Pregnancy and EO

[Guest guest]

Butch Owen <butchbsi

Wed, 14 May 2003 17:57:55 -0700

Pregnancy and EO

 

 

Hey Ylva,

 

> Hey Butch,

> Thanks for that. I swear - one of these days I'm gonna splurge

> bigtime and buy Martins book!

 

Welcome you are and splurge you should .. actually, $44.90 is pretty

darned cheap .. especially considering that the old edition was $75.00.

http://www.AV-AT.com/plantaromaticsavnp.html

 

> In every aromatherapy book I have read so far, there are quite an

> amount of EOs that's said to avoid during pregnancy. But from what

> you say, I can derive that there's very little truth to that?? Hmm,

 

I'm saying there is NO TRUTH to it .. though Martin is not quite so

emphatic in his writing .. he writes:

 

" Pregnancy: Almost all of the claims made in aromatherapy books about

not using certain oils during pregnancy are unfounded. Many such claims

are based not on the essential oil concerned, but are from the

traditionally claimed effects of the water soluble herbal extracts when

taken internally. Such extracts are frequently totally different to the

same plant's oil.

 

The facts are that most common essential oils are permitted food

flavourings. If there were the slightest evidence that using essential

oils externally was any threat to the health of a foetus, then the oils

concerned would have been restricted by legislation long ago. " UNQUOTE

 

I'll go further and say that even those essential oils that are not

legally offered in Europe .. Wormwood and such ... will do no more harm

to a pregnant lady than they will to anyone else .. causing miscarriage

is NOT one of the results of sniffing or topical application of them.

 

Ingestion of toxic oils or under-the-counter cleaning supplies or rat

poison is not in the best interest of pregnant mammas.

 

Martin goes on to write:

 

" The birch and wintergreen oils are best avoided during pregnancy. This

is because indications are that the main chemical is readily absorbed by

the skin. High levels of this in the bloodstream are not desirable in

pregnancy. " UNQUOTE

 

But I've taken it further than that many times .. though some disagree

because they certainly work against pain .. and could be used safely if

not used often. I say that they should not be used at all by those who

are not pros .. most folks who use a pain reliever for arthritis or

rheumatism, etc., will continue to use it if it works .. and they will

be swapping one problem for another.

 

Martin goes on to say:

 

" Clary sage is perfectly safe in a normal pregnancy, but should perhaps

be avoided by anyone with a history of early miscarriages. " UNQUOTE

 

But I think this is a case of him bending to the majority cause there is

no reliable information to support this. Still .. we keep in mind that

99% of the miscarriages will occur during the 1st trimester .. but

Clary has gotten a bad reputation (undeserved) for MAYBE causing grief

for persons with a history of miscarriages. Truth is .. says my

drinking buddy who deals with the difficult pregnancies at Hacetepe

Hospital, a woman who has had frequent miscarriages might want to

consider adopting a child because she might not be listening to the

messages Mama Nature is giving her. He is blunt .. but he is a Dr.

 

> most EOs are used topicaly, from my point of view mainly for scent,

> but also with some hope that they will work magic and wonders on the

> skin directly ;-)

 

Yep .. but for many conditions, there are no magic wonders to be worked

either. For those " anti-aging " treatments that do work, its a matter of

continuous use.

 

And Martin goes on to say:

 

" The main contra-indication of essential oils use during pregnancy is

the heightened chance of causing skin irritation. It is quite common in

late pregnancy for the skin to become very itchy and sometimes inflamed.

In such circumstances essential oils in massage or the bath might make

the condition worse. " UNQUOTE

 

And I say true it is .. but irritation ain't gonna cause a miscarriage.

And in my opinion, a healthy pregnant mamma reflects lots of health and

vitality .. I see them glowing and looking finer than I think they look

afore or after pregnancy. My opinion this is.

 

> Hugs,

> Ylva

 

And to you .. and y'all keep smiling, Butch http://www.AV-AT.com