Essential Oils for Childbirth: Using Aromatherapy to Reduce Stress, Alleviate Anxiety, and Lessen Pain with Any Birth Plan

219 Pages·2016·2.13 MB·English

by  Michaela Boldy

CONTENTS
Title Page
praise for essential oils for childbirth
Copyright
Dedication
acknowledgments
introduction
Benefits of Using Aromatherapy in Labor
My Journey
1: A Brief Introduction to Aromatherapy
What Is Aromatherapy?
A Plant’s Use of Essential Oils
Factors That Affect Essential Oil Quality
Why Use Aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy Application Routes
Application Methods Ideal for Use in Childbirth
Safety Considerations
Skin Reactions
Storage of Essential Oils
Essential Oil Use in Pregnancy and Childbirth
Contraindications
Conclusion
2: A Study of Essential Oils in Childbirth
Method
Results
Conclusion
Discussion
Acknowledgements
Further Research
3: Create Your Own Effective Labor Blend
Safety Considerations
Essential Oils for Childbirth
Factors That Affect Carrier Oil Quality
Body Lotions
Vitamin E
Synergy
Blending Techniques
The 30–50–20 Rule
Carrier Oil to Essential Oil Concentration
Recipe for Creating Your Own Labor Blend
4: How to Apply Labor Blends during Childbirth
5: Now Let’s Backtrack Nine Months …
6: Baby and Child Massage
Massage and Body Image
Young Children’s Storybook Massages
Weather Back Massage
Pizza-Making Back Massage
Let’s Make Pizza!
Reflexology
7: Little Extras for Happy Babies
Essential Oils for Diaper Rash
Diaper Rash
First-Aid Blend for Minor Cuts and Grazes
8: How Aromatherapy Can Help Lower the Number of Caesarean
Sections
British Caesarean Section Statistics
United States Caesarean Section Statistics
Essential Oils Are Proven Effective in Enhancing the Well-Being of
Women in Labor
The Lucina Maternity Foundation and a More Integrated Model of
Maternity Care1
Lucina Maternity Foundation’s Mission
Lucina Maternity’s Awareness Program
Glossary
References
GC–MS tested Essential Oils, Carrier Oils, and Lotions: United
States
GC–MS tested Essential Oils, Carrier Oils, and Lotions: United
Kingdom
Carrier Oils: United States
Carrier Oils: United Kingdom
Bottle Suppliers: United States
Organizations
Reflexology
Books
Endnotes
2. A Study of Essential Oils in Childbirth
3. Create Your Own Effective Labor Blend
4. How to Apply Labor Blends During Childbirth
5. Now Let’s Backtrack Nine Months …
6. Baby and Child Massage
7. Little Extras for Happy Babies
8. How Aromatherapy Can Help Lower the Number of
Caesarean Sections
Appendix A. Essential Oils Are Proven Effective in Enhancing
the Well-Being of Women in Labor
Appendix B. The Lucina Maternity Foundation and a More
Integrated Model of Maternity Care
bibliography
Index
about the author
About North Atlantic Books
essential oils for childbirth
Using Aromatherapy to Reduce Stress,
Alleviate Anxiety, and Lessen Pain with Any
Birth Plan
michaela boldy, RN
praise for essential oils for childbirth
“This important guide … is truly a ‘must have’ for all providers of women’s
health and for those searching for alternative therapies. It is written in a style
that makes it so easy to understand and a joy to read.”
—LIN LEE, RN, CNM, BAY AREA MATERNITY AND WOMEN’S
HEALTH, CALIFORNIA
“This book offers clear and helpful guidance for those who wish to have a
natural childbirth using essential oils as part of their pregnancy and birthing
experience as well as for care of the newborn baby. Boldy’s firsthand
experience, both as a mother and nurse, is invaluable in this regard.”
—JULIA LAWLESS, AUTHOR OF THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
ESSENTIAL OILS, OWNER AND DIRECTOR OF AQUA OLEUM, AND
INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT FOR THE AROMATHERAPY
INDUSTRY
“This is a valuable book for mothers, fathers, midwives, and nurses working
in hospitals. It offers important practical information about the birthing
process and the use of essential oils. It also offers a perspective on related
topics like how to reduce cesarean-section births and how to deal with
diapers on growing infants. [Boldy’s] focus on women and the birthing
process offers a timely and unique angle in essential-oil literature.”
—ELIZABETH JONES, AUTHOR OF AWAKEN TO HEALING
FRAGRANCE: THE POWER OF ESSENTIAL OIL THERAPY; FOUNDER
OF COLLEGE OF BOTANICAL HEALING ARTS, CALIFORNIA; AND
