Les huiles essentielles peuvent aider à soulager de nombreux symptômes courants de la grossesse tels que les douleurs dorsales, les nausées et les douleurs de la ceinture pelvienne, tout en procurant certains bienfaits pendant l'accouchement. Il est toutefois conseillé de suivre quelques règles de sécurité lorsqu'on utilise des huiles essentielles pendant la grossesse.
Qu'est-ce que l'aromathérapie ?
Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils for therapeutic benefit. This holistic therapy has been proven to help improve both your mental and physical wellbeing.
During aromatherapy, you will inhale the aroma of essential oils. The scent is detected by sensors in your nose which connect directly to the limbic system within your brain. This limbic system is responsible for controlling your emotions, meaning that the essential oils inhaled are able to have a direct influence on your emotions.
L'aromathérapie est-elle sans danger pendant la grossesse ?
The benefits of aromatherapy during pregnancy are vast. However, caution should always be taken when using aromatherapy during pregnancy.
All essential oils have the potential to cross the placenta to your baby due to their chemical composition, but this does not mean that all essential oils are harmful to your baby.
Some essential oils are safe to use at specific times during your pregnancy whilst others should be avoided completely. For this reason, we’d always recommend speaking to a qualified aromatherapist who is trained in the use of aromatherapy during pregnancy before deciding which essential oils to use.
If you decide to use your essential oils topically during pregnancy, say for a prenatal aromatherapy massage, it’s best to do a skin patch test with your chosen essential oil and carrier oil to make sure it doesn’t irritate your skin. Rub a small amount of the mixture onto a small patch of your skin 24 hours before your prenatal massage.
Read more about performing a patch test with essential oils here
If your partner is giving you an aromatherapy massage, check with your midwife which massage strokes are safe during your pregnancy. If you decide to use a massage therapist, ensure that they are qualified and insured to treat pregnant women.
Essential oils that should always be avoided in pregnancy include aniseed, arnica, basil, cypress, fennel, juniper, nutmeg, sage, juniper berry, marjoram and rosemary.
Quels sont les avantages de l'utilisation de l'aromathérapie pendant la grossesse ?
Many women find essential oils very beneficial during pregnancy. Some oils are diffused and inhaled with the aroma promoting your mental wellbeing, whilst others are mixed with a carrier oil to be used topically, for example through massage.
During pregnancy, aromatherapy can help to reduce the stress, fear and anxiety that many women feel. This could be worries about the birth or about parenthood in general. Essential oils can also be helpful for mothers who are experiencing both prenatal and postpartum depression or anxiety.
Aromatherapy can also help with some of the common pregnancy symptoms, including nausea, tiredness, backache, swollen ankles and insomnia. Reducing the discomfort and inconvenience of these conditions can enhance the mother’s enjoyment of her pregnancy, allowing her to look forward to the birth of her baby.
Many women also choose to use essential oils during their labour to promote relaxation and enhance their birth experience. More and more hospitals are beginning to realise the benefits of aromatherapy during labour, with many hospitals now actively encouraging its use.
Comment utiliser l'aromathérapie pendant la grossesse
Il existe de nombreuses façons d'employer les huiles essentielles pendant votre grossesse. Cela inclut l'utilisation topique en massage, l'inhalation par diffusion et l'ajout d'huiles essentielles à votre bain.
Massage d'aromathérapie pour la grossesse
Un massage aromathérapeutique peut s'avérer particulièrement bénéfique pendant la grossesse, mais vous devrez d'abord diluer vos huiles essentielles. Mélangez une ou deux gouttes de votre huile essentielle avec une cuillère à café d'huile de base telle que l'huile d'amande douce, l'huile de coco ou l'huile de pépins de raisin.
Inhalation d'huiles essentielles pendant la grossesse
De nombreuses femmes profitent des bienfaits de l'inhalation des arômes des huiles essentielles pendant leur grossesse. Il suffit pour cela de verser quelques gouttes d'huile essentielle dans votre diffuseur et de tirer parti des doux arômes qu'il crée. Bien entendu, certains de vos parfums préférés deviendront peut-être des interdits ou vous rendront malade une fois enceinte, alors jouez avec les senteurs jusqu'à ce que vous trouviez celles qui vous conviennent.
Bain d'aromathérapie pendant la grossesse
Warm baths can be particularly soothing during pregnancy, especially if you’re suffering from the aches and pains that childbearing can bring. Essential oils can enhance these benefits.
To add essential oils to your bath, you’ll first need to mix a few drops of the essential oil with a teaspoon of carrier oil. If you haven’t got any carrier oil on hand, full-fat cow’s milk can also be used to help the oil disperse throughout the water.
Aromathérapie pour les nausées matinales
Many women experience nausea or sickness during their first trimester. Often referred to as morning sickness, this unpleasant pregnancy symptom can actually occur at any time of the day, and some women are debilitated by their sickness.
Aromatherapy can help to ease your sickness, allowing you to better enjoy those early days of pregnancy. Women may find essential oils particularly useful if they are suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, a more severe form of morning sickness that may result in weight loss and may persist throughout the second trimester as well as the third.
Different women prefer different essential oils for helping with sickness in early pregnancy, so you may need to try a few before finding the right essential oil for you. Common oils which are used to help with pregnancy sickness include lemon oil and peppermint oil.
