pregnancy oils ebook

The Safeand Healthful Uses of Essential Oils in Pregnancy and Birthing

by Joanna AlbrechtCertified Doula, Hypnobirthing Practitioner and Essential Oil Enthusiast

About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Word of Caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Oils to Avoid During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Helpful Oils During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

doTERRA Essential Oil Blends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Blessing Way Ceremony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Morning Wellness Happy Tummy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Stretch Mark Prevention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Insomnia and Nightmares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Positive Affirmations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Body in Bloom Bath Salts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Opening the Lotus Massage Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Lotus in Bloom Massage Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Cool Compress Blend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Ease and Comfort Labour Oils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

After Care for Baby and Mommy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Suggested Books & Websites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Contents

About the Author

This e-book was compiled by Joanna Albrecht .

Joanna is an internationally known healing guide and teacher, published author, inspirational spiritual coach and Essential Oil Enthusiast .

She has been in the Healing Arts industry since 1995 and continues have a love of learning and teaching .

For more information on Joanna, please go to:

www .unfoldinglove .com

If you would like to know more about doTERRA essential oils please contact the person who gave you this ebook .

IntroductionThe recipes in this book are designed to help you love and take care of yourself during this time of change, discovery, transition and growth .

I hope it will uplift you during the tough times and relax you during the stressful moments .

This is your time just for you .

Take care of yourself because as you cherish your sacred vessel of life you are also nurturing your growing baby .

All babies could use a relaxing and loving beginning to life .

So put your feet up, relax and have a read…

“If I had my life to live over, instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I’d have cherished ever moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.”

Irma Bombeck

Words of Caution for OilsEssential oils are the very concentrated essence of distilled plants, flowers, bark and roots . 1 drop of peppermint essential oil is like drinking 28 cups of peppermint tea, so you can be sure that a little goes a long way!

The essential oil recipes I have listed in this book are using doTERRA essential oils .

doTERRA essential oils are pure therapeutic grade so you know that they are pure and healing for the body .

Make sure you only use therapeutic grade oils, because there is no way to know what is in other oils . Even though someone says they are 100% pure, it does mean they are therapeutic grade oil .

Oils that are not therapeutic grade may be fragrance oils, have pesticides or petroleum products and may even be harmful for you . dōTERRA’s Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils are guaranteed to be 100% pure and natural and free of synthetic compounds or contaminates . They are subjected to rigorous mass spectrometry and gas chromatography testing to ensure extract composition and activity .

If you would like to know more about or purchase doTERRA essential oils please contact the person who gave you this book or go to http://www .mydoterra .com/joannaalbrecht

Important note:

Even if an oil is pure therapeutic grade it doesn’t mean it is safe or useful for all occasions .

Different oils have different jobs in helping the body and mind . On the following page is a listing of oils that can be used and should NOT be used during pregnancy and labour .

Oils to Avoid During Pregnancy• Basil

• Cedarwood

• Cinnamon

• Clary sage (OK during labour)

• Clove

• Cypress (OK after 5 months)

• Fennel

• Hyssop

• Jasmine (OK during labour)

• Juniper

• Lemongrass (OK during labour in small amounts)

• Myrrh

• Parsley

• Pennyroyal

• Peppermint

• Rosemary(OK during labour)

• Sweet marjoram

Helpful Oils for PregnancyListed below are some of the benefits and therapeutic effects of the essential oils recommended for use during pregnancy:

Bergamot Analgesic, antiseptic, antidepressant, uplifting, and refreshing . Helpful for cystitis during pregnancy .

Chamomile Antiseptic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic . Soothes pain from muscular aches, headaches, nausea and indigestion . May have a slight analgesic effect during labour .

Clary sage(Ok during labour) May stimulate, strengthen and regulate uterine contractions . It has been used during labour by some women to help with pain relief, stress, tension and sedation . Do not use when breastfeeding, as it can reduce the milk supply .

Cypress (OK after 5 months) Antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent and diuretic . Helpful for varicose veins, haemorrhoids and swollen ankles .

Eucalyptus Antiseptic, antibiotic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral . Helpful with respiratory congestion .

Frankincense Antiseptic, astringent, sedative, warming .Geranium (OK after 3 months) Antiseptic, antidepressant, astringent, refreshing,

uplifting . Eases aching legs and is good for poor circulation . Helps relieve engorged breasts .

