Using Aromatherapy to Relieve Stress While Pregnant If you are pregnant, feeling stressed and overwhelmed may come much more easily to you, due to the hormones and changes your body is dealing with. Managing these feelings is essential to help you to better deal with life over the next 9 months—you deserve as much happiness and comfort as possible during this time!
Aromatherapy One great way to relieve stress is through aromatherapy. When you are pregnant, your sense of smell may become much more heightened, causing you nausea when you come into contact with certain scents—however, if your nose can handle it, aromatherapy can be a wonderful addition to your routine. Aromatherapy is an ancient and well-established therapy that has helped to relieve the stress of countless individuals over centuries past. Using scent to promote health and well-being is its primary claim to fame, though some researchers even claim that there can be medical benefits as well. Aromatherapy is generally done through the use of candles, essential oils, lotions, steam, etc. There are many different ways you can implement this practice into your life, depending upon what materials you want to work with. Make sure that you buy high quality products to work with, so that you can ensure that they will be safe and effective. Some of the best smells for relaxation during pregnancy include ginger, lavender, and peppermint—you may want to buy candles, lotions, or essential oils in these fragrances.
Oils Once purchased, oils should be stored in dark glass inside of cool, dark cabinets, chests, or boxes as light can affect their scents. Rubber or plastic dropper tops or containers should never be used as they can ruin the oil. You can find recipes online for mixing different scents, so that you can experience a combination of different effects. Recipes can be as simple as adding a couple of drops of an essential oil to a carrier oil, and placing the mixture into the appropriate warmer or burning device.
There are many ways to apply the different aromas you choose to use. Aromatherapy can be applied through aerial diffusion, through direct inhalation, and through topical applications, such as lotion or bath salts. Since you are pregnant, it is advisable to talk to your doctor about which method will be the safest for you, before you begin. You do not want to do anything that could jeopardize your health, or the health of your fetus. Make sure that you study the safety guidelines before you begin. Because essential oils are highly concentrated, they can be harmful if used incorrectly. Every essential oil is not safe for use in aromatherapy, so make sure you read the backs of the different bottles and substances before you purchase and use them. Essential oils should be kept away from open flames as they are flammable. Once you know how to safely use the materials that you bought, you can use them to help you manage your stress. Stress can lower your defenses and make you more susceptible to illness, which is very dangerous when you are pregnant. Put just a few drops of your favorite calming fragrance into your bathwater, if your doctor says it is safe. You could also make a hot compress by soaking a hand towel or wash cloth in warm water that has a few drops of your preferred essential oil.
Applying to your neck Apply the compress to the back of the neck, to help you enjoy the soothing smells while the heat relaxes your neck. If you are in public, you can put a few drops on a cotton ball and inhale deeply—just be careful not to use too much. This is a way that you can inhale while at work, without having the convenience of a candle. Test out different smells as see which ones work the best for you—if one makes you feel nauseous or lightheaded, discontinue using it right away. If you experience a stress-induced headache, try making a cold compress using these essential oils, by soaking a cloth in ice-cold water that has essential oils already added. Wring out the cloth and apply it to your neck, or your forehead. Experiment with different scents, and different ways of applying them. Some may work well for you, while others do not seem to do anything at all. The more you learn to manage and cope with feelings of stress, the more pleasant and comfortable your pregnancy will be. Today is the perfect day to begin your aromatherapy practice!
Photo credit: Nomadic Lass, Risaikeda