Peppermint Oil | Birthplace 

Peppermint Oil is an oil I had seen used in Nursing far before I became a birth nerd. Peppermint Oil has been used for hundreds of years to ease digestive discomfort. While it is not recommended to ingest essential oils, there are food safe versions added to a variety of products.

Peppermint Oil is also used to stimulate urination. sniffing the oil directly from a tissue or adding a few drops to the toilet bowl is thought to bring the urge to wee. This is the main reason I carry Peppermint Oil as sometimes emptying the bladder after birth takes some time.

Peppermint is cooling so handy as a cool compress to the forehead, keep away from broken skin and eyes and is helpful in light massage to give a cooling sensation for comfort. Peppermint Oil is very invigorating so handy to pep the birth team up a little as needed.

Main Benefits Include

• Cooling and Soothing
• Stimulates the bladder
• Relieves nausea and gastric upset
• Invigorating
• Effective relief for headaches and migraines.

Suggestions for use 

• Add to a diffuser
• Apply to a tissue to inhale directly
• Add to massage oil and apply to skin

Ginger Oil | Birthplace 

Ginger oil isn’t an obvious choice for labour and birth but you might have already discovered it already during pregnancy. Ginger oil soothes and relieves nausea caused by a shift in hormones, otherwise known as “Morning Sickness”.

Ginger is useful in labour too as nausea and vomiting often occur for the same reasons.

Main Benefits Include

• Relieves nausea
• Energizes
• Promotes focus and alertness

Suggestions for use 

• Add to a diffuser
• Apply to a tissue to inhale directly
• Add to massage oil and apply to skin

Lavender Oil | Birthplace 

Perhaps the most common oil you’ll come across in labour and birth. Lavender is a stand alone floral scent that promotes calm and relaxation.

Historically it has been used in as a pain reliever and in 2015 researchers found that lavender essential oil can be an effective pain reliever as well as possessing anti-inflammatory properties. When diluted lavender essential oil was applied topically during one test, it provided pain relief comparable to that of the prescription medication Tramadol. This suggests that lavender could be used to help treat pain and any associated inflammation. Read more about the 2015 Study 

Main Benefits Include

• Calming and Soothing
• Anti Inflammatory
• Pain Relief
• Relieves painful and tight muscles when used in massage
• Promotes sleep and deep relaxation
• Helps with tension, panic and anxiety
• Effective relief for headaches and migraines.

Suggestions for use 

• Add to a diffuser
• Apply to a tissue to inhale directly
• Add to massage oil and apply to skin

Clary Sage Oil | Birthplace 

This is the essential oil you”ll hear most about close to your due date. Clary Sage has been used to “bring on “labour. Clary Sage is a uterine tonic which means it is often used to stimulate the uterus and induce labour.  Whilst it hasn’t been studied much,  anecdotally many women swear by it. For this reason Clary Sage is not recommended for use during pregnancy. Speak to your healthcare providers about it’s use close to your due date. Clary Sage can also be used in labour to support and regulate contractions. 

While Clary Sage sounds like it should be at every birth, avoid use following a caesarean birth (VBAC) and acknowledge that Clary Sage can potentially impact pregnant midwives, doula’s or OB’s attending your birth. For this reason, some hospitals do not allow it’s use.  

Main Benefits Include

• Uterine Tonic
• Alleviates anxiety and irritability  
• Support regular strong contractions
• Promotes relaxation and calm
• Supports menstrual cycles post birth
• Helpful in postpartum 

Suggestions for use 

• Add to a diffuser 
• Apply to a tissue to inhale directly 
• Add to massage oil and apply to skin

Jasmine Oil | Birthplace 

Jasmine Oil and Clary Sage are often discussed together as it is also thought to be a uterine stimulant. Jasmine Oil isn’t available as a “pure essential oil” due to its cost and is usually only available in a blend.

Jasmine was shown to reduce pain when combined with massage in this 2013 Indian Study on 40 first time mothers. Research Article on Massage & Jasmine Oil

Main Benefits Include

• Aphrodisiac effect
• Boosts oxytocin
• Uterine Tonic
• Uplifting.
• May ease contraction discomfort when combines with massage.

Suggestions for use 

• Add to a diffuser
• Apply to a tissue to inhale directly
• Add to massage oil and apply to skin

Black Pepper Oil | Birthplace 

Not commonly recommended for labour however Black Pepper oil is great when combined with massage to ease aches and muscles pains.

For this reason, Black Pepper Oil is a wonderful pain reliever for back labour. Back Labour can occur due to baby’s position and can more discomfort to the labouring woman than the contractions themselves.

Black Pepper oil is a warming oil and is thought to ease heartburn and indigestion.

Main Benefits Include

• Eases muscle pain
• Motivates
• Increases energy
• Relieves painful and tight muscles when used in massage
• Promotes sleep and deep relaxation
• Helps with tension, panic and anxiety
• Effective relief for headaches and migraines.

Suggestions for use 

• Add to a diffuser
• Apply to a tissue to inhale directly
• Add to massage oil and apply to skin