POSTNATAL CARE
Now that the baby has finally arrived, you can enjoy yourself and your baby. The essential
oils are ideal to use after the birth, not only because of their excellent antibiotic,
antiseptic, and disinfectant properties but because they are emotionally and spiritually
uplifting. You can't use every essential oil at this time because you are still recovering
from the birth experience, but among those recommended there is something for every mother
to enjoy pampering herself with - and the knowledge that she is doing something good for
herself at the same time.
These oils listed can be used in a bath (4 drops) or incorporated into a body oil (a total
of 30 drops per 2 tablespoons vegetable or nut base oil) or in any of the room methods
(diffuser, light bulb ring). Don't use anything including essential oils, in a douche or
sitz bath at this time. If you shower rather than bathe, simply put 4 drops of essential oil
on your facecloth after you have finished washing yourself and wipe all over your body.
POSTNATAL ESSENTIAL OILS
Rose
Neroli
Lavender
Nutmeg
Clary-sage
Geranium
Grapefruit
Fennel
Calendula
Frankincense
Myrrh
Patchouli
Bois de rose
INFECTION
Infections after birth can happen for both the mother and baby. Nature has provided a means
to fight infections by the use of colostrum, the first food that comes from the mother's breast
before her milk comes in at about the third day postpartum. Colostrum can be used by applying
it to an infection. It is packed with antibodies which give resistance to infections, which
is why it proves to be such a remarkable remedy for all sorts of ailments from eye infections
to cuts and wounds, not to mention that this is why it is extremely important that your
newborn baby should be breastfeeding and not be put on a formula and bottlefed.
After the birth, it is very important that the whole genital and perineal area is kept clean
and free from infection. After every bathroom use, the area needs to be rinsed with saline
(0.9% salt water) solution or other prepared herbal wash (comfrey is a good herb to use for
perineal care) placed in a large squirt bottle and gently washed over the area. After the
initial wash, you can then rinse again with an essential oil solution. This can be used in
a squirt bottle and spray rinsed or placed in a bowl and the perineal area submerged in it.
PERINEAL ESSENTIAL OIL WASH
Lavender - 1 drop
Roman or German Chamomile - 1 drop
Use one drop of each or 2 drops of one oil. Either will work, and both work well together.
Swish the oil around in the warm water and either rinse the perineal area or submerge the
area into the wash. This simple wash ensures a chemical-free genial wash that is highly
effective in both keeping infection away and facilitating healing.
If you do have an infection in the vagina or cervix following birth, use this formula:
INFECTION FORMULA
Lavender - 20 drops
Roman or German Chamomile - 10 drops
Yarrow - 10 drops
Put 3 drops of the blended oils into a bowl of warm water and bathe three times a day with
it. Remain submerged in the water-oil blend for at least 5 minutes to allow the essential
oils to do their job. This blend should be made up in quantity because it will be useful
to treat all manners of infections, for you and your baby, especially during the first few
months of susceptibility. The blended oils should be kept in a clean, brown glass bottle
that has a dropper for easy measurement. Do not use this blend in any body orifice - mouth,
ears, rectum, or vagina (unless specifically directed, and then following the instruction
carefully). For treating cuts, grazes, or open wounds, bathe the area with sterilized gauze
which has been soaked in 1 pint water to which you have added 2 drops of the blended formula.
Rashes on the baby's or mother's skin can be treated by mixing 1 drop of the blended formula
with 1 tablespoon of cream. Mix it in well with whatever lotion or cream you would usually
use for that purpose. If you have not been recovering from your birth as quickly as you should
or as expected, this may mean that your immune system is weak from the overwork. The immune
system can be boosted by massaging the whole body with a body oil made my adding 5 drops of
the infection formula with 1 teaspoon vegetable or nut oil. If you have contracted an infection
of the uterus, make a body oil using the same 5-to-1 proportions and massage over you stomach
and lower back.
Of course, with any kind of infection, be sure to notify your midwife immediately if you have
any symptoms of infection (fever, body aches, discharge, etc.) so she may be able to help
you by using other complimentary therapies in conjunction with aromatherapy. Do not ignore
any infection.
MoonDragon's Postpartum Perineal Care
MoonDragon's Postpartum Bathing
MoonDragon's Postpartum Bowel Movements & Urination
CARE OF THE BREASTS
Breast and nipple care becomes very important after a birth, for the comfort of the mother and
well-being of the baby. Cracked nipples are a fairly common problem and are surprisingly
painful. This reason alone would warrant taking good care of them, but the possibility of
subsequent infection makes it vital. The formula for cracked nipples works very well, massaged
thoroughly over the whole nipple and areola area. Also spend some time stimulating the
nipples by rolling them between well-oiled thumb and forefingers.
CRACKED NIPPLE OIL BLEND
Base Oil:
Almond oil - 90%
Wheatgerm oil - 10%
Add
Calendula essential oil - 5 drops per 1 teaspoon base oil
Calendula essential oil can also be added to vitamin E cream. This can be taken out of
the tube and placed in a small, clean jar. Mix the calendula essential oil in well, using
5 drops to each teaspoon of cream.
