Show me a pregnant woman who doesn’t like massage, and I’ll show you a…. wait a minute, I’m not sure what I would show you.
Anyway, most pregnant women in labor appreciate the relaxation benefits of a massage given with strong hands and a labor-friendly natural massage oil.
With our first child, our sweet doula Natalie’s hands were invaluable aids to my aching back during our homebirth. This time around, with a planned public hospital birth, my husband will be thee birth assistant, so his massage technique must be spot-on before I go into labor. No pressure, Honey!
I don’t buy fancy massage oils. In fact, the recipe I’m sharing with you today for labor-friendly natural massage oil couldn’t be simpler or much more affordable. The labor massage oil is ultra-adaptable to suit your needs, but for the calming properties, and just plain because it was in my medicine cabinet, I opted for lavender. 
Photo credit: abbytrysagain / Foter.com / CC BY-NC
When considering how much fragrance oil to use, begin with less. You can always add more. Take into consideration that during labor you may experience a heightened sense of smell, so you may want to hold back a bit with the fragrance. Want the recipe? Here goes:
Labor-Friendly Natural Massage Oil
- 1/2 c. olive oil
- 5-15 drops lavender oil
Pour olive oil into a small container. (Travel size shampoo bottles are perfect!) Add lavender oil and shake to combine. Stash a bottle in your hospital bag right away.
Note: I buy my essential oils at a natural health store here in Costa Rica, but have purchased other items with exceptional quality from Mountain Rose Herbs.
Other essential oils to consider:
Peppermint– eases nausea, reduces anxiety, and just plain smells like a candy factory
Geranium– calming, relieves stress & helps mom to relax
Jasmine – said to increase the intensity of contractions and acts as an analgesic
Clary Sage– also known to increase the strength of contractions. Great for foot massage.
Rose– works to relax the uterus & soften ligaments, allowing the pelvis to widen for baby
Inform yourself! Check out these great posts about essential oils & birth:
Essential Oil Birth Stash from Common Scents Mom
20 Ways to Use Essential Oils for Pregnancy and Birth from Camp Wander
Essential Oils for Labor and Birth from doTERRA
Information included in this post is not intended to prescribe, diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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Sharing this one for sure! My mother in law swears by oils and I am starting to use them as well! I just used a mixture for a natural pest repellant spray and it worked! Super tips as always!
I actually bought my 1st essential oils to deal with mosquitos too…besides the tea tree oil I’ve used for acne for years. Aren’t they so much fun to test out and learn about? I’m pretty new to them too.
I always appreciate when people share useful articles. I prefer Jasmine and Rose essential oils! I found your post from Pinterest! I’m also gonna pin this post on my Pinterest board my followers will love it. Thanks for sharing!