We're on red alert here, our very pregnant daughter in Colorado is now past her due date. Tiffany has decided to have a home birth and I'm excited, a little nervous too but I support her choice. I made some of our favorite blends for the blessed event and want share them with you because many are great for the day to day stuff. Well, short of packing the car and hitting the road I'm now ready for Hazel to make her grand debut, a fashionably late Cancer or will she be a Leo baby? :)
Make Salve! I have All Purpose Healing Salve for both mama and babe {diaper rash greatness} as well as Anti-Age Salve for mama's tummy and stitches if any are needed. Anti-Age Salve has Frankincense, Cypress and Lavender essential oils along with other organic ingredients like coconut oil, olive oil, gmo-free vitamin e and organic beeswax pastilles, the skin L O V E S it! I also switched up a 1 ounce jar of Naked Salve (essential oil free) by dripping in 6 drops of Frankincense and 2 drops of Rose for a gentle Nipple Salve should mama gets too sore or heaven forbid mastitis, a breast infection.
Note: I choose to invest in pure therapeutic grade EOs and, keep my other ingredients organic so that we can safely use them topically near babies, kids, adults and pets if needed. The next project is a must! Frozen Bliss! Pads are easy, affordable and an oh so healthy option to the standard TUCKS with alcohol. Keeping the pads cold will help reduce swelling, along with the wonderfully fragrant astringent properties of alcohol-free witch hazel and rosewater. All you need to do is wet down pads individually with witch hazel and rose water { you can use a 2 part witch hazel to 1 part rosewater ratio }, freeze and use as needed.
Books! This is my favorite reference: Essential Oils for Pregnancy and Birth by Stephanie Fritz LM, CPM. The author is a midwife who uses therapeutic grade essential oils in her practice, she offers invaluable information thru all stages of pregnancy to postpartum, you'll love it! I also love Valerie Worwood's Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child. Rather than turn this post into a novel, I'll summarize the other goodies on my Natural Mom and Baby Checklist by giving you the links to the "how to" blog posts: Fresh Cleanse! This was the latest addition to the Sexy Wellness line but so incredibly versatile as a facial wash or even a hand sanitizer (healthy option!). The more I use it the more I realize how exceptional it is, no really - it's amazing and not by my hand, it's the ingredients and how they work together.
One really awesome attribute is that there's no need to rinse yet it's naturally antibacterial and very moisturizing and, fragrant! Ultimate Skin Serum with Rose This is for mama, she deserves a dose of pure luxury however, the serum will also help with pregnancy mask and stretch marks. Umbilical Blend This time around I blended 10 drops of Myrrh with organic Emu oil in a 1/8 oz roller bottle. All Purpose Healing Spray A spray bottle protocol of Lavender, Melaleuca and Frankincense with alcohol-free witch hazel for owies like an episiotomy.
Let's start with the setting. Mama will want things to be peaceful and calm if possible, diffusing will be a big help here. We'll use the Mirage diffuser because it has a 6 to 10 hour run time. Maybe Lavender and Bergamot for a relaxing, clean fragrance. Most mama's senses are especially acute during labor so keep the aromatics light but be ready for it, if mama decides she wants it out of the room, take it out of the room! lol 
Of course, I'll be packing my oils along when I get word from Colorado. Between my oils and Tiffany's collection, we'll have everything we need. There's just so much information to list regarding what essential oils you might want or need for labor and delivery so I'll leave you with a link to a prior blog post all about pure EOs and remedies suggested for pregnancy {click here} and, I would also encourage you to add the books I listed above to your library for good reference! One more thing before I close, as soon as possible after our beautiful bundle is born we love the tradition of anointing the top of a newborn's head with a drop of pure Frankincense for a spiritually centered life. I hope this is helpful.
I'm grateful for natural alternatives that enhance our lives, it's exciting to watch our little ones learn from their parents and embrace healthier choices, they love their oils!
