12 Tips for a relaxed pregnancy

For some women pregnancy is the best time of their lives. For others not so much…. tired, aches and nausea. I was the latter. Between weeks 6 and 23 I was constantly nauseous. Oh what a joy!
However, from week 27 I felt great! I even went on a trip to the Philippines when I was 29 weeks pregnant and went snorkeling with whale sharks ha!
Okeay, back to what I was about to tell you ;-).
I would like to give you some useful tips will sure come in handy during pregnancy.

Tip 1: Bad odor solutions!

If you are pregnant, it’s possible that you are much less able to cope with certain odors. For example, I felt sick when I entered a supermarket because of the smell, but also the lemon scent of dishwasher tablets. I know…strange right?
Always carry a bottle of fresh smelling oil with you, such as Spearmint, Peppermint or Eucalyptus Globulus.
When you come across a bad scent that makes you nausceas, you can quickly take  out your oil inhale it from the bottle. Life saver!

Tip 2: Be gentle to your puffy or painful feet.

So lovely, when your feet and legs look like those of an elephant. It’s part of being pregnat, but not fun at all.
Also your feet are likely to hurt more, because of the swelling and the extra weight you have to carry around all day.
So be sure to pamper those feet in the evening.
Make a nice foot bath with a handful of Epsom salt and a few drops of Stress Away, a combination of Copaiba and Lavender or another oil you like.
Let your feet soak in it for 15 minutes.

Tip 3: Sleep tight

Uncomfortable posistions due to your big belly, your legs are restless, hot flashes, countless trips to the restroom…. A good night’s sleep is sometimes a challenge during pregnancy. Diffuse some Peace & Calming before you go to bed. Stress Away and Lavender is also a great combination for a good night.

Tip 4: Support your skin

The skin of your abdomen needs extra care during pregnancy. And don’t forget the skin on your legs and hips.
Apply V-6 base oil with some drops of Frankincense or Gentle Baby to your sensitive skin a few times a day.
Take about 10 -20 drops of essential oil and mix with 10ml V-6 oil.

Tip 5: Restless legs

This can be so annoying! Luckily I only experienced this a few times during my pregnancy.
For restless or tired legs, you can take a roller bottle (or a regular bottle) of 10ml V-6 oil and  add 10 drops of Peace & Calming and 10 drops of Lavender. Roll or apply it on your legs when your legs feel restless.

Tip 6: Stay centered

Stay centered by doing some light (pregnancy) yoga exercises and use Gentle Baby, Frankincense or Stress Away before or during yoga.
This can be done by using a drop in the dimple of your neck and/or on the inside of your wrists or by using it in the diffuser.
Extra tip: if you diffuse the same oil during labor, it can have the same relaxing effect.

Tip 7: Preparation is key!

Good preparation will give you peace of mind.
I invite you to read my blog about child birth and make sure that you have the suggested oils ready for when you get into labor.

Tip 8: Vulnarable baby skin and nose.

All these cute baby outfits you have collected should of course be washed before they are used on your little one.
It’s a good idea to wash the clothes and bedding with an itch-free detergent. You don’t want to use a detergent or fabric softener with synthetic fragrance. in it. Those perfumes are far too intense for such a little one and not healthy for their sensitive skin. In addition, there are other harmful substances in regular detergents that you really should not use for your baby (and the rest of the family for that matter).
Young Living has a laundry detergent without toxic chemicals in them. The Thieves Laundry soap is great. I am a happy user myself. Our daughter is hyper sensitive when it comes to perfume (they will give her a rash) and with Young Living’s detergent she’s never had that problem. You can also make your own detergent if necessary.

Tip 9: Stiff and tired muscles.

You’re carrying around a lot of extra pounds, you walk differently, you sit differently etc. So it is not a surprise that you suffer from sore muscles every now and then.
You can support your body with essential oils. There are many oils to choose from, but some may be too intense during pregnancy.
Frankincense and Lavender are a great gentle choice. Dilute them with some V-6 oil or jojoba oil and massage the sore muscles (or ask your lover to massage them for you :-)).

Tip 10: Hydrate

Drinking enough water is always important, but even more so during pregnancy. And although I always like to drink water, I didn’t like water during my pregnancy and I got a faint feeling when drinking water.
If you share this experience, try to add a drop of Lemon and/or Orange essential oil into your water. Preferably also a small amount of salt to make the oil mix better with the water. I love it!

Tip 11: Be mindful of what you use on your skin

Be aware that everything you apply onto your skin will also be passed on to your baby.
It is therefore important that you use products without harmful ingredients.
Take a close look at the lists of ingredients on your regular personal care products and find out exactly what’s in it and what effect it can have on you and your baby. You will be astound to find out what junk is in the products you use on a daily basis.
You and your baby deserve the best and purest products. Young Living has a wide range of natural care products or you could make your own products with natural ingredients and essential oils. In my e-magazine that you can download for free are a lot of recipes to choose from

Tip 12: Make the right choice for your baby now

Of course, you want the very best for your baby. There are tons of different baby products available in stores and a few years back I used to think that all of them would be just fine. After all, they have been specially developed for babies. Right? No, not right…… Unfortunately a lot of regular baby products contain harmful ingredients as well. It can be a challenge to find the right product.
Young Living has an entire baby line that is free of toxic ingredients that you can use for your child with peace of heart, the Seedlings collection. Baby wipes, baby oil, baby lotion, baby wash & shampoo, diaper cream and all without harmful ingredients.
If you like to make your own baby products, that’s also an option. I’ll share some recipes later on.

And at last I want to say to all the pregnant ladies: Enjoy the process!