You might have heard about the wonders of essential oils and how these natural bounties can make a difference to your overall health. If you are pregnant, you might be wondering if they are good for you or if they are safe to use. The answer will be tackled in this article. As much as essential oils give a lot of benefits to the body, special care should be taken during pregnancy. The following tips will give you an idea of how to use essential oils if you are pregnant or lactating.
1. Do not use essential oils during the first trimester of pregnancy.
The first trimester is overwhelming for most women. This is the stage when you get to experience stress for a lot of reasons, including your challenging adjustment towards the changes of your body. In this phase, your placenta develops and your blood cells start to form. Your entire nervous system, which includes your heart and brain, also undergoes some changes. Because of this, the use of some essential oils may potentially harm not just your body but also the baby you are carrying. With this, the best thing to do is ask your physician for his or her opinion regarding the essential oils. You can also work with a trained and certified aromatherapist to guide you with this.
2. Do your research.
Before you indulge in using essential oils, you should know firsthand if such oils are safe for you to use. You can find a lot of information all over the internet. You can even find specific recommendations and testimonials from women who previously tried essential oils while they are pregnant. As you may know, using essential oils should be individualized according to your previous history of pregnancy, present medical situation, and any medications that you are currently taking. These medications may include herbal medications, allopathic, or several others.
You should also know that there are medical conditions and medications that have various contraindications when using essential oils. Remember that each individual is unique and the use of certain essential oils may potentially harm you if they are not for you. So, if you are currently taking a specific drug for your current condition, it is best to contact your physician and aromatherapist before you use essential oils to know the risks you may be taking.
3. Research the myths that surround the essential oil use when you are pregnant and lactating.
With regards to pregnancy and lactation, a lot of people are confused as to what the action of an herb and its essential oil counterpart is. As mentioned, each individual is unique. Therefore, each individual differs when it comes to an herb’s particular effect on him or her. You need to assess yourself and find out if your current medical condition suits the use of a particular plant. Take note that herbal remedies are still useful for pregnant women because they do not contain chemicals that may inflict adverse reactions. Just make sure that prior to using them, you have done your research from a trusted source. To find out more about this, you can check out the book: Medical Herbalism, The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine, by David Hoffmann, FNIMH, AHG.
4. Find out why you should never use essential oils internally if you are pregnant and lactating.
The internal use of essential oils continues to grow more intriguing each day as a lot of people are wondering if it should be done or not. This issue is being hyped by social media discussions and on the internet. You should know the reasons why taking essential oils internally should be a no-no during pregnancy by doing your research. Remember that if you are pregnant and lactating, what you put into your body could cause you potential danger and risks, so you should take safety precautions by avoiding the use of essential oils internally.
5. Opt for other aromatherapy options.
So because you are pregnant doesn’t mean that you can no longer enjoy the benefits of aromatherapy. You can find different aromatherapy options and learn about proper methods of use, dilution rates, and many others. You can read more about this in this resource: Aromatherapy for Health Professionals, by Shirley and Len Price.
Essential oils are general safe to use, but they cannot be used by pregnant women without proper guidance from their physician and aromatherapist. Good research should be done first before delving into aromatherapy.
Author’s bio:
Bio: Hello! My name is Lea Harrison, a Certified Clinical Aromatherapist. My goal and the purpose of my blog Essential Oil Diffuser USA is to help educate you on the proper use of various essential oils safe.