Essential Oils for Pregnancy, Labor and Postpartum

I’ve had so many women reach out as they see me use essential oils in pregnancy, labor and postpartum, asking if I could outline exactly which oils I’m using in what season, for what purpose, and how I’m using them – so here is a blog post dedicated to just that!

ps: Grab my FREE NATURAL PREGNANCY CHECKLIST right here!!

First of all, if you google “what essential oils to not use in pregnancy”, you’ll probably come upon a huge laundry list.

ALWAYS ask your doctor/midwife and always do only what you’re comfortable with, but I will say after research there really is no hard fast rules EXCEPT CLARY SAGE. Do not use clary sage until you are IN LABOR, then it can be great to keep labor progressing if needed. But do NOT use it beforehand in pregnancy. Other than that, most of it is preference and comfort level of the expecting mother. I know some moms who use ALL the oils (other than clary sage) all throughout pregnancy, and others who are more cautious. I personally only avoid clary sage, even though I really only have my handful of go tos I use topically. But I diffuse anything. It’s the same with supplements.

PS: here’s some other posts from my first pregnancy on all things more holistic motherhood!

Miss 1st trimester recap?! Click here!

See my 2nd Trimester Favorites and Recap Here

See How I prepped for labor in 3rd Trimester HERE

See my HomeBirth Story as a FTM HERE.

The most IMPORTANT THING when using essential oils in pregnancy (or any time)?!

Only use high quality pure essential oils. Not the cheap ones you find at the market, at tj maxx, or on amazon. I’d rather you not use oils at all then use those cheap ones. You never know what’s actually in those. If you’re going to use essential oils for your health and home, please only use ones that are tested for purity and are high quality, extracted in the best way for optimal benefits. Here is the brand I personally use and trust, and love that they have a seed to seal promise – seeing the process from the seed in the soil to the seal on the bottle.

But I will say this: I really do hate how women are fear-mongered into avoiding all these more natural remedies during pregnancy, but then are told diet coke (filled with chemicals), endocrine disrupting chemical filled personal care products, and experimental shots are totally ok. Ok, I’ll stop there before I get myself in trouble 🙂 But really, do your own research and just do what you’re comfortable with – always talking to your doctor/midwife just like you would with supplements (preferably a more holistic one). I personally have always felt comfortable with using essential oils and more natural remedies during pregnancy – and am on my 2nd healthy pregnancy as I type this 🙂

 

Essential Oils for Pregnancy

Here’s where you can get ALL the oils for pregnancy! I made a special list to shop from for just these oils mentioned 🙂

• Again, no hard and fast rules of what to avoid, except do NOT use clary sage until you’re already in labor. Then you can use to keep labor progressing if needed (see labor list below)
• Others some choose to avoid:
  • rose, melissa, lemongrass, wintergreen (I use deep relief roller a lot that has wintergreen in it though), fennel (I use digize all the time that has fennel in it personally), sage, jasmine, basil, anise, cassia, rosemary (thought to increase blood pressure), vetiver (I personally use calm CBD roller every night with this in it!), thyme, dragon time, exodus II, grounding, mister, sclaressence (has clary sage in it), lady sclareol, and white fir.
  • Some also choose to avoid cinnamon bark (I diffuse ALL the time because I love fall scents)
• Use Cautiously during pregnancy (again no hard and fast rules other than CS, but if you want to be super cautious!):
  • angelica, cedarwood, chamomile, citronella, cypress, marjoram (but great for after birth pains!), myrhh, peppermint (use this all the time myself though)

Now to my favorite, MUST HAVE OILS IN PREGNANCY:

shoppable list of all oils below, right here!

