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By Ellie Waddington of Belle Mama
As a hypnobirthing teacher, antenatal instructor and positive birth coach, I absolutely LOVE providing my clients with all manner of tips and tricks to help them have a positive birth experience. Some things you’ll have heard time and time again – what to pack in the birth bag and how many meals to prep for the freezer. But something that many people don’t explore is the serious benefits of using aromatherapy in their birth preparation.
Lavender is an evergreen shrub that is commonly found in lots of people’s gardens. You may well already have some in your garden! In the summer it grows gorgeous sprays of deep purple flowers and the scent is just heavenly. It has been found all across the world and has been used therapeutically and medicinally for centuries in many forms including essential oils, in cooking and in soaps and lotions.
How can Lavender help with birth?
Lavender is a great “all-rounder” with so many uses that could be of benefit while you’re in labour. Overall it is considered a very safe herb to use, as it isn’t easily confused with any other plants and there are no known negative side effects unless you have a specific intolerance to lavender.
Lavender can help lower your heart rate and help you to feel relaxed during labour. It has been used to help people with anxiety and insomnia for years and in more recent times we’ve been starting to see how it can help you to relax while you birth your baby. It’s particularly effective if you’re already using it alongside your Hypnobirthing practice, as ‘an anchored scent.’ Lavender is also said to have cooling properties. Using the oil in a compress or room diffuser can help you to keep cool if you start to feel hot and uncomfortable.
Lavender has long been known to be a mood enhancer. If birth starts to take a different path than you intended and you start to feel yourself getting a bit tense and panicky, take a good sniff of lavender and it could help boost your mood and help you re-focus.
Lavender has been used to relieve pain for centuries as it contains anti-inflammatory properties. Recent studies have shown that it can potentially reduce discomfort during labour as well. Studies in 2000 and 2016 have shown that around 56% of women who inhale lavender scent during labour report a significant reduction in pain levels. There’s further evidence in the medical world of lavender helping with pain relief. A study in 2015 found that lavender was effective in reducing pain and anxiety for those on dialysis treatment pathways requiring very frequent needle insertion.
How should lavender be used during birth?
Please note: Aromatherapy is a complementary therapy to be used alongside your health care and is not intended to replace medical advice.
Ellie is a 5 star rated hypnobirthing instructor based in Northumberland, but you can work with her from anywhere in the world! She is also the producer of her very own podcast – Belle Mama. Make sure you check it out if you’re expecting!
Ellis offers an online course called The Hypnobirthing Toolkit, empowering you with the skills you’ll need for a positive birth experience. Her goal is to help you to go into your birth feeling confident, empowered and informed.
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