more to keeping our vaginas primed and prepped outside of kegel exercises and wishful thinking. We need to treat them with respect…and their adjacent neighbors. The perineum is that small space of real estate between the vagina and the anus. This area is very susceptible to tearing and ripping if not cared for properly before labor. I can personally admit I required 13+ stitches after having my daughter, a road I didn’t want to go down again. So here is what you can do to get ready. Right around 37 weeks is when you would want to start massaging and applying oils to the perineum. “Perineum Massage is meant to help your body get ready for baby to be born, much like stretching out a balloon before blowing it up.  Using your favorite carrier oil, make a roller blend Frankincense, Geranium, and Roman Chamomile to the base of the vagina and the perineum, put your thumb about one and a half inches inside, and press gently but firmly down towards your rectum. Keeping steady pressure, move your thumb side to side in a U shaped motion for 3-5 minutes daily.”


Perineum Recipe: 20 drops of Frankincense, 20 drops of Geranium, and 10 drops of Roman Chamomile, topped with Fractionated Coconut Oil (FCO) in a 10 ml roller bottle.

PREPARING FOR LABOR

I know the agony of waiting. Both of my kids, yes both, literally made me wait 42 weeks to meet them! Add the pressure from my OBGYN to induce and schedule a c-section to feeling like the size of Hawaii, and my stress was all over the place!  I tried everything to get them out, even more effort with my second: acupuncture, pressure points, eating my body weight in pineapple & spicy pregnancy pizza, bouncing balls, walking, sex, meditation, chiropractic adjustments, and essential oils.  I now know that it’s a hormone the baby releases in the lungs that actually triggers labor to start. They truly know when their birthday should be, so Trust them. I can recall just sitting on my bed crying to my husband several times, feeling helpless, worried, and fearful being baby-less this far along in each pregnancy. You can imagine all of the happy oils I needed in those moments!  I can admit I was naive to think I could make my body go into labor, but my efforts were prepping and priming my body to be as strong and resilient as possible when the time arrived. The top ways I would recommend getting the body ready for labor would be daily applications of Clary Sage after 40 weeks, acupuncture, sex, and chiropractic care. It’s that simple. “Clary Sage is a uterine tonic that assists with effective contractions. It calms the nervous system, relives tension, brings on labor, and helps with expelling afterbirth. Geranium enhances circulation and is good for labor management techniques.” Please do not attempt to induce labor earlier than 40 weeks. Studies have shown 40 weeks is ideal for baby’s systems to develop and brain function to improve.

Massage 2 drops of each essential oil with FCO onto the belly, ankles, and bottoms of feet. 

STALLED LABOR

Labor is hard. Even if it’s only a few hours, it’s a difficult process. With my daughter, out of pure exhaustion from no sleep, food, or water in 24 hours, my cervix stopped dilating at 8 cm. Because I had been in labor so long, I was told I needed Pitocin to get to 10 cm for her safety, so I could push her out. Nightmare-ish thoughts of a c-section flooded my already stressed brain, so in a haze I agreed and endured 4 more hours of intense, chemical induced pain. Never again. The combination of Myrrh and Clary Sage will help keep labor moving along. Myrrh will help intensify contractions and get things moving when labor is stalled. Clary Sage helps tone, tighten, and strengthen the uterus. With my son, I made a roller blend that I keep applying every couple hours. Sure enough, my labor with my son was swift! Less than 10 hours from when we arrived at the hospital he was in my arms!


Labor Helper Blend: 25 Drops of Myrrh and 25 drops of Clary Sage topped with FCO in a 10 ml roller, applied to the abdomen.

 

AROMATHERAPY DIFFUSER BLENDS

Aromatic applications can be incredibly powerful, calming, and effective as a way to create an ideal environment for birth. The parts of our brain activated to regulate mood, energy, emotions, and healing are triggered by the sense of smell. I highly recommend bringing or having a diffuser or two around you during your birthing process. Every nurse and doctor on my floor came into the room to ask about what I had running, why things smelled so good, and how relaxing my room was! (giggles)

EMPOWERED LABOR: Wild Orange, Lavender, Balance
RELAX AND FOCUS: Citrus Bliss, Serenity, Peppermint
CALM AND PEACEFUL: Peace, Frankincense, Serenity
HARMONY: Elevation, Spearmint, Frankincense

PAIN MANAGEMENT

Whether you opt for an epidural, hypno-birthing, water birth, or nothing at all, pain is part of labor. This combination of oils will help you manage your discomfort so your focus can be on bringing your little one into the world safely. Cypress has a wide range of healing properties, but particularly for circulation, muscle fatigue, pain, and revitalizing the skin. Basil is known for it’s ability to help with back pain, cramps, fatigue, muscle spasms, and transition in labor. Peppermint can help with increased alertness, cooling of the skin, muscle aches, fatigue, endurance, migraines, nausea, shock, and congestion. Black Pepper is also great as a pain reliever. I also kept a bottle of Deep Blue Rub, generously slathered on my lower back, shoulders, hips, and areas of tension to not only soothe my body, but to keep me feeling loose and elastic.