Whatever you put on the nipples to alleviate the pain of cracking, wash it off carefully
before you let your baby breastfeed. After breastfeeding, wash and dry the nipples carefully
and reapply the cracked nipple treatment.
Breast infections (mastitis) can occasionally occur before birth but are more usual after
a birth. It is common with breastfeeding mothers. The breast becomes hard, painful, red,
very hot feeling to the touch, and possibly a feeling of pulsation may be felt. Notify your
midwife immediately. She will help you to alleviate the problem. In addition to her therapies,
you can also use this formula to treat the redness, inflammation and soreness. It is a
natural antibiotic and stimulates the autoimmune system.
BREAST INFECTION OIL BLEND
German Chamomile - 15 drops
Lavender - 10 drops
Eucalyptus - 5 drops
Make up a concentrate using these proportions.
Use 10 drops of the formula placed in a saucer of warm chamomile tea. Soak a piece of muslin
in the saucer and place over the breast, as you would a compress. Repeat this treatment twice
a day for five days only. If there is still discomfort after this time, prepare a massage oil
using these quantities of essential oil (a total of 30 drops) in 2 tablespoons of vegetable
or nut oil and rub over both breasts twice a day until the condition eases.
MoonDragon's Postpartum Breasts & Breastfeeding
MoonDragon's Mastitis
BREASTFEEDING
The best start in life for an infant is being breastfed, but sometimes this isn't so easy. It
takes a lot of perseverance and determination, along with support from your partner, friends
and family. Even with the most experienced of breastfeeding mothers, problems can still arise
that need to be addressed. Some of the problems may be engorgement; lack of milk flow; a weak
mother; a baby that cannot suck strongly enough to stimulate the flow of milk; large nipples
that may be difficult for the baby to latch onto; large breasts that may also make it hard
for the baby to held so that the baby can nurse; inverted nipples that are difficult for
the baby to latch on. Whatever the problem, it can be equally frustrating for both the mother
and the baby and help should be sought from you midwife, your health care provider, a lactation
consultant or the La Leche League (which is mothers helping mothers and can be found in most
areas). Of course essential oils cannot solve all problems, but they aid in treatment if the
supply of milk is insufficient for the baby's needs or if the mother is generally weak after
the birth.
The following three options are equally effective in increasing lactation, so choose which
one to use on the basis of which essential oil you already have on hand or can easily obtain.
MASSAGE OIL TO INCREASE LACTATION
Fennel - 15 drops
or
Geranium - 15 drops
or
Clary-sage - 10 drops
Diluted in 2 tablespoons good quality nut or vegetable oil.
Use one essential oil only to make your massage oil - don't mix them for this treatment - and
massage the breasts in a circular movement, starting under the arms, working inward and downward
and then up between the cleavage. do this once a day, remembering to wash the oil off before
feeding your baby.
MoonDragon's Pregnancy Information: Breastfeeding
POSTNATAL BOOST
Carrying a baby through pregnancy and giving birth expends a great deal of energy both
physically and emotionally. This is a remedy for a woman that needs that extra little boost
to bring her up and able to function better and feeling more normal.
POSTNATAL BOOST SPECIAL BLEND
Nutmeg - 7 drops
Bois de rose - 6 drops
Frankincense - 2 drops
Lemon - 9 drops
Rose (any) - 6 drops
Use these quantities to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for a massage oil or body rub.
Or
Use these proportions to make a concentrate and use in a diffuser or room method, or a
perfume.
This formula is different than the ones found in postpartum depression. This one is for
every new mother and is a nice way of giving her a boost in place of "flowers" for the
occasion.
POSTPARTUM (POSTNATAL) DEPRESSION
In times past, postpartum depression was not a recognized medical condition and the women
and their families had no justification for the feelings of depression which overcame the
new mother, often accompanied by rejection of her baby. Now we know that this is a medical
condition and that it is associated with the changing and loss or increase in hormones that
are all a part of pregnancy, labor, birth, and postnatally. When a woman looses her placenta
at the time of birth, she is also loosing a store of hormones which are essential to her
well being. There are women today who eat their own placenta after the birth and report a
feeling of euphoria. This replaces the hormones that she is losing, stops or prevents blood
loss, and provides necessary nutrients that are expended during the labor and birth. The
moment the placenta is delivered, the front part of the pituitary gland swings into action
and produces prolactin and oxytocin which are essential for lactation to begin. Progesterone
injected immediately after birth seems to alleviate the symptoms of severe postpartum depression
in susceptible women. Giving birth is a serious hormonal all-change and one that affects women
differently.
There are degrees of postpartum depression, ranging from the "baby blues" which affects so many
women around three days after the birth that it has come to be seen as an integral part of
giving birth, to the frightening puerperal psychosis - a complete loss of sanity which affects
about one woman in five hundred. And some women, of course, experience no depression at all.