Ginger Commonly used for nausea and digestion . It is known to be a stimulant and an aphrodisiac .

Grapefruit Astringent, digestive aid, lymphatic stimulant . Helps with water retention .

Lavender Antiseptic, antibiotic, analgesic, antidepressant, healing, relaxing . Helps soothe aches and pains, encourages cell renewal and helps with fluid retention . Lowers blood pressure .

Lemon Antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal, astringent, stimulant, tonic . Useful as an inhalant or in water for morning sickness and in massage for varicose veins . Digestion aid and helpful for exhaustion, is a mental stimulant .

Lemongrass Digestion aid, antiseptic, is a mental stimulant, helps concentration .

Lime Immune booster, fights respiratory tract infections, relieves pain in muscles and joints, revitalizes the mind, helps up lift feelings of apathy, anxiety and depression .

Mandarin Digestion aid, antiseptic, refreshing, lifts moods, helps with depression and anxiety, mild relaxant, stretch mark preventative . Can ease fluid retention in leg and ankle massages .

Marjoram Muscle relaxant, chronic fatigue, tension headache .

Patchouli Antiseptic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, nerve sedative . Eases confusion, indecision and apathy .

Rosemary

(Ok during labour)

Stimulates uterine contractions, calming, improves memory, relieves tiredness, and fatigue . Encourages breast circulation for milk production . Increases blood pressure .

Sandalwood Antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, helps lift moods and eases anxiety, sedative, skin irritations, bronchitis, is an aphrodisiac . Helpful for cystitis during pregnancy .

Tangerine Antispasmodic, lymphatic stimulant, calming, sedative . Helps to prevent stretch marks .

Tea Tree Antibiotic, antiseptic, antifungal, antiviral, disinfectant . Can be used to treat thrush during pregnancy .

Ylang Ylang Antiseptic, antidepressant, aphrodisiac, sedative, lowers blood pressure . Restorative when overworked or tense .

doTERRA Essential Oil Blends

Balance Spruce, Rosewood, Frankincense and Blue Tansy

Helps to ground and balance the body’s electrical system .

Calming and grounding .

Citrus Bliss Wild Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Mandarin, Bergamot, Tangerine and Clementine, with just a hint of vanilla .

Elevates mood, reduces stress, promotes lymph drainage, and dissolves fats .

DigestZen Tarragon, Fennel, Caraway, Coriander and Anise, Peppermint and Ginger .

Brings soothing relief from indigestion and heart burn .

Elevation Lavandin, Tangerine, Elemi, Lemon Myrtle, Melissa, Ylang Ylang, Osmanthus and Sandalwood .

Elevates your mood and increase your energy .

Serenity Lavender, Sweet Marjoram, Roman Chamomile, Ylang Ylang, Sandalwood and Vanilla Bean .

Calming, relaxing, creates a sense of wellbeing .

“Childbirth is a time when a woman’s power and strength emerge full force, but it is also a vulnerable time, and a time of many changes presenting opportunities for personal growth.”

Janet Schwegel’s , Adventures in Natural Childbirth

“I have personally come to believe that childbirth is a blessing to women sent straight from God. I mean, in its purest form, birth is the most fantastic orgasm married with a miracle! What more heavenly gift could there be?”

Laurie Annis Morgan, The Power of Pleasurable Childbirth

”Expectant mothers need to be mothered; their hearts need to be infused with love, confidence, and determination. I now see myself as ‘midwife’ to the gestation and birth of women as mothers .”

Pam England, Birthing from Within

”A woman’s path to power is more like engaging life’s energies in a swirling movement filling us up, out, into wholeness .”

Lois Stovall

Blessing Way Ceremony

A Blessing Way is a beautiful and sacred alternative to a ‘baby shower’ that is traditionally held for a woman who is in the Full Bloom of her pregnancy .

For a Blessing Way a ‘Mother-To-Be’ is surrounded with the women whom she feels closest to, a sisterhood of women she loves and trusts to nurture and support her during this miraculous and blessed time .

The Origins

The Native American Navajo people would honour the cycles and transitions of life with a rite of passage .

For girls, the first rite of passage is when she starts her first menstrual cycle and joins the world of women . All of the women of the tribe take this time to love honour and celebrate this transformation from young maiden to woman .

The second rite of passage is when a woman becomes a ‘Mother-To-Be’ .

