My Pregnancy Guide: Tips Tricks Oils and Must-Haves for Labor and Delivery (L+D) is here.
This post has all the pregnancy things. TIPS, TRICKS, ESSENTIAL OILS, and all the must-haves. Plus I talk high-risk pregnancy info and incompetent cervix stuff too. So this Pregnancy Guide has everything and I hope it blesses you in any way you need!
You can also find the links to this series’s blog posts. Guides 1-5, some newborn essentials, and hospital bag packing are below.
My Pregnancy Guide: Tips Tricks Oils and Must-Haves for Labor and Delivery
General “I’m in labor” stuff.
Im actually getting this written before the baby so I don’t have any general labor stuff to share. But my stitch comes out in 3.5 weeks and then its anyone’s guess after that. I’ll keep ya posted!
I’ve been trying these hip opening exercises, brought out the ball and I am going to start my perineal spray and red raspberry leaf tea soon. Along with eating dates – I’m waiting a little before that because my cervix doesn’t need all the help, it’s pretty good at dilating on its own.
Labor and Delivery
Tips and Tricks*
*obviously based on how labor is going once you get to the hospital and if this is a hospital birth
- Get comfortable – whether it be your gown or the hospital gown.
- Go over your birth plan with the nurses
- Get your oils going – or spray them and apply them
- Get ready – words of affirmation
“I can do hard things”
“I can do anything for a minute”
“I am strong”
“God is with me”
Whatever you have written down or thought of. My husband was huge in this aspect – reminding me when I would say I couldn’t do this anymore.
High Risk + Incompetent Cervix (IC)
So labor and everything with an incompetent cervix high-risk pregnancy is about the same as everyone else.
You can read more about my high-risk experiences in some other blogs I’ll link below.
Oils
As you may know – if you’ve been here a while. I love essential oils and during my pregnancies especially! I first started using oils with my first pregnancy so I can’t say what the difference would be without it. A week or so after my surgery I started using them again. Honestly, I don’t know how I’d manage without it!
Have questions? Please reach out! These little plant juice bottles are amazing for pregnancy, postpartum, and motherhood in general! Both my babes are oily babes! You can read more HERE too! Stuff like why we use oils, and the starter kit!
*Obviously there are a lot of questions around it and whether it’s safe. I found the best resource has been this Betsy Bosom Book. And google – always do your research, google makes it super easy! But i’ll share my routine/some of the favorite ones I used.
Favorite Single Oils:
Gentle Baby: Again – every day I used this oil!! A complete must! A couple of drops in your palm with some coconut oil on your belly does wonders for the itchy feelings! In the diffuser for those rough nights!
Valor: sore hips and neck/back
En-Er-Gee: cause we need all the energy at this point. Just in the diffuser most mornings
Peppermint: any nausea, but be careful because it can affect milk supply after babe is born
Lavender: Calming, relaxing and overall best for anything
Favorite Oil Recipes:
Belly Bump Lotion – full recipe and process
Pregnancy Discomfort Massage Oil – you can watch me make that HERE.
Birth Roller – you can watch me make it HERE
Labor Relax Roller
Valor Roll-On from YoungLiving – so much easier, already diluted and ready to go!
Oils to Avoid or be Cautious of
*oils in blends are at different concentrations and therefore don’t pose as big of a risk
*diffusing also doesn’t pose as big of a risk as applying the oil topically
- Clary Sage is the biggest oil to avoid
- It can bring on contractions, so people just avoid it all together until about 37 weeks. After 37 weeks you can add it to a roller with some coconut oil to help get your body ready for labor. And then using it during labor can help with contractions.
- Wintergreen
- Oils high in methyl salicylate can act as blood thinners and therefore aren’t the safest to use during pregnancy
- Panaway
- I just avoid this one altogether. Some people use Deep Relief (which is similar) throughout their pregnancy. I just didn’t feel comfortable with that so I didn’t.
Some others are:
- Basil
- Cinnamon
- Rosemary
- Thyme
Do some research and be cautious of the oils you do apply. Again the Betsy Bosom book was a great resource. These oils can be found in some blends too – which also means their concentrations are different. And then once diluted, even more so. Use caution. I don’t apply any of these oils neat (no carrier) or by themselves. But I do have rollers that have these oils in small concentrations. And I diffuse Cinnamon once in a while. Do what you are comfortable with and research is your best friend!
Favorite Diffuser Blends:
*I didn’t bring my diffuser with me. I filled a spray bottle and was able to spray it around the room and on myself
Labor Relaxing Spray:
Favorite Maternity Clothes:
You can shop for my maternity clothes and what’s in my hospital bag at HERE
There you go, my Pregnancy Guide: Tips Tricks Oils and Must-Haves for Labor and Delivery.
This is part 4. The rest of the Series, “My Pregnancy Guide” can be found below
A few other blogs are a part of this story. High-Risk Pregnancy, Pregnancy After Loss, Ezra’s Story
Part 1: 1st Trimester – HERE
Part 2: 2nd Trimester – HERE
Part 3: 3rd Trimester – HERE
Hospital Bag Packing – HERE
Part 5: Postpartum – HERE
Newborn – Coming Soon
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Hospital Bag for Mom, Dad and Babe – you can read that HERE.
My goal with all these guides, written and to come, is to hopefully help any mama in her journey through pregnancy. I hope this helps and share it with all your mama friends!
Love Crystal
