Here it is, my Pregnancy Guide: Tips Tricks Oils and Must Haves for Labor and Delivery (L+D).
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 all the blog posts connected to this Series. Guides 1-5, some newborn essentials, hospital bag packing.
My Pregnancy Guide: Tips Tricks Oils and Must Haves for Labor and Delivery
General “I’m in labor” stuff.
I was so ready for babe to get here, my gosh! I was sore and just about had it with the constant contractions! You can read about my birth story HERE, as soon as I write it. Lol.
Basically at 36 weeks my cervical stitch came out, I was 3cm dilated. I had contractions and cramps from then until the baby came at 38 weeks. My prenatal appointment the morning of week 38, my OB checked and I was 5cm and so she did a sweep – those are killer by the way. And then I went grocery shopping. Half way through, I wasn’t sure I’d make it home. Called my mom, she was driving from her house, my brother and my husband. We’d head to the hospital and hope this was it. There’s more to the story i’ll share in my birth story – but just this part – babe was coming.
Labor and Delivery
Tips and Tricks*
*obvisouly 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, the hospital gown.
- Go over your birth plan with the nurses
- Get your oils going – or spray them and apply them
- Get ready – words and sentences of affirmation
“I can do this”
“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!
You can join my oily team HERE. We’ve got tons of resources and I’ll be with you the whole way! Have questions? Please reach out! These little plant juice bottles are not only amazing for pregnancy but for postpartum and for 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 – everyday I used this oil!! A complete must! A couple 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 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 risk
*diffusing also doesn’t pose as big of 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 with high in methyl salicylate, can act as blood thinner and therefore aren’t safest to use during pregnancy
- Panaway
- I just avoid this one all together. 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 my maternity clothes at LiketoKnow.it And you can shop what’s in my hospital bag 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 that are apart of this story. High Risk Pregnancy, Pregnancy After Loss, Ezra’s Story
Part 1 – HERE
Part 2 – HERE
Part 3 – HERE
Hospital Bag Packing – HERE
Part 4 – HERE
Part 5 – Coming Soon
Newborn – Coming Soon
There is still newborn stuff and postpartum coming. They are still works in progress; along with our birth story. You can come back to this page and they’ll be linked as they are finished. But also, subscribe to our emails and you’ll get an email when they are done! *Plus subscribing right now you’ll get a FREE printable hospital bag checklist!
Prepping for L+D, Postpartum and that sweet newborn
Nursery, care products, bottles, plans and everything to “get ready” for baby. I say “get ready” because are we ever really fully ready for a newborn are we?
Essentials and Favorites for a Newborn – you can read that HERE, eventually.
- Favorite products that aren’t essential but nice
- The essentials – in my mind.
- And some overall different stuff I had for J vs what I had for M.
Oils for Postpartum is HERE eventually. As for prep, the few things are listed below.
Prepped Before:
- Padsicles – made them before, you can watch the video HERE.
- Claraderm Spray – comes from YoungLiving. You can sign up with my link HERE to start with oils today. You can also shoot me an email, contact form HERE, or head over to my Instagram and message me there!
The post itself will have items and things I did postpartum. It was such a different experience this time around.
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