The women come together to honour, nurture, and give her love . She is loved, cared for and mothered deeply by all the women to help her prepare for the time when she will be caring for and mothering her little one deeply and lovingly .

The more a woman is loved and taken care of during her pregnancy the more she will be able to love and care for her little one .

The Blessing Way allows this time for the Mother to fully open and receive the gifts of love that her sacred sisters have to give to her . It allows her to know that she is supported, loved and never alone .

Here are some activities you may want incorporate to make the day an even more unique, special and memorable event .

Nurturing the ‘Mother-To-Be’Fill a foot bath with warm water, 10 drops each of Lavender, Coriander and Grapefruit essential oils and a sprinkling of rose petals . Have the Mother soak her feet, while someone brushes her hair . Another person washes the Mother’s feet and gives her a foot massage as another woman feeds her decadent treats . At the end the mother’s feet are dried and anointed with Balance essential oil blend and a crown of flowers placed upon her head . (Balance is a combination of Spruce, Rosewood, Frankincense and Blue Tansy . This combination helps the Mother to feel grounded and relaxed while balancing her electrical system .)

Meditation Pass a bottle of Frankincense around the circle and have each woman anoint her third eye . (Frankincense has been used for thousands of years as a meditation enhancer . It helps to open up one’s inner vision and creates an aromatic experience of sacredness .) Have someone lead a group meditation where the Mother visualizes the day of her birth and everyone there visualizes along with her and send her loving and healing energy during the process . The Mother will be able to draw on this memory and energy when the Birthing Day comes .

InspirationEveryone can bring an inspirational quote, story or song to share in circle with the Mother .

Bead CeremonyEach woman chooses 2 very special beads to bring that represent a blessing for the mother and the baby . In circle everyone threads a necklace with their beads creating a Birthing Necklace that the woman wears during childbirth to give her strength and to help her feel connected to her sisterhood while she is birthing .

The Web of ConnectionA ball of red yarn is brought in the circle . The first woman wraps it around her wrist and then gives the Mother a word of blessing . (Love, patience, relaxation, groundedness etc .) , then the ball is thrown across the circle to another woman who wraps the string around her wrist and gives a blessing, then she throws it back across the circle and this goes on and on until each women is connected in a beautiful web . This represents the web of connection and safety of the Mother’s sisterhood . Everyone stands up and

the Mother goes around thanking each woman as she cuts the string so they can tie it to their wrist . The string reminds them to send prayers and good thoughts to the Mother until the baby is born .

Mother Support Network Before the end of the Ceremony have each woman present sign up on a support calendar . They will give their contact details and a day and time they can drop off a meal for the family and offer any cleaning/washing support to the family after the baby is born . This is a really special and wonderful gift for any new mom!

“You are constructing your own reality with the choices you make...or don’t make. If you really want a healthy pregnancy and joyful birth, and you truly understand that you are the one in control, then you must examine what you have or haven’t done so far to create the outcome you want .”

Kim Wildner- Mother’s Intention: How Belief Shapes Birth

“Women’s strongest feelings [in terms of their birthings], positive and negative, focus on the way they were treated by their caregivers .”

Annie Kennedy & Penny Simkin

“Pregnancy is a time of being in touch with the power of creation itself.”

Rahima Baldwin & Terra Richardson

“If we don’t take care of mothers, they can’t take care of their babies.”

Jeanne Driscoll

“Just as a tree grows best when anchored firmly in the earth, so can a pregnant mother feel strong and capable when supported by a sisterhood of nurturing friends .”

April Lussier

(for those less than happy tummy times)

Happy Tummy Drink2 drops Lemon

1 drop Ginger

Mix into a spoon of honey . Add to hot water . Breathe in the steam and drink . (For a colder fizzy version use sparkling mineral water instead of hot water .)

Soothing Tea(Dry herbs blend . Not essential oils)

Peppermint

Chamomile

Ginger

Fennel or Anise seed tea

Morning Wellness Happy Tummy

Happy Tummy Rubbing Drops

Single Oils:

• Ginger

• Lemon

• Lime

• Wild Orange

Blends:

• Citrus Bliss

• DigestZen

Applications:

• Inhaling

• Diffusing

• Place into spray bottle and mist into air

• Rub on bone just behind ear and around belly button

10 drops total of any combination of listed oils to 50 ml carrier oil . 10 drops total of any combination of listed oils to 100 ml pure water in spray bottle .

Apply in clockwise circular motions around solar plexus .

