Essential Oil Blends for Labor and Birth

Want to have your best birth possible? In addition to taking childbirth education classes, preparing your body physically and your mind mentally, there are natural, pregnancy-safe tools that can help with your emotions and actual pain management during labor and birth. Enter… essential oils! You can use essential oils as natural medicine for a number of ailments, concerns, and calming properties.

Essential oils help to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, thus reducing perceived pain in childbirth.

The following blends, sprays, and rollerballs have been compiled to help you in managing your final stages of pregnancy, labor and birthing process, and newborn moments with your baby.  Mom, dad, doulas, and birth partners can all use these oils.   

"Contraction Helper" rollerball  

• 25 drops clary sage

• 10 drops geranium

• 10 drops myrrh

• 5 drops lavender

• Add essential oils to a 10ml glass rollerball.

• Fill the rest of the rollerball with fractionated coconut oil (or other carrier oil of your choice).

This contraction helper rollerball is a blend of clary sage, geranium, myrrh and lavender for mommas to use to during labor.  Clary sage is a uterine tonic that aids in bringing on effective contractions.  Geranium enhances circulation and is good for assisting momma with muscle tension. Myrrh is a uterine stimulant and can help to intensify contractions. Lavender is calming for momma.   This rollerball blend can also be used in the event of stalled labor.  Use this blend when you are ready to naturally encourage your body to get ready for labor.   

How to use your “Contraction Helper” roller ball:  

• Roll onto ankles, then massage the oil into the backs of both feet (particularly the inside of the right ankle, as this is where your reflex points are located).  You can do this several times a day.

• Roll onto lower abdomen near hip bone areas in front and back.  You can do this several times a day.

• *Birth partners: continue to use this blend on the bottoms of momma’s feet right after birth.  The blend will help the uterus contract back down.

"Energy + Focus" Spray

• 5 drops wild orange

• 5 drops peppermint

• Add essential oils to a 2oz glass spray bottle.

• Fill the rest of the bottle with water.

This blend of wild orange and peppermint is for spraying on momma (and dad or birthing partners) during labor. Peppermint can reduce anxiety and is an invigorating, cooling aroma.  Wild orange is a refreshing, happy aroma. 

How to use your “Energy + Focus” mist:

• Spray directly onto momma’s face (like you would a facial toner).

• Spray onto cool, damp washcloth and apply to momma’s face or chest.

• Use as a room spray during and after labor for everyone’s enjoyment.  

Use as a “poo-pouri” in the event momma poops while laboring on the toilet. Spray into the toilet bowl prior to her needing to poop and the odor will be minimized.

“Confidence + Calm” rollerball

• Add 40 drops of Balance (the grounding blend) to a 10ml glass rollerball. 

• Fill the rest of the rollerball with fractionated coconut oil (or other carrier oil of your choice).

Balance blend will bring feelings of courage and confidence to momma.  This blend will support calm feelings and is wonderful for newborn baby to smell too.  

How to use your “Confidence + Calm” rollerball:

• Apply to back of neck, temples, chest, wrists and bottom of feet. 

• Roll a bit onto the back of momma’s hand near her thumb so she can easily smell the aroma. 

Momma may also want to hold the rollerball and smell Balance throughout labor.   

"Bottom Blend" Spray

• 5 drops helichrysum

• 5 drops frankincense

• 5 drops copaiba

• Add essential oils to a 2oz glass bottle. 

• Fill the rest of the glass bottle with a mix of fractionated coconut oil and witch hazel.

This blend of helichrysum (the liquid bandaid), frankincense (wound healing and cellular support), and copaiba (nervous system support and reduces skin imperfections) is to protect momma’s perineum and baby’s crown (head) during birth.  This blend is also great for postpartum healing of the perineal area. 

How to use your Bottom Blend spray:

• Spray or pour this blend directly onto momma’s perineum area when baby's head starts to crown.  Get directions from the doctor or midwife.  Do this several times during crowning.    

• Your provider might massage all around perineum area for protection.  

• You can use this blend instead of the mineral oil that most hospitals utilize.

• This spray blend is essential for postpartum healing, especially if there was tearing and stitches.  Refill the recipe if you use it all during your birth.

For more information on ordering your own essential oils for pregnancy, birth and postpartum, please contact me or book a free one-on-one wellness consultation with me.