Labor is, by its very nature, a difficult process. A woman’s body has to stretch, push, and strain in order to help her baby transition from his or her inside of the womb to life on the outside. Labor can be just as difficult an experience emotionally as it is physically, as well. For this reason, many women have chosen to use aromatherapy during labor in order to help them remain focused, relieve anxiety, and help to minimize their fears.

Aromatherapy can be used most effectively during the phases of the first stage of labor. During the early phase, you might use lavender and neroli, massaged into the temples, chest, solar plexus, and forehead to help you relax. During the active phase, your contractions will become more frequent, and you will need to be able to focus on your breathing and relaxation exercises. Lavender, neroli, and rose are all especially useful during the active phase. You can massage these oils into your chest, neck, solar plexus, and heart chakra. During the transitional phase, your contractions will come fast and they will come hard. You will be close to being ready to push during the transitional phase. Here you might use sage, peppermint, and lavender in order to help with your energy and your determination.

During the second stage of labor, you might consider using aromatherapy just before you start pushing, as well. Really, it is at that beginning part of the second stage that will probably be the last point of labor that you will want to try to use aromatherapy. You can use peppermint and rosemary during the second stage of labor to help you muster the strength and courage that you will need to get through the pushing that you need to do.

Keep in mind that, as always when you are using aromatherapy, you are not using those essential oils by themselves. You are typically going to mix a few drops of the specific essential oils that you need into a base of another sort of oil, such as an organic vegetable oil or other aromatherapy mixing oil.

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