Herbal Lozenge Recipe for a Happier Tummy(from Shannon at Organic Baby Birth Services)

The hormones overwhelm the liver which is what is believed to cause the actual nausea . Dandelion and Milk Thistle are great for a congested liver .

The following is a recipe I came across to make herbal pills which I recreated into a great nausea remedy . It can also be a fantastic way to get extra nutrition from herbs . There is a pressure point on the roof of your mouth that helps with nausea .

To hit that pressure point the balls do need to be rolled into the approximate size and shape of a lemon drop candy (they don’t have to be perfect) . We use Ginger essential oil because ginger is known as a favourite for nausea .

For the powdered herbs, you can use equal parts of any nourishing herb powders such as Alfalfa, Blessed Thistle, Dandelion, Milk Thistle, Spirulina, or any others you like . To make it easy, you can purchase a super green powder supplement at a health food store .

Making Herbal Pills

1 . Place powdered herbs in a bowl and moisten with enough water and honey to make a sticky paste . About a quarter cup of herbs makes approximately a dozen balls .

2 . Add a drop of Ginger essential oil for a small batch (a dozen or so) . If you choose to make a bigger batch, increase the amount of Ginger . Mix well . Take a small taste and add more Ginger if you desire .

3 . Thicken with Slippery Elm Bark Powder . Add enough to form smooth paste . Knead until the mixture is the consistency of bread dough .

4 . Roll into small balls the approximate size and shape of a lemon drop candy .

5 . Place on a cookie sheet and dry in an oven on a very low temperature for several hours . If you don’t dry them they must be stored in the fridge .

Constipation (already made doTERRA oil blends)

CitrusBliss

DigestZen

Mix 3 drops of either oil in 1Tablespoon of Coconut Oil and rub into abdomen gently in a clockwise direction . (Drinking lots of extra water also helps ease constipation .)

Constipation (do it yourself blend)

2 drops Chamomile

1 drops Patchouli

1 Tablespoon Virgin Organic Coconut Oil

Massage over abdomen and lower back .

Indigestion/HeartburnDigestZen

Citrus Bliss

Wild Orange

Ginger

Sandalwood

Roman Chamomile

Lavender

Any combination of 3 drops per 1 Tablespoon oil

Rub into solar plexus gentle in a clockwise direction .

Below is a list of oils you can use for your Belly Butter . You can use any combination, but add only 50 drops total to the mix . (These are all great for helping the belly stretch and feel good throughout its growing times .

Lavender

Citrus Bliss

Geranium

Cypress

Roman Chamomile

Sandalwood

Patchouli

Helichrysum

Happy Belly ButterIn a double boiler, melt:

1 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup cocoa butter

1/4 cup shea or mango butter

Stir until everything has completely melted and combined, remove from heat . Allow to cool for 15–20 minutes, then add these essential oils no more than 50 drops of essential oils* .

(*Mix up your blend of oils first to see if you love the scent . Then add the oils to the Belly Butter .)

Massage Happy Belly Butter over thighs, breasts, stomach, and anywhere that needs extra love .

Keep in a closed container . The butter will harden if it gets too cold and soften/melt if it gets too warm, so keep in a relatively temperate place .

Stretch Mark Preventative

Sometimes fear and anxieties creep into the birthing process .

Maybe we have heard some scary birth stories .

Perhaps we are afraid of the unknown or if we will be able to do it .

There are many things that we can find to stress about, but stress is not helpful to us or the baby .

Here are some oils and affirmations that can help with the stress and fears of this transitional time .

Apply one drop of any of the oils listed below to your third eye . Rub your hands together and then breathe in the fragrance of the oil, then repeat the affirmations .

You may want to record these affirmations so you can close your eyes and listen to them as you fall asleep .

Blends

Serenity

Balance

Single Oils

Sandalwood

Frankincense

Ylang Ylang

Roman Chamomile

Insomnia and Nightmares

Positive Affirmations

I am safe and I am loved

My baby is safe and healthy

I am safe and healthy

Everything is happening in perfect timing

Divine Love is flowing through me and my baby now

My baby and I are protected and safe

We have everything we need

We are fully and completely taken care of

Breathing in peace ... …breathing out tension

Breast Care

Our bellies are not the only part of our body that starts to grow during pregnancy, our breasts start to blossom as well . Our hormones are getting ready to start producing our baby’s nourishment and immune boosting food source .