• • Overall Wellness and Immune Support:
    • NINGXIA: a must for every pregnant woman whenever you can stomach it post nausea hah! But even with nausea, I’ve actually see it HELP with my severe nausea when doing 2oz mixed with a glass of iced sparkling water.
      • Ningxia is packed full of nutrients that support your body, baby, and your overall immune system.
    • Life9 Probiotics: if you aren’t already taking one, probiotics are a must for me during pregnancy!
    • Thieves Roll-on: my immune system support in a roller! I carry this everywhere, and when I feel something coming on )since our immune systems are lower in pregnancy!), I roll this down my spine and behind my ears and on bottoms of feet every hour!
    • Prenatal: I usually have to stop taking my Needed prenatal during nausea stretch, but i make sure to be taking this for months leading up to pregnancy and right after nausea subsides again in 2nd tri. YL doesn’t have a prenatal but they have a great multi and b complex that some people pair together instead of a prenatal!
  • Gentle Baby:
    • diffuse, use 1-2 drops topically on wrists and neck, or make a stretch mark roller bottle with gentle baby, frankincense and lavender with fractionated coconut oil and the carrier oil (I use like 5 drops each oil!). Super calming and can also use for future baby!
  • tummygize roll-on:
    • for any digestion issue or bloating —  and you will likely have some. Even can help with constipation (for you AND future baby since it’s our kids line!). Also helps with morning sickness (ginger EO does too!). Some also use digize for tummy troubles in pregnancy which is the adult version of tummygize and is more stronger and effective, but does have fennel in it so that decision is up to you!
  • Mood support:
    • stress away
    • valor
    • peace & calming
    • –> diffuse or use topically! We have premade rollers for all of these or you can buy the bottle so that you can make your own rollers and diffuse with it!
  • SLEEP issues: ooof this is always a problem for me in pregnancy!
    • Calm CBD roll on for sleep – life saver for me especially in the first and third trimesters when sleep is so hard. I personally feel very comfortable using our CBD line during pregnancy, and just do one little “roll” down my spine before bed of the 300mg calm CBD roller. It’s pricey but SO worth it.
    • Also cedar wood, lavender and frankincense is a great SLEEP Blend… no joke it works!! Pregnancy can bring some sleepless nights 😩
  • For Morning Sickness:
    • M-grain for morning sickness and feeling fuzzy
    • Tummygize roller: I just rolled on chest (but make sure it doesn’t nauseate you more before rolling it on you hah!)
    • Ginger essential oil (just open bottle and breathe with it close to your nose or put some on a cloth and wave in front of you). Can also add a drop to your tea or anything else! 
    • Alkalime Packets – can help with nausea and heartburn

  • For Belly/Stretch Marks:

    • Lavender + frankincense + gentle baby (5 drops of each) + carrier oil like fractionated coconut oil in a roller bottle – roll on bump to help stretching skin as often as you’d like! I do it 2-3x/day!
    • Our facial CBD serum is also AMAZING to use on belly for stretching skin, if you feel comfortable using CBD. I do!
    • Another one is our claraderm spray you’ll see me mention in labor prep and postpartum because it’s pricey but a LIFESAVER. But this has allll the healing oils that can be great to just spray on tummy too.

  • Water Retention:

    • Swelling is a very uncomfortable symptom that usually comes in the third trimester of pregnancy!

    • Can use a roller of Cypress + Tangerine oil diluted and rolled over swelling areas, if you feel comfortable using cypress. Or you can use grapefruit and lemon mixed into carrier oil and massaged in those places too. I personally never had any swelling issues with my pregnancies so far so haven’t tried these, but have heard great things from multiple mamas about both.

  • Aches and Pains:
    • Muscle CBD rub and our deep relief roller. Two GAME CHANGERS. I had very bad pubic symphysis dysfunction so I always had aches even though I tried to stay moving – and these two helped so much!

    • -ONLY once in labor already: clary sage to keep contractions progressing or help if labor does stall!

      -two necessities postpartum (even though there are so many more I love and use PP): Progessence plus for hormones + claraderm spray for healing down there (pricey but SO worth it!!) 

  • Sickness: (here’s my list of sickness in pregnancy musts)
    • it’s common to get sick in pregnancy because our lowered immune system, but we also have a laundry list of meds we can’t take while sick! Here’s what I personally use when sick:
      • Thieves roll-on: roll on bottoms of feet and down spine / behind ears and down neck every hour
      • Congestion: I diffuse lavender, peppermint and lemon in diffuser right by me on high (3-5 drops of each)
      • Thieves Throat/Cough Drops – and if sore throat is really bad I spray the mini thieves spray bottle into back of throat just once. Tastes horrible but works like a charm.
      • Life9 probiotics since immune system needs a healthy gut!
      • Steam showers with eucalyptus dropped on bottom of shower
      • ALLLL THE NINGXIA. I double/triple up on this when sick.
      • I also feel comfortable taking some things internally if feeling really sick, so I make elderberry syrup, I do 1 drop of thieves = 1 drop of frankincense in a tbsp honey 2x/day, and then Earthley’s pregnancy safe tinctures: feel better fast and sinus saver.

