Aromatherapy for expectant mothers
Aromatherapy for expectant mothers
Demetria Clark 's guide explains the gentle effects of essential oils during pregnancy, birth and the period afterward
Everything we smell can cause strong reactions. The sense of smell is particularly strong during pregnancy. Therefore, typical complaints and discomforts can be treated effectively and gently with essential oils and fragrances.
Gentle accompaniment of new life
The American author Demetria Clark has been practicing as an aromatherapist and herbalist for over twenty years. She also worked for more than twelve years, first as a doula (birth attendant) and then as a midwife. When she attended a home birth at the age of fifteen, it was such an impressive key experience for her that she wanted to dedicate her professional future to expectant mothers. She always uses natural methods and traditional knowledge first, which she applies in a solution-oriented manner.
From the experience she has gained from the many births she has personally experienced and her extensive knowledge of herbs and essential oils, she has put together a practical guide that provides alternative answers to questions about pregnancy, the birth process and the first time as a mother. She sees her book as a guide for the use of aromatherapy during pregnancy, birth, the postpartum period and breastfeeding.
Healing fragrances
The term aromatherapy refers to the use of fragrances for healing. It is a very simple and practical therapy option for home and everyday use, as many different aromatherapy applications can be made at home. For external use directly on the skin, there are body sprays, compresses, creams, liniments and massage oils. Alternatively, you can spread scented oils in the room, vaporize them or inhale them.
Essential oils are the basis of aromatherapy. Individual essential oils or a combination of different oils can promote well-being and healing at any time. These oils can be particularly gentle, safe and effective for pregnant women, women in labor and those who have just given birth. Aromatherapy products can be used cosmetically, but also specifically to promote physical, emotional and mental health. Aromatherapy works because the sense of smell, or olfactory perception, connects the nose to points in the brain that form the limbic system. This is where the amygdala, hippocampus and hypothalamus are located, parts of the brain that are mainly concerned with emotion and motivation. When stimulated by smells, the limbic system releases chemicals that influence the central nervous system and thus physical, emotional and mental health.
Practical application tips
One of the simplest forms of aromatherapy is inhalation. It involves breathing in an essential oil to benefit from the oil's healing properties. The essential oil travels from the nose and mouth to the lungs. Proper precautions should be taken when using essential oils on infants, children, pregnant women, and the elderly. These individuals may be much more sensitive to the use of essential oils than the average adult.
In her guide, the author distinguishes between essential oils that are safe to use during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, such as eucalyptus, St. John's wort or tea tree, and those that should be avoided because they promote abortion, bleeding or contractions. There are also essential oils that are considered unsuitable for everyone, whether pregnant or not. Trained aromatherapists therefore avoid them. Essential oils, like any substance used for therapeutic purposes, should be used correctly: "Buy carefully and use them professionally. You should also be careful when storing them," recommends the expert, who also provides useful tips for buying, using and storing essential oils in her book.
Book tip:
Demetria Clark: Aromatherapy and medicinal plants for pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding. Tried and tested applications and recipes. Mankau Verlag, 1st edition July 2017, paperback, 16 x 22 cm, full color, 254 pages, 20 euros (D) │ 20.60 euros (A), ISBN 978-3-86374-389-5
Link recommendations:
More information about the guidebook "Aromatherapy and medicinal plants for pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding"
More about herbal expert, doula and author Demetria Clark