Essential Oils

9 Remarkable Essential Oils for Labor Pain

Are you expecting a baby anytime soon? The time during pregnancy is a precious experience for a mother as she tends to feel all the intense, crazy, emotional and exhilarating feelings at the same time. Not only is it an intimidating and challenging phase but also is the best time in the life of a woman.

Every woman wants to supplement the child with all the vital nutrients and essential elements through her diet, and proper follow up from the healthcare experts. A recent study shows that adopting natural home remedies and essential oils for labor during this crucial time owing to the benefits of aromatherapy in pregnancy and naturally tackling labor pain.

Meaning and Symptoms of Labor

Labor or childbirth is the complete process of delivery of the baby from experiencing labor pain(1) to finally bringing the baby into the world. It involves different processes like dilating of the cervix, experiencing regular contractions to getting the baby out.

Symptoms

  • Rupture of water membranes
  • Thinning and Opening of the cervix
  • Feeling cramps in lower abdomen and back
  • Mucus expels out
  • A bloody discharge
  • Painful Contractions
  • A feeling of Nausea and Diarrhoea

What Essential Oils are Good for Labor?

The perfect and wondrous results of aromatherapy since ancient times have shown that opting to natural and harmless ways like using essentials oils for labor is a convenient, safe and a meaningful way to get desired results. Pregnancy is a beautiful experience in the life of a woman, and essential oils are prominently used for labor induction, alleviating labor pain, and getting natural pain relief.

Therefore, there is a surge in moving towards the use of essential oils for labor to induce the delivery besides providing a calming effect through their fantastic scent. The extraction of essential oils from different leaves, roots, flowers of the plant and preparing them in a distilled environment is a sign of their purity. And it is highly recommended by many health care experts to use essential oils for pregnancies to simulate labor naturally.

Essential Oils for Labor

Given below are some useful essential oils that not only work to induce labor but also impart relaxation during labor.

1. Evening Primrose Oil

Evening Primrose(2) oil is a widely used and a reasonably priced herbal supplement for helping in shortening the labor duration. It is mostly used to prepare the cervix for labor.

Why to use?

Not only does it contain linolenic acid, gamma-linolenic acid, and vitamin E but also is beneficial to trigger a prostaglandin response in the body that will help in labor induction.

How to use?

While some women prefer using it vaginally to induce labor others, prefer taking capsules of Evening primrose oil from their nearby pharmacies.

2. Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil serves to be an incredible remedy for handling the pain that induces during labor, may it be on your legs, neck, and back. It is a natural way to relieve exhaustion, nausea or aches and get well from a sick tummy.

Why to use?

Peppermint has potent anti-inflammatory properties that are valuable in handling delivery pain and is one of the best essential oils for labor. It keeps the going-to-be-mother focused and energised.

How to use?

Mixing a few drops of peppermint oil with some lavender oil, and coconut oil and its application on the areas that hurt is lovely.

[Read: Benefits of Peppermint Oil ]

3. Lavender Oil

The amazing smell of Lavender oil can calm the mother going through labor pain naturally. It is a perfect oil to impart a calming effect and relaxation during labor.

Why to use?

Lavender oil plays a crucial role in aiding the mother-to-be in a stable and relaxed state and lets labor pass in no time.

How to use?

The scent of lavender oil mixed with some other carrier oils has a significant effect in inducing labor.

[Also Read: Lavender Oil Benefits ]

4. Clary Sage Oil

Clary sage oil is the best oil for on-time and preterm labor in which it helps in diminishing the tearing and muscle tension at the last stage of Labor. Women generally apply this wonder oil over their reproductive parts to get relief from the delivery pain.

Why to use?

Clary sage oil is renowned for its estrogenic properties that help in boosting the development of enzymes involved in prostaglandin production and is influential in stimulating the ripening of the cervix.

How to use?

Adding a few drops of clary sage oil combined with some carrier oil like coconut oil and adding the mixture to your bath is particularly best way to seek significant results.

5. Jasmine Oil

Enriched with aphrodisiac properties, Jasmine oil offers a soothing effect from the labor pain and is valuable to make the going-to-be-mother cheerful, peaceful and comforted.

Why to use?

Jasmine Oil has a lovely aroma that works its magic in easing up the stress, tension, and pain that is stimulated during labor. It is beneficial to bring feelings of love, tranquility, and joy.

How to use?

Diffusing a few drops of jasmine oil in the birth room to turn the air into a refreshing and to provide relaxation during labor.

6. Frankincense Oil

Frankincense Oil is said to be a promoter of boosting the immune system. It exhibits anti-infectious and anti-depressant properties that help in stimulating a calming and grounding sense.