Again, get ALL of my pregnancy oils I’ve mentioned on this list right here!

Get all my oils for sickness in pregnancy right HERE

Essential Oils for Labor

(see this blog post for ALL I had on hand as a first time mom for her birth plan! Or THIS blog post for how I was prepping for labor in 3rd tri!)

This is where it gets FUN because labor is a marathon and also probably the hardest thing you’ll ever do (even as a D1 athlete, I’ll say my unmedicated home birth was the hardest yet most rewarding this I’ve ever done!)… so HOW COOL that we can use these little bottles of plant serums to support us?! I’m SO thankful I had the support of these little guys during my first labor/birth! (helllllo 9lb baby with his hand by his head too lol)

One thing I want to say: have a plan of what oils you plan to use and how/when, and give it to whoever will be there during your labor (friend, family member, etc), because once you get into active labor – you will NOT remember to use them yourself (or even remember to drink/eat).. so I had a friend at my home birth that kind of served as my “doula” that would just massage the oils on me, get the diffuser going, shove my water bottle with a straw in my face to make me drink, etc. Find someone that will do that for you!

Essential Oils I Personally Used in Labor / Labor Prep weeks prior:

(get ALL of my LABOR oils I’ve mention in this list right here!

• If baby is breech position still at 36-38 weeks:
  • Can use peppermint at top of tummy if baby is breech to encourage him/her to flip
• Clary Sage:
  • Remember, this is a big NO NO before labor begins, but it’s a great one to use as needed during labor! I had my friend put 2 drops on my inner ankles when I began getting tired and labor was stalling a little. She also put it in our diffuser in my bedroom where I was laboring. This has helped other mamas stuck at like 3cm go to pushing within 1-2hrs when putting 2-5 drops on inner ankles hourly until you need. So have this on hand in case you need it!
• Orthoease /Relaxation Massage Oil:
  • When I was in active labor and getting tired and contractions were starting to get more intense, my friend rubbed this stuff all over my back between contractions and just helped me relax/recover between them.
  • Their cbd roller also helped!
  • I also had really bad back labor because of my cervix position so it helped with that too.
• Tearing / Healing “Down There”
  • Claraderm spray and frankincense (diluted 1-1) for around vaginal opening
    • Spraying claraderm “down there” twice a day starting at 30 weeks to begin to prepare vaginal opening, and then use it EVERY bathroom trip postpartum for healing – this was a life saver even though pricey spray! These oils are so healing that I felt it healed things down there quickly
    • My midwife ended up using this and doing “circles” around opening as baby was coming out – to prevent tearing since I wasn’t in the tub – and I really do feel it helped since I only had a slight tear as a FTM with a 9lb baby!
    • update: no tearing with 2nd baby even at 8lb 12oz!
• Staying hydrated:
  • ningxia: I put 2 oz in a big glass of ice water and gulped it down pre-active labor and then sipped on it intermittently throughout rest of labor too
  • coconut water
  • electrolytes of choice in water
• Failure to progress/stalling:
  • you can just use clary sage 2-5 drops on inner ankles every hour OR make this roller:
  • clary labor labor roller: 1/2 oz carrier, 4 helichrysum, 4 fennel, 10 geranium +  10 clary sage (ankles, little toes/fingers, lower abdomen (find all LABOR oils here) — or just diffuse clary sage and put 1-2 drops of it on ankles!
• Washcloths with EOs like lavender in warm crock pot or in ice water
  • my friend would drape these over my head of back of neck throughout
• Peppermint essential oil for any nausea during labor –  I didn’t experience this but I know many mamas do!
• Valor or Stress away for emotional support: you can get the premade rollers and just roll on wrists or the bottles and diffuse/put on washcloths behind neck, etc

Essential Oils for Directly Post Birth / Postpartum

(get ALL of my POSTPARTUM oils I’ve mention in this list right here!)

