Essential Oil Profile
Frankincense: Breathe Easy During Childbirth
Frankincense has the botanical names Boswellia carterii or Boswellia sacra and can be hugely beneficial in the birth room.
It is one of the six essential oils we have in our labour kit and can be especially helpful during fearful times in childbirth. It may help to soothe the fight or flight response by calming biochemicals that increase the production of adrenaline.
Frankincense resin and its essential oil are used in order to help elevate peace of mind and induce spiritual tranquility during ceremonies in many cultures. It has an affinity with the lungs, and so may help people to breathe deeply and meditatively which may also reduce fear-induced over-breathing, and may help to feel refreshed and less confined.
The speedy application of this steadying and earthy oil can benefit all of us in those moments when we need to take a breath. We recommend carrying Frankincense essential oil in your bag so you can put one drop into the palm of your hand. Then rubbing your palms together gently and taking a moment to inhale this quiet, earthy, warm smell. Taking just three deeper breaths of frankincense may help you to feel the difference. Aromatically Frankincense is a base note, grounding fractious energy. Like the frankincense trees growing on dry earth in Northern Eastern Africa the essential oil supports safe and well-rooted growth in arid circumstances. It can be so helpful for women in labour, but the rest of us can also appreciate its ability to help us to calm down too.
Putting a few drops of essential oil on cotton wool in a small glass jar, that we call a sniffy pot is a simple but effective method, that can directly influence the lungs and your breath and is a personal way to experience the aroma as and when required.
Many have found that frankincense essential oil supports labour. Frankincense can enhance a focused environment for all in the birthing room.
Frankincense can be applied in other ways, used for other reasons besides these mentioned above. If you are interested in how to use and other essential oils safely in childbirth you can join our ecourse at any time.
Testimonials of Frankincense Essential Oil in Childbirth
- I use it a lot as a sniffy pot. I think it’s amazing for calming, I love it
- I managed to get to 6cm dilated just sniffing frankincense on a hankie.
- Think it works wonders! …I find it quickens labour but is also quite relaxing.
I use frankincense with clients in my local birth centre as an alternative to lavender because one of the midwives there is allergic to the latter. It’s beautifully relaxing. It is fantastic for calming as an alternative to lavender, it appears to help women calm and slow their breathing but is also uplifting too….
Tutor and Co-founder, Aromatherapy for Childbirth
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Aromatherapy for Childbirth equips midwives, doulas and other birth workers with ready-to-practice confidence and competence to apply aromatherapy for women in labour.
Accredited by Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and International Federation of Aromatherapists (IFA).
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