In Louise Hay’s book ‘You Can Heal your Life’ our breasts represent the love that we have for ourselves . Our breasts will go through many changes during the next year; these recipes are meant to assist us in honouring our breasts and to help them through whatever they may need during this journey .

Everyday Breast Massage Oil5 drops Citrus Bliss

4 drops Thyme

15 ml Virgin Organic Coconut Oil

Massage the breasts and under armpits twice daily .

Dry, Cracked Nipples\Make sure to anoint your nipples after each feeding to ensure they stay happy and healthy

2 drops Geranium

1 drop Sandalwood

1 drop Myrrh

2 drops Lavender

Add to 1oz (15 ml) of any (or combination of any) oils below

Calendula infused ointment

Apricot Kernel Oil

Rosehip seed oil

Virgin Organic Coconut Oil

More Milk Oils: Essential Oils that help to help create a more abundant milk supply:

• Thyme

• Anise

• Fennel

Add 2 drops of any oil into 1 Tablespoon of Virgin Organic Coconut Oil

No More Milk OilsEssential oils that help engorged breast or when you are getting ready to ween

• Clary Sage

• Peppermint

• Melissa

• Oregano

Add 2 drops of any oil into 1 Tablespoon of Virgin Organic Coconut Oil

Mastitis (Infected Breast)• 8 drops Lavender

• 7 drops Melaleuca

• 5 drops Roman chamomile

• 7 drops Thyme

• 10 drops Mandarin

Mix into 2 ounces (60ml) Virgin Organic Coconut oil . Massage into breasts and under armpits 3 times daily . Warm compresses are also good to help with the soreness and will help to draw out infection .

HemorrhoidsMake sure to get plenty of fibre and water into your system so you are not straining during elimination . Women sometimes get these as well during labour if they strain when they are pushing the baby out . Be as gentle as you can with yourself during this process and if haemorrhoids happen to pop up here is a recipe to soothe and heal them .

• 4 drops Lavender

• 4 drops Geranium

• 3 drops Myrrh

• 1 drops Roman chamomile

• 1 oz (30ml) Calendula oil

Apply after warm bath .

Leg Cramp Massage Oil Muscle cramps sometime have to do with a lack of certain minerals in our diet such as Magnesium or Potassium . Many times we are not getting enough water . So check your supplements and your water intake and then have someone give you a nice leg massage with these oils .

• 5 drops Cypress



• 1 oz (30ml) Coconut Oil

Apply to legs with gentle upward strokes

Varicose Vein Massage OilIf we are not getting enough circulation in our legs sometimes the blood can’t get to where it needs to go and backs up into what we call varicose veins . These can be painful as well as unsightly . But they can be relieved with massage . Just use the same protocol as Leg Cramp Massage .

Edema / Water Retention Massage oil(Water retention and swelling in limbs)

This is something that is a common occurrence in pregnancy, to lessen the symptoms make sure to exercise regularly to get the circulation flowing, stay away from too much salt and have someone massage you with this blend of oils .

They help to draw out the extra water from your system . (You may sweat a lot during the night after this treatment .

This is all of the extra fluid leaving your body and you should feel better in the morning .)

3 drops Ginger

4 drops Cypress

4 drops Lavender

3 drops Geranium

1 oz (30ml) Coconut oil

Massage feet, ankles and legs, massaging toward the heart to help circulation .

Optional already mixed blends: AromaTouch and Citrus Bliss (Just add 15 drops of either oil to 30 ml coconut oil .)

30-40 Drops of Essential Oils

(Choose oils from the Energy or Relaxation blends depending on what you are wishing to achieve .)

Energy Boosters Single OilsLemon Geranium

BlendsCitrus BlissElevation

Relaxing Oils Single OilsSandalwoodFrankincense Ylang YlangLavender

BlendsBalanceSerenity

1 Cup Sea Salt

1 Cup Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) Baking soda helps wash away oil and perspiration, and it also neutralizes acids on the skin .

4 Cups Epsom Salts (soothes sore muscles; muscle relaxant, a sedative and regulator for the nervous system, reduces swelling, acts as a natural emollient and help exfoliate the skin . The magnesium also helps the body and mind relax because studies have shown that it raises serotonin levels causing calm and mood-elevation, lowers blood pressure, and lowers the effects of adrenaline . The contents of Epsom salt like magnesium sulphate is used to treat eclampsia; an acute and life-threatening complication of pregnancy . It can also prevent cerebral palsy in babies who are born premature, and also help in delaying premature labour so do not use when in actual labour because it will slow the process .