• For immediate PP replenishing and milk supply for months to come:
  • NINGXIA! I drank probably 8oz of this right after birth to replenish my body, and then drank 2ox every day my whole first year of BFing because it’s good overall nutrition and also helps with milk supply!
• Frankincense and Myrrh:
  • This goes back to my beliefs and christian background, but I LOVED the idea of anointing brady with frankincense and myrrh like the wise men did for Jesus! So I made a roller of 2 drops each of those + carrier oil and put it on his forehead first day!
  • This roller can also be good for cord care!
• For after birth pains/cramping when you BF those first 48hr:
  • Roller of marjoram + copaiba over tummy everytime cramping came on / initiating BFing
  • Afterease tincture (not YL – right here) and panaway oil for after birth pains
  • Super-cal
    • this was new to me 2nd time around but I heard calcium can really help with afterbirth cramping, so did this (2-4 tablets every 4hrs) for first 48hrs too this 2nd time!
  • Not an oil but I used Arnica montana homeopathy for pain as needed instead of any tylenol/pain meds PP
• For constipation / that first PP poop:
  • ComforTone! Hands down must have. This natural herbal supplement I took right away first hours PP to make sure I kept things “moving”, especially because you want things VERY easy to get out – you’ll be terrified to push at all for a little hah. I didn’t’ have any problems with it when taking this and went within first 48 hours pain free. Also if you do end up taking pain meds (I did used homeopathy above), just know that will exacerbate the constipation issues
  • 2-3 drops peppermint oil in toilet bowl before sitting down (do not put on yourself down there topically, only in toilet bowl before you sit down. weird but works!)
  • Digize essential oil used topically on abdomen
• Gentle baby essential oil
  • on tummy after delivery + is great for your mood/relaxation AND for baby! This was the first oil I diffused in brady’s room and would also add a drop to my hand and rub on his back early on!
• Progessence Plus
  • for hormone balance starting after I’ve initiated breastfeeding okay. 2-4 drops on wrists daily
• Fennel:
  • 2 drops in tbsp of honey for increasing milk supply as needed (I never needed this thankfully but many mamas loved this!) Ningxia is also a HUGE milk supply support and will make you drop with milk! I drank that every day PP
• Claraderm spray
  • Spraying claraderm “down there” EVERY bathroom trip postpartum for healing – this was a life saver even though pricey spray! These oils are so healing that I felt it healed things down there quickly
  • This is also GREAT for c-section scarring healing – spray on 2-3x/day on wound
• DIY padsicles:
  • lavender oil (mix into aloe and witch hazel before adding to pad) OR just spray the claraderm spray on pad after adding the witch hazel and aloe to it
  • + organic aloe
  • + witch hazel
  • open up pad, put all on a pad GENEROUSLY (trust me you’ll want this goodness all up and down that area so spread it on from top to bottom of pad), and then wrap back up and freeze. These will feel SO good PP
  • Organic pads: I got these on amazon and got all different types of absorbency for the different stages (from ultimate to liners, I used ultimate here since the first days PP you’ll need that)
• For mood/emotions:
  • Release (if things didn’t go the way you planned), stress away, valor and frankincense are all great. Joy is too!
• For PP Hair loss and Skin Healing
  • I did a “daily shot” of ningxia juice with our sulfurzyme powder in it (supports hair skin and joints!), and then also did a smoothie most days with our collagen powder (& sulfurzyme powder if I didn’t mix it into the ningxia!). I believe the ningxia and sulfurzyme combo daily really helped PP hair loss not last TOO long, and my hair already be growing back BEAUTIFULLY too! 12 months out and I never had such long thick hair!

 

Essential Oils for New Baby

Shoppable baby favorites list!

• gentle baby oil and the seedlings line- calm baby wash, lotion, baby oil, diaper cream and actual oil!
• The frank and myrrh roller I mentioned above for anointing him and cord care (just roll around area)
• Every night I take one drop of gentle baby with a little squirt of the bottle of seedlings calm baby oil and rubbed it on my baby’s back. Did this since around 4 weeks old!
• At night we diffuse in our room either seedlings calm or gentle baby and lavender. Just 1-2 drops in whole diffuser when super little, but I still today as he’s 15 mo old now use oils on him ALL the time! Especially the Seedlings line of products daily and certain oils like lavender and sniffleease and thieves when sick.

 

I hope this helps, seeing how a first time mama felt comfortable using essential oils throughout her pregnancy and postpartum journey! And with baby 2 on his/her way now, I’m using the exact same things!

ps: Grab my FREE PREGNANCY MEAL PLAN right here!!

 

Grab ANY and ALL essential oils + products mentioned in this post (outside of the ones with separate links by them), here below 🙂 I made easy shoppable lists for you with all my pregnancy must haves!

SHOP PREGNANCY OILS

SHOP LABOR OILS

SHOP POSTPARTUM OILS

SHOP BABY ESSENTIALS