Giving birth is the most profound chemical change a human body can go through in the space of a
few hours, it's also the most profound social change for the mother and will affect every
move she makes for the next decade, at least. There are many pressures after the birth of a child
and many causes for concern. As well as the unrelenting demands of the baby itself, there
is the always-present diapers, cleaning, washing, bathing, feeding, lack of sleep, friends and
family with conflicting advice, a partner who may feel left out and jealous, single friends
running of to exciting activities, possibly other children that may have some sibling
rivalry, and images of a perfect and happy mother in advertisements
and on old television shows. As if this isn't enough for a new mother, there's also the fear
that something may happen to the baby while it is sleeping and trying to be prepared in the
event that something does happen. Realizing that profound changes have taken place in terms
of hormones, the physical body, the psychological and social aspects, and try to nip in the
bud any problems that may arise. As far as essential oils are concerned, this is largely a
matter of redressing the balance on the hormonal and emotional levels so that motivation,
determination, and feelings of self-esteem aren't allowed to get out of balance. Socially,
those around the mother need to recognize the complex change that has taken place in your
timetable and that you need a little time to yourself and extra help and support from family,
partner, children and friends. With the essential oils and three hours a week from their
partner, most new mothers will find they can not only cope but handle the situation with
renewed confidence and energy.
Never forget that your baby's well-being depends on your own well-being and so anything you
do that will make your life easier and happier will also help the baby. Don't feel guilty
about spoiling yourself a little. You have spent nine months carrying the baby around and
nourishing it, have been through labor and birth, committing yourself to a lifetime's hard
work. Of course you deserve a bit of pampering. It doesn't hurt to get a new hair style or
buy a new outfit, get some lotions or potions to cheer you up. There are no better potions
than taking a time to yourself and using some essential oils from the following list that
will make you feel special, calming and strengthening to your nervous system and in their
own way help you to lift depression.
"GOODBYE TO BABY BLUES" ESSENTIAL OILS
Bergamot
Neroli
Narcissus
Clary-sage
Grapefruit
Immortelle
Mandarin
Geranium
Rose
Angelica
You can use any of the above on their own or in combination - up to a total of 30 drops in
2 tablespoons vegetable oil for a massage oil; up to 2-3 drops in a room diffuser; 4-6
drops in a bath; or simply dab on like a perfume.
This formula can be used as soon as you like after delivery. Rub the massage oil over your
tummy and breasts, to restore tone to your skin and to make you feel better. If you are
prepared, you can prevent the "baby blues" from latching on at the beginning.
If you need a major lift, give yourself three hours a week for total indulgence. Ask your
partner to babysit for that time, and if you are feeling guilty, remember that he needs
time to form a close bond with the baby, too. Don't be possessive about the baby. Choose one
of the single oils listed above or one of the following blends, pick up a good novel and
retire to the bathroom. Run the bath and put in 6 drops of your chosen oil or blend of oils,
swish it around and sink into the bath, breathing deeply to inhale the aroma. The combination
of water, essential oils, and something to occupy your mind works wonderfully to relax and
revitalize you. Stay there as long as you want. Don't dash straight from the bath to care
for your baby or make dinner; take your three hours totally for yourself. Retreat now to your
bedroom and taking your time, rub the body oil into your body, concentrating on the tummy,
from breast to pubic line. Breathe deeply as you apply the oil and do some gentle stretching
exercises. Putter around doing nothing in particular, painting your nails or whatever you want
to do - even if is just lying down on the bed, resting and thinking. Take your full three
hours, ignoring all the sounds coming from the other room, and if you still feel guilty about
leaving your baby in the hands of your partner, just remember that you have the responsibility
for one hundred and sixty five hours a week and he only has it for three! You are not asking
too much: you are trying to preserve your sanity for the benefit of the whole family, and it is
surprising how just three hours of cushioned indulgence with the essential oils can strengthen
and revitalize you.
"BANISHING THE BABY BLUES" OIL BLENDS
BLEND 1
Geranium - 5 drops
Neroli - 10 drops
Grapefruit - 15 drops
BLEND 2
Clary-sage - 5 drops
Rose - 2 drops
Bergamot - 10 drops
BLEND 3
Mandarin - 3 drops
Neroli - 4 drops
Immortelle - 8 drops
BLEND 4
Angelica - 5 drops
Geranium - 8 drops
Bergamot - 6 drops
BLEND 5
Grapefruit - 10 drops
Geranium - 10 drops
Mandarin - 5 drops
Mix your blend of oils before hand in a clean, brown glass bottle using the proportions shown.
Then use 5 drops per 1 teaspoon vegetable oil when making the massage oil,
MoonDragon's Postpartum Depression
MoonDragon's Aromatherapy For Labor & Birth
MoonDragon's Aromatherapy For Post Partum
Aromatherapy In Pregnancy - Midwives Archives
MoonDragon's Aromatherapy For Problems In Pregnancy
MoonDragon's Aromatherapy Information Index
MoonDragon's Alternative Health Index
MoonDragon's Pregnancy & Birthing Index
MoonDragon's Pregnancy Information & Links
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