FOUNDER AND CO-OWNER OF ELIZABETH VAN BUREN, INC.
To Erica, Alice, Lara, and Thomas, with all my love, and to my own
mother, Denise, who bought me my very first essential oils …
For all the little people about to be born …
acknowledgments
T
his little book would not have evolved without the encouragement and
input from an amazing group of people. Input has come in so many ways
and pushed this book forward to what it is today. I wish to wholeheartedly thank
the following people:
Lin Lee, RN, CNM, Bay Area Maternity and Women’s Health, California, for
her continuing enthusiasm in my work and her honesty, patience, and incredible
input of time over the years. Whenever I have needed Lee’s midwifery expertise
for the study, my products, and this book, Lee has enthusiastically given her
time. Lee has patiently read and reread my manuscript and endorsed my book.
Elizabeth Jones, author of Awaken to Healing Fragrance: The Power of
Essential Oil Therapy; founder of College of Botanical Healing Arts, California;
and founder and co-owner of Elizabeth Van Buren, Inc., for her encouragement.
Her foresight for seeing essential oils being incorporated into hospitals has
helped propel my work forward. Jones has given time to reading and endorsing
my book.
Dr. Kenneth Weber, obstetrician and gynecologist, California, for giving both
the initial permission for the midwives of Altos Oaks Medical Group, Inc. to
incorporate essential oils into the practice and for giving permission to publish in
this book the study that was undertaken when he was president of this practice.
Dr. James Byrne, MD, maternal fetal medicine specialist, and cofounder of
Lucina Maternity Foundation, for his support, encouraging words, and his time
given to reading and endorsing my work. Olga Libova, CNM, California, for her
support with the study, taking time to read and endorse my book, and for being
an amazing midwife delivering my fourth baby.
Robert Tisserand, author of Essential Oil Safety; founder of the Tisserand
Institute, London; educator; and independent industry expert for taking time to
read my book and in doing so giving me valuable comments and encouragement.
Dr. Balbir Nandra, council officer for Homeopathic Medical Association, UK,
for his valuable expertise regarding homeopathy. Larry Jones, founder of
Spectrix Labs, Inc., for helping me source GC/MS graphs. Cottie Chau, CEO of
Elizabeth Van Buren, Inc., for sourcing of graphs and the reading and support of
my work. Sam Neely, manager of education and technology at the Society of
Cosmetic Chemists, for helping me source and gain permission to use graphs
Cosmetic Chemists, for helping me source and gain permission to use graphs
from the Society of Cosmetic Chemists.
Nkosana Phiri and his team at NHS Digital for their help with ensuring the
correct data were used from the National Health Service’s corporate information
and documents.
Claudio Natale, managing director of the Massage in Schools Association
(MISA) and international treasurer of the International Association of Infant
Massage (IAIM), for her permission to discuss the work of the MISA and IAIM.
Julia Lawless, author of The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils, owner and
director of Aqua Oleum, and international consultant for the aromatherapy
industry, for taking time to read and endorse my book. Deira Gerritsen,
cofounder and board member of Lucina Maternity Foundation, Melissa Dean,
CNM, and Kerri Kastle, doula for their ongoing support and for taking time out
of their lives to read my book. Helen Selsdon, archivist for the Helen Keller
Archive and American Foundation for the Blind, for helping with the Helen
Keller quote.
Jayne Alexander, RN; Amanda Lee, RN, MSc; Clare Periton, RN; Debbie
Saunders, RN; and Sarah White, RN, for all sharing memories of working with
aromatherapy as student nurses in England in the early 1990s.
Susan White for being there at the very beginning of this journey. White
voluntarily gave hours of time and commitment to the development of the
marketing of my products. Having had a long, traumatic birth experience, White
was passionate about promoting aromatherapy to support future women in
childbirth.
Thank you to my loving, very patient family for giving me time and space to
write and to all the team at North Atlantic Books.