Labor Discomfort Recipe: 20 drops Cypress, 20 drops Basil, 20 drops Peppermint, and 15 drops Black Pepper, topped off with FCO in a 10 ml roller bottle. Massage over lower back to easy labor pain.

 

RELAXATION

I feel like the anxiety and nervousness about labor starts around 33 weeks! The clock ticks a little louder and there is definitely an element of fear that creeps up. Labor and Delivery are terrifying. You are literally pushing another person out of your body!  The blend of Frankincense, Balance, Serenity, Vetiver and Roman Chamomile to helped me keep it together when negative thoughts and emotions flooded my brain. Each of these oils has a long list of healing properties, but all promote a sense of calm, relaxation, peace, anti-stress, and anti-tension. Who doesn’t need more of that in their life?


Labor Relaxation Recipe: 20 drops of Balance, 20 drops of Serenity, 20 drops of Frankincense, 10 drops of Roman Chamomile, and 10 drops Vetiver topped with FCO in a 10 ml roller bottle. Simply apply to the bottom of the feet as needed for relaxation and calming.

PERINEUM SUPPORT WHEN PUSHING

“You’re ready to have your baby!” Hearing these words and preparing to push is a thrilling time because you will soon meet your child. To help them on their grand exit and to support your flowery gates as they come out, gently spray or massage the perineum with Frankincense and Helichrysum. These oils will help the prevent the baby’s head from bruising and swelling, while protecting you at the same time, supporting your body’s natural ability to stop bleeding.


Push Recipe: 20 drops Frankincense, 20 drops Helichrysum, 1 oz FCO.

 

NEW BABY PROTOCOL

Now that your wombmate has journeyed Earthside, you can imagine the trauma and stress your precious bundle experienced. The lubricated layers of skin and fluid filled organs that gently supported and protected them the last 10 months are strangely gone and the reality of their new air filled, dry world sets in. As parents it is our job to take care of our children, so using essential oils to help this radical transition is so beautiful and so important.

Frankincense applied to the crown of the head and down the spine will assist with protection, circulation, and transfer of oxygen cells.

Myrrh on the umbilical cord stump will aid in healing and support immune, while protecting the systems of the body.

Balance blend, diluted to the bottoms of the feet will help baby feel grounded, calm, and align the body.

Melissa, diluted to the bottoms of the feet will help for DNA repair, calm emotions, and proved immune support.

BREASTFEEDING

One of the greatest ways to bond and provide for your baby is to breastfeed. Breastfeeding provides the transfer of antibodies, building the immune system, and providing them with nutrients you simply cannot replicate. One of the biggest hurdles for new moms is supply and discomfort management. I know not everyone is able to nurse their babies for a variety of reasons, but these oils can help with supply, pain management, and emotions that occur as you learn this new human magic trick.  I nursed my daughter for 2 and a half years and those first 6 months were very difficult as we both were learning proper latch and feeding techniques to keep our nursing relationship going. One of the best ways to kick start and boost your milk supply is to apply 1-2 drops of Basil and Fennel essential oils to the breast tissue, not the nipples, 2-3 times a day or after each nursing session. To support sore nipples, apply a roller blend of Roman Chamomile, Geranium, and Lavender after each feeding to soothe the skin and repair tissues. The oils will be absorbed by the next feeding, so no need to worry about your baby ingesting oils. (They are safe to ingest though, beneficial in trace amounts.)

Milk Mama Blend: 25 drops of Basil and 25 drops of Fennel topped with FCO in a 10 ml roller.

Tender Tatas Blend: 15 drops of Roman Chamomile, 15 drops Geranium, 15 drops of Lavender in a 10 ml roller, topped with FCO.

POST DELIVERY

Vaginal births can do a number on our lady parts making the simplest of tasks like urinating a painful and scary experience. Rather than numb yourself with chemical sprays, you can use Frankincense, Lavender, and Immortelle to speed things up. These oils are soothing and repairing, bringing your parts back to their former glory, or as close to as possible.


Perineum Blend Post Delivery Recipe: 20 drops Frankincense, 20 drops lavender, 20 drops Immortelle, and 1 oz of FCO. Spray on inflamed area 2-3 times a day until healed.

 

All of this information I gathered came straight from a well known Midwife and Doterra Leader, Stephanie Fritz, and her book “Essential Oils for Pregnancy, Birth, & Babies”. I have added or altered blends and oil protocols from my personal experiences during the labor and delivery of my son. I highly recommend this book to any current Wellness Advocate or person wanting to use Doterra during their pregnancy. She meticulously covers oils for each trimester, offers great insight into applications, and provides testimonials. As always, if you have any questions about Doterra, how to access these precious oils for the lowest cost, and have the support from me while you learn,  please reach out to me at Kim@omniessential.com

 

Health and Happiness,
Kim Camuso, CMT

Doterra Diamond Leader

@essentialmermaid

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: None of the health topics presented here have been evaluated or approved by the FDA. They should not replace personal judgment nor medical treatment when indicated, nor are they intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always talk to your naturopathic physician about the use of these or any other complimentary modalities.