Getting the right nutrients are important for a healthy pregnancy and it is widely believed that essential oils not only help to relax the body but also help with fertility.

Essential oils, when added to your fertility program can be beneficial to deal with stress, maintain a hormonal balance and to support the overall reproductive system.

Understanding the Changes to Your Body

When considering the use of essential oils during pregnancy, it’s important to understand all the different things happening with your body and how it needs to be treated differently than normal everyday life.

If you’re actively trying to conceive it’s important to treat the second half of your cycle, when implantation could possibly be occurring, as if you are pregnant. In this case there is a fertilised egg and embryo in the womb.

Once you’re pregnant there are a lot of hormonal changes occurring in your body. Care needs to be taken not to alter the complex systems which are resulting in changing, shifting and growing of a fetus.

Before using rosehip oil or other essential oils, it’s important to think about what is happening in the body. The other thing to know is that when you’re pregnant, what you’re putting into your body and what you’re eating could possibly cross over through the placenta. When the compounds of the essential oils you put on your body cross the placental barrier, it could affect a developing fetus which doesn’t have any protective mechanism to prevent such compounds from, affecting their brain and nervous system.

For safety reasons, one of the things to know is that the first trimester is always going to be the most delicate time of a pregnancy and you don’t want to be using oils which are going to affect the very critical time of the development of your child.

Essential oils should generally be avoided during the first trimester unless they have been specifically prescribed to help alleviate some type of discomforts such as nausea and some aches or pains. If you’ve been using essential oils as part of your skincare routine, consider cutting back during the first trimester.

Diluting the Oil Before Use

Some people automatically assume that because essential oils are natural, they can be used during pregnancy as normal. The truth is, essential oils are very concentrated so always use 1% dilution during pregnancy. This would mean about five to six drops added to 28 g of carrier oil such as olive oil or rosehip oil.

This is the same level of dilution, commonly recommended when using the oil for children and it is always better to be cautious and safe.

When you’re applying essential oils straight on the skin, it is too strong a usage. A lot of people don’t understand that essential oils work just as well diluted and you don’t need a higher concentration.

Diluted essential oils are just as effective and evidence suggests that diluted actually work better for stress and headaches than full strength oil.

Working With an Aromatherapist

When using essential oils during pregnancy, it is advisable to work with an aromatherapist really well versed and educated with essential oils who would be very helpful, although there are oils that are safe when used properly at one percent dilution.

Aroma therapists have been known to say that essential oils can be rubbed on the feet during pregnancy, but this isn’t always recommended. A qualified aromatherapist will be able to recommend the most suitable oils and dilution for safe use during pregnancy.

Choosing a High-Quality Essential Oil

Not all oils are created equal and often additives are used to make the oil less expensive for the manufacturer. Although it still smells the same, it is not of actual medicinal quality. Only order your essential oils from reputable companies. Make sure there are no synthetic substances and you’re getting high quality essential oils which are safe to use during pregnancy. Choose an essential oil such as Kosmea Rosehip Oil, made by an Australian manufacturer.

Some essential oils can stimulate the uterus, affecting the blood. Others can help to thin the blood or create blood clots. Oils like these have a specific type of action on the body, so it’s important to know which ones to avoid during pregnancy.

For instance, cinnamon is a very strong essential oil and is not recommended for use in pregnancy. Cypress oil, Spanish lavender, mugwort, mer mer, oregano, parsley leaf, sage, blue tansy, wintergreen, basil, lemongrass, wormwood and yarrow are some other oils that should be avoided or taken with some guidance.

Many of the oils have not been tested for use during pregnancy and others are not good for the developing fetus as they have specific compounds which should not be taken and used during pregnancy.

Once you’ve had your baby, you can start using a few of the oils, however, it’s important to exercise restraint because the compounds enter your breast milk and your baby is getting whatever’s in your breast milk.

Why Rosehip Oil is Beneficial During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, your skin experiences several changes. As the baby grows, your skin stretches and can look blotchy or patchy. Rosehip oil helps to increase the ability of your skin to produce new cells. As more of the new cells replace old ones your dark pigmentation spots will begin to lighten.

Women experience several changes in skin changes during pregnancy, from melasma and acne to chloasma and blotchiness. These changes are sometimes due to hormonal shifts and vary depending on lifestyle, genetics and ethnicity.

Rosehip Oil contains fatty acids such as linoleic acid and linolenic acid which speed up skin regeneration and heal skin, which is important in these circumstances.

The light, moisturising properties of rosehip serves as an antidote for softening rough patches. Its high absorption level causes it to penetrate in the skin’s upper layers almost instantly to soften rough and dry patches. The shell of Kosmea rosehip oil is rich in Vitamin C and is an excellent moisturiser.
 
 
About the author

Aiza Tordil is a beauty and health blogger from Love Thyself offering helpful advice on beauty tips and healthy living which she practices to keep looking healthy and attractive. She is passionate about sustainable living and always up on the hottest natural and organic skincare trends. Ultimately, she hopes to tell stories that strike a chord with people and provide them the importance of using only natural and organic products.