Pregnancy - Taking Care of the Two of You 

Being pregnant has been promoted as one of the most rewarding times of your life.  How could they be so wrong! For many women dealing with the daily hormone see-saw complete with morning sickness, skin break outs, high emotions and the uncertainty of it all, the reality of pregnancy can be far from the glamorous serenity we read of in magazine articles. 

Aromatherapy can go a long way to helping us deal with the ups and downs of pregnancy.  Now please do not be afraid to use essential oils in pregnancy.  (See our article over page) Many essential oils can help ease some of the physical and psychological discomfort that come with this huge change in circumstances.

Burning essential oils to assist with  relaxation and meditation are ideal at this time. Combinations that include lavender, mandarin, sweet orange, rose geranium can all help.  If you are suffering from morning sickness then stay with the mint, citrus and herbal essential oils. A lovely combination in the burner is 2 drops spearmint, 2 lavender and 2 mandarin.

As pregnancy advances the aches and pains in the small of your back can be quite wearying if not debilitating. Applying a little of  Moon-Haven’s Achy Breaky rub can be a godsend in these circumstances.  Getting your partner to apply it is an even better deal!

Then there is the belly...this ever growing concern has demands all of its own.  From day one we look to avoid those dreaded stretch marks.  Unfortunately hereditary plays a significant role in whether we will or will not get these.  Applying a good moisturiser is one way of reducing the possibility of stretch marks - we recommend our marvelously rich Whipped Body Butter.  (Rebecca used this throughout her pregnancy and found the time rubbing her belly not only relaxed her, stopped the incessant itching, but also seemed to help her to communicate with ‘muggles’ as Piper was called ‘in utero’) Our WBB is filled with skin soothing shea & cocoa butter plus deeply moisturising avocado oil its the perfect belly rub.

In the second and third trimesters, you may feel contractions or an irregular tightening of your uterus muscles, often called Braxton-Hicks contractions. These are usually painless, but can sometimes be painful. They tend to increase in the weeks right before your due date and can be confused with early labor. Don’t worry too much, I liked to think that my uterus was practicing for birth.   If you find these contractions discomforting, sometimes a light belly massage with a little base oil to which some lavender and grapefruit essential oil has been added can be soothing. 

Moon-Haven’s Calendula salve is perfect when massaging the perineum in the last month or so before birth. Research indicates that perineal massage can help to reduce tears, episiotomies and forcep births. The perineum is the skin and muscles between your vagina and anus. After your baby’s head begins to crown, the perineum naturally releases and expands to allow the head to be born.  Regular massage will assist in this process.

Aromatherapy and herbal principles can be very useful in pregnancy.. So if you would like more information please just ask us… we just love to share our passion for all things essential.