Combine in a shaker container and shake until mixed thoroughly .

Body in Bloom Bath Salts

(For perineum massage 3 weeks before delivery)

• 8 drops Geranium oil

• 5 drops Lavender oil

• 1 oz (30ml) Coconut oil

Perineum stretching and opening massage

Doing perineal massage is an important part of getting ready for the birthing process . Midwives report that women who practice perineal massage daily in the last six weeks of pregnancy experience less stinging sensation during crowning . Mothers with a more conditioned perineum are less likely to tear or get an episiotomy . An added value of perineal massage is that it familiarizes a woman with stretching sensations in this area so she will more easily relax these stretching muscles when stinging occurs just before the moment of birth .

Try this technique (adapted from ‘The Birth Book’ By William and Martha Sears)

• Scrub your hands and trim your thumb nails . Sit in a warm comfortable area, spreading your legs apart in a semi-sitting birthing position . To become familiar with your perineal area use a mirror for the first few massages (a floor-to-ceiling mirror works best) . Apply Opening the Lotus Massage Blend as list above .

• Insert your thumbs as deeply as you can inside your vagina and spread your legs . Press the perineal area down toward the rectum and toward the sides . Gently continue to stretch this opening until you feel a slight burn or tingling .

• Hold this stretch until the tingling subsides and gently massage the lower part of the vaginal canal back and forth .

• While massaging, hook your thumbs onto the sides of the vaginal canal and gently pull these tissues forward, as your baby’s head will do during delivery .

• Finally, massage the tissues between the thumb and forefinger back and forth for about a minute .

• Being too vigorous could cause bruising or swelling in these sensitive tissues . During the massage avoid pressure on the urethra as this could induce irritation or infection .

• As you become adept with this procedure, add Kegel exercises to your routine to help you get the feel for your pelvic muscles . Do this ritual daily beginning around week 34 of pregnancy .

Opening the Lotus Massage Oil

(For perineum massage 1 week before delivery)



• 1 oz (30ml) Virgin Organic Coconut oil

Labour Affirmations and Inspirational Quotes • When the time comes for you to be born, my body is going to gently

open up to let you out

• When you are born, you are just going to come right out and we will have so much fun

• Opening gently and easily

• Releasing relaxing and letting go

• I am safe, my baby is safe

• My baby is flowing down and out in perfect timing

• I am opening .

• My body is made to do this

• Relaxing and opening

• Breathing with my body

• Breathing with my baby

• I love you

• Divine Love is flowing to me and through me now

• I surrender to the wisdom of my body

• I surrender to the power of birth

• My body and my baby know exactly what to do

• I am calm and relaxed, every part of me is limp and loose

Lotus in Bloom Massage Oil

“Just as a woman’s heart knows how and when to pump, her lungs to inhale, and her hand to pull back from fire, so she knows when and how to give birth .”

Virginia Di Orio

“Attending births is like growing roses. You have to marvel at the ones that just open up and bloom at the first kiss of the sun but you wouldn’t dream of pulling open the petals of the tightly closed buds and forcing them to blossom to your time line .”

Gloria Lemay

“Many women have described their experiences of childbirth as being associated with a spiritual uplifting, the power of which they have never previously been aware ... To such a woman childbirth is a monument of joy within her memory. She turns to it in thought to seek again an ecstasy which passed too soon .”

Grantly Dick-Read, Childbirth Without Fear

“Birth is not only about making babies. Birth is about making mothers ~ strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength .”

Barbara Katz Rothman

“Birthing is the most profound initiation to spirituality a woman can have .”

Robin Lim

“The body has its own way of knowing, a knowing that has little to do with logic, and much to do with truth, little to do with control, and much to do with acceptance…”

Marilyn Sewell

”A strong woman knows she has strength enough for the journey, but a woman of strength knows it is in the journey where she will become strong .”

Unknown

“Giving birth requires an honest surrendering of your body and soul. You need to be in a relaxed state of love. Love has a way of overpowering fear. The more energy-draining feelings you can unload, the more room you will have for bliss and simplicity. Birth can be an unfolding and emergence like something you’ve never experienced before .”