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Why to use?

It is a potent essential oil that helps to prevent tearing of perineum, cures back and abdominal pain and eases the burning feeling that occurs while the baby’s head comes out.

How to use?

Putting a few drops of frankincense oil in some carrier oil and applying it on the back and abdomen will benefit you in reducing pain. Also, applying this mixture to the baby’s head promotes the baby’s development.

[Read: Health Benefits Of Frankincense Oil ]

7. Myrrh Oil

Myrrh oil is a potent oil that helps in the natural healing of all the post-delivery effects on the body. To advance the healing process, its use is necessary to impart a relief from a stalled labor.

Why to use?

Myrrh Oil is a source of pain-relieving properties that are helpful in augmenting the contractions and a quicker falling of the umbilical cord.

How to use?

A few drops of Myrrh oil on a cotton ball or cotton cloth and inhaling it or applying it to the umbilical cord for faster healing.

[Read More: Health Benefits of Myrrh Oil ]

8. Geranium Oil

The best oil for post-baby effects, Geranium oil, plays a crucial role in helping the toning and tightening of the uterus and stimulates slow bleeding. This is important to soothe the anxiety, agitation, and fatigue that comes with the delivery.

Why to use?

Owing to the contractive, anti-inflammatory, and relaxant properties of geranium oil, it has an excellent effect in pulling together the dilated tissues present in the uterine area.

How to use?

Adding a few drops of geranium oil added in some other carrier oil and inhaling its vapours will be helpful in treating these effects.

9. Roman Chamomile Oil

Roman Chamomile Oil has robust rejuvenation bringing properties that help in providing relief from the labor pain. It acts as a natural refresher and helps to bring a calming effect to the woman.

Why to use?

Roman Chamomile oil(3) is useful in imparting stress relieving and a peaceful sensation to the mother-to-be and brings a soothing effect to the anxiety and fatigue that subside it.

How to use?

Putting a few drops of Roman Chamomile oil on a cloth and placing it on the woman’s forehead brings relief from the pain.

Some Other Beneficial Essential Oils Are:

  • Borage Oil
  • Ylang Ylang Oil
  • Citrus Oil
  • Neroli Oil
  • Rosemary Oil

Risks and Precautions

Essential Oils are useful in getting the desired effects; however, it is important to note that the intake of any essential oil supplement could lead to triggering of delivery problems and complications for the woman in labor. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you don’t take any supplement during pregnancy without consulting your healthcare expert.

Also, every pregnancy is different, so the use of essential oil in labor induction might not be that useful for the other. Always follow all precautionary tips before applying a specific essential oil.

Other Home Remedies for Labor

Besides the use of Essential Oils for labor, there are many other effective home remedies that can be followed for best results:-

Exercise

According to several healthcare experts, Exercises are said to be one of the best ways to beat stress and work its magic in reducing the labor pain. You may go through these easy and safe exercises for women to be started in the third trimester.

Nipple Stimulation

Simulating the nipples can help in contracting the uterus and labor induction by producing oxytocin that helps in ejecting milk from the breast. Manually stimulating the nipple is useful in getting the labor pain faster and is an easy way to promote contractions.

Drinking Herbal Teas

Drinking some herbal teas that are beneficial in preparing your uterus for labor pain is a powerful way to get through the delivery pain naturally, and the woman tends to stay hydrated and feels less fatigue and exertion. There is this one home-made herbal tea that acts as the best remedy for pregnant women and handling delivery pain.

Bottom Line

Aromatherapy has shown its magic in curing almost all the diseases and is playing a pivotal role in providing vital aid in labor induction and reducing delivery pain to a large extent. The inclination of people towards the usage of essential oils for labor and home remedies for natural delivery is a result of its potential effects on the upcoming mothers.

Still, nothing can be substituted for a well-balanced and nutritional diet in addition to proper water intake, sleep and keeping your mind stress-free and in a sound state. Moreover, following all the precautions as per your healthcare expert is mandatory for best results.

FAQ’s

1. Is There Any Way to Handle Labor Painlessly?

Do realize that, Labor is a painful experience and there is no medicine or cure can provide full natural pain relief. But yes, there are several ways to alleviate the pain and help in going through it.

Of course, if you don’t want to go through the natural way of giving birth or experiencing pain, operating through cesarean delivery will serve the right purpose, but it has its own after effects.

2. How to Reduce Painful Preterm Labor Contractions Naturally?

You should follow a proper treatment necessary as described by the healthcare expert and try to stay hydrated, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables along with prenatal vitamins(if advised by the healthcare expert) that cover all the nutritional gaps in the mother’s diet.