Lynn Griesemer

“There is power that comes to women when they give birth. They don’t ask for it, it simply invades them. Accumulates like clouds on the horizon and passes through, carrying the child with it .”

Sheryl Feldman

A womanin harmony

with her spiritis like

a river flowing. She goes

where she willwithout pretence

and arrivesat her destination,

preparedto be herself

andonly

herself. Maya Angelou

“You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star”

Nietzsche

“Woman am I, spirit am I, I am the infinite within my soul. I have no beginning and I have no end. All this I am .”

“Childbirth is fundamentally a spiritual, as well as a physical, achievement. . . The birth of a child is the ultimate perfection of human love.”

Dr . Grantly Dick-Read

“As the waves and intensity grow and grow, Remember, they cannot become stronger than you because they ARE you .”

Unknown

“Muscles send messages to each other. Clenched fists, a tight mouth, a furrowed brow, all send signals to the birth-passage muscles, the very ones that need to be loosened. Opening up to relax these upper-body parts relaxes the lower ones .”

William and Martha Sears

Cool Compress Blend

Chilled Rose water with 2 drops lavender

Apply with soft cloth to forehead . Replace when warm .

Compress Blend 2Roman chamomile

Geranium

Citrus Bliss

(place 10 drops of any oil or combination of oils in a 50ml spray container with pure filtered water . Use 2 or 3 sprays into a bowl of chilled water . Then place a face flannel (washcloth) in the water, wring out and apply to mother’s forehead and around the base of her head and neck .

Blissful Transitions SprayCalming and grounding for the time of transition .

25 drops Citrus Bliss

10 drops Lavender

10 drops Clary Sage

Add to 100ml spray bottle .

This is a room spray . Do not spray the mother directly .

Labor Diffusing Blend:40 drops Lavender

37 drops Frankincense

21 drops Ylang ylang

20 drops Roman Chamomile

(mix into a 15 ml and add oils per diffuser’s instructions .)

“People never sing...except in the bathroom. Birthing women also make their natural sounds next to running bath water. There is something about the power of water. People are drawn to water, spas, and sacred streams. Women in labour are drawn to water, too.”

Michel Odent, MD

Labor Bath Blend10 drops Lavender

2 drops Clary Sage

3 drops Citrus Bliss

Mix into ½ cup Sea Salt

2 cups Baking soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) Baking soda helps wash away oil and perspiration, and it also neutralizes acids on the skin .

(Do NOT add Epsom salts this will delay labour surges .)

Reduce Pain

• Lavender

• Patchouli

• Ylang Ylang

• Helichrysum

To Aid Relaxation and Uplift Mood

Single Oils

• Ylang Ylang

• Melissa

• Grapefruit

• Lavender

• Geranium

Essential Oils To Increase the Effectiveness of Labor Surges

• Clary Sage

• Geranium

Emotional Trauma

Single Oils

• Lavender

• Geranium

• Ylang ylang

Blends

• Serenity

• Elevation

• Citrus Bliss

• Balance

Ease and Comfort Labour Oils

Blends

• Elevation

• Serenity

• Balance

“In the sheltered simplicity of the first days after a baby is born, one sees again the magical closed circle, the miraculous sense of two people existing only for each other, the tranquil sky reflected on the face of the mother nursing her child .”

Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Mother and baby bonding bath (This is a dry herb blend and not essential oils .)

• 1 pound (½ kilo) Sea salt in a muslin or a tied off cheese cloth bag

• Yarrow

• Comfrey

• Garlic

• Lavender

• Calendula

• Plantain leaf

Allow to infuse into bath water . Mother and baby bathe for up to 30 minutes . These herbs help heal the perineum and help baby’s umbilical cord to heal and fall off within about 3 days .

Drying the Umbilical CordMyrrh powder or essential oil are antiseptic, antifungal, astringent, anti-inflammatory it helps keep the umbilical cord from becoming infected and helps it to dry and heal faster .

Golden seal powder is an extremely strong antibiotic that is an excellent infection fighter and helps to dry the umbilical cord . After bath pat dry and apply powder .

After Care for Baby and Mommy

Healing for the Perineum Perineum paste

(another dry herbal blend, not essential oils)

Equal parts of powdered, slippery elm, golden seal, myrrh, comfrey, plantain and clover powder if strong pain relief is needed . You can mix these herbs with honey, aloe vera, coconut oil or water . Add just enough liquid ingredients so it will stay solid yet pliable . Insert or place in contact with damaged tissue .

You may also place all these ingredients in a fusible tea bag or cheese cloth . Place in hot water to soften and activate the herbs, cool then place on perineum . Infused water from soaking can be used for a sitz bath .

HemorrhoidsCommon after pushing baby out if straining and pushing .

• 5 drops Bergamot

• 5 drops Chamomile

• 5 drops Cypress


• 5 drops Myrrh

• 1oz (30 ml) St John’s Wort oil

Apply after a warm bath .

Special thanks Belinda and my Super Goddess Support Team for reviewing and giving me feedback on the book . I am so blessed to have you in my life!

To my very beautiful and wonderful friend Julie Pidgeon who is an amazing and magical woman . She takes my words and makes them into such beautiful books! I am forever thankful for this wonderful super goddess! www .360results .com .au

Thank you to everyone helping mothers and babies have a safe, healthy and empowering birth experience .

The following are a list of people whose work contributed to and inspired this book .

Shannon Baird- Certified Birth Doula

http://www .organicbabybirth .com

http://rockstarmaternity .com

Alison Bastien-Midwife

http://www .lavictoriana .com

Information on pregnancy and women’s health issues . She also creates herbal products made according to the ancient ways, respecting the moon cycles and life cycles of the plants they work with .

Demetria Clark-Midwife, Doula, Herbalist, Aromatherapist and Workshop Facilitator

http://www .heartofherbs .com

Demetria teaches herbal and aromatherapy certification workshops .

For Birthing

Contributors

Suggested Books & Websites

BlessingWays- A Guide to Mother Centred Baby ShowersSheri Maser CCE, http://www .blessingway .net/

HypnoBirthing - The Mongan Method - Marie Monganwww .hypnobirthing .com

Childbirth without fear - Dr . Grantly Dick-Read

The Birth Book: Everything You Need to Know to Have a Safe and Satisfying Birth - William and Martha Sears

Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth - Ina May Gaskinhttp://www .inamay .com

Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year - Susun Weed,www .susunweed .com

Sacred Birthing: Birthing a New Humanity - by Sunni Karllhttp://www .sacredbirthing .com

Birthing From Within - Pam Englandwww .birthingfromwithin .com

Midwifery Today - www .midwiferytoday .com

Mother’s Intention: How Belief Shapes Birth - Kim Wildnerhttp://www .kimwildner .com

The Power of Pleasurable Childbirth - Laurie Annis Morgan

Unassisted Home Birth- An Act of Love - Lynn Griesemer

http://www .unassistedhomebirth .com

A Midwife’s Story - A Wise Birth: Bringing Together The Best Of Natural

Childbirth And Modern Medicine - Penny Armstrong and Sheryl Feldman

The Functions of the Orgasms: The Highways to Transcendence - Michel Odent

Cries of Spirit - Marilyn Sewell

http://www .marilynsewell .com

After the Baby’s Birth ... a Woman’s Way to Wellness: A Complete Guide for Postpartum Women - Robin Lim

Eating for Two: Recipes for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women - Robin Lim

http://www .robinlimsupport .org

Encyclopedia of Childbearing, ReCreating Motherhood - Barbara Katz

http://www .barbarakatzrothman .com

Gloria Lemay

http://www .glorialemay .com

Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn: the Complete Guide - Penny Simpkin

http://www .pennysimpkin .com

Women’s Moods, Women’s Minds: What Every Woman Must Know About Hormones, the Brain, and Emotional Health - Jeanne W . Driscoll

Pregnant Feelings: Developing Trust In Birth, A Workbook for Pregnant Women and their Partners - Rahima Baldwin and Terra Palamarini-Richardson

For Essential Oils

Modern Essentials - A Contemporary Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Essential Oils - Abundant Health

The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: Over 600 Natural, Non-Toxic and Fragrant Recipes to Create Health - Beauty - a Safe Home Environment

Valerie Ann Worwood

The Fragrant Pharmacy - A Complete Guide to Aromatherapy and Essential Oils

Valerie Ann Worwood

The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Essential Oils - Julia Lawless

MusicBlessing way songs – Copperwoman

http://www .blessingwaysongs .org

Songs for the Inner Child- Shaina Noll

http://www .shainanoll .com

pregnancy oils ebook

Education

helpful oils

therapeutic grade oils

different oils

fragrance oils

listing of oils

comfort labour oils

peppermint essential

essential oil recipes