Oils for Mom

I have two boys. 1 and 3. Whenever I tell someone my kids’ ages, they say “You’re busy!” Then I get the smile ... that smile somewhere between “you can do it!” and lots of empathy, especially from mamas who are no longer in the toddler trenches with me.

And they’re right. Having two kids two years apart is no joke. I mean, we laugh a lot. But each day carries it’s own challenges. And that’s why I’m thankful for the help I get from wonderful little Young Living bottles.

So today, as a mom, I’m sharing which oils are on my and my fellow Tree of Life mom bloggers most-used lists. Use it as an inspiration for how to use Essential Oils in your family or as a shopping list for a special mom in your life.  

Joy, Rose, DiGize, Thieves, just a few of faves for moms! The best of the best #BecauseYouDeserveIt. Happy Mother's Day! 

Mood Support:

Full-time moms, working-moms, work-from-home moms: we all work a lot. And I hope I’m not the only one with a few racing thoughts now and then. (Have your recently cooked while your toddler gets out every pan you own and places them right where you need to stand? Bananas.) Anyway, mood support makes me think of a cheesy, but nonetheless true cliche: If mama ain’t happy, nobody's happy.

• Joy: I rub a little Joy over anyone’s heart in my family when a grumpy mood hits. That includes me down to my one year old. Want to learn more about Joy? We’ve written about it a lot. I especially love this mom’s perspective from Michelle McKool.
• Lavender: I love lavender for minor head tension. It’s also a great way to prepare for a sweet night’s sleep. As an oily MVP, it’s also great for DIY beauty creams and dryer balls for fresh laundry.
• Progessence Plus Serum: Hormone support often goes hand-in-hand with mood support. I love mom and grandma’s Cynthia Lengefeld’s post on how Progessence Plus Serum changed her life.  

Home Cleaning:

It’s not glamorous (and hopefully you have plenty of helping hands), but home cleaning is often part of the mom job description. I’ve been working toward a Chemical-Free house cleaning routine, and of course, essential oils and essential oil-infused products have helped a ton on that journey.

• Purification: Here’s a “Quick: guests are coming, let’s freshen up” tip. Just diffuse Purification. It (duh alert) purifies the air with a refreshing, welcoming scent.

• Thieves Household Cleaner: Love this stuff! I use it everywhere. The bathroom, kitchen, floors. Plus, it’s a great value. I’ve been using it for nearly two years and I’m still on my first bottle!

• Lemon: I add lemon and vinegar to my Thieves Cleaner all-purpose recipe for fresh, streak-free clean everywhere! Lemon is also a go-to any stubborn stickiness. As a bonus to teen moms: Lemon helps students concentrate while studying.

Wellness Faves:

As mamas, we also work hard to keep our kids (and husbands) healthy. In my family, this involves a lot of hand washing and a few of these bottles.

• Thieves: While some mornings get away from me, I try to put a couple drops of Thieves blend on everyone’s feet before they head out the door. This includes me! When I slack, I can tell. It’s truly an essential part of my daily routine.
• Peace & Calming or Peace & Calming II: My 3 year old loves (and requests) Peace & Calming before bed. A couple drops helps him settle down for a peaceful night’s sleep.
• Digize: We also write about Digize a lot. It’s great for pregnant mamas and little ones.

Pro Tip: Low on energy? Suzanne Rodolfich gives a great energy boosting suggestion  in her Postpartum Oils post.

Beauty Faves:

And what mama-must have list is complete without a little treat yo’self section? Using Essential Oils for DIY beauty serums is actually a way I have bonded with my own mom over Essential Oils.

• Ylang Ylang: We both have curly hair and have found adding a drop of Ylang Ylang to wet hair once or twice a week has really nourished our locks and encouraged our curls. Plus, it smells amazing.
• Rose: This is the treat yourself of all treat yourself oils. A valuable and highly-prized oil, this floral delight can be applied topically for healthy, youthful looking skin.  
• Myrrh: This oil is a great night time moisturizer. I was inspired to add it to my regular routine by Jaynelle, she included it to her top 5 oils!

Happy Mother’s Day from Tree of Life! Which oil would you share with a mom in your life?

Top 10 Essential Oils for Pregnancy

My little boy is 2 and embodies the phrase “Oil Baby.” You may not have heard this term before (I hadn’t before he came along), but it has definitely become common in my vocabulary. I was introduced to Young Living Essential Oils a couple years before he was even a "twinkle in our eye," as they say, and when I became pregnant I was very cautious of anything I used. I work in a Children’s Hospital (specifically the ICU areas) so I’m a little more paranoid than most, but I quickly discovered that there were several oils that made me feel better than I had ever before. So you could say, he was an Oil Baby even before he was born!  

My Oil Baby!

And now with #2 on the way, I’m enjoying this one (almost) as much! Let’s be honest, with a 2-year-old and a full-time job, sleep isn’t quite as attainable. So I may be a little sleep deprived…ok, maybe a lot, but other than that I feel great! But, like I told the OB, I just don’t tell other pregnant women for fear that they may assault me in the Waiting Room! 

But today, I’m sharing my top 10 Oils (and a few products) that I can't live without while pregnant! But quick disclaimer first: I am not a medical professional and I cannot confirm nor deny whether these are safe to use during pregnancy, always check with your primary doctor.

My Top 10 Favorite Essential Oils for Pregnancy

1. Thieves 

Thieves is great for immune support during pregnancy. 

I was working in the Emergency Room when I was pregnant the first time, and not just the ER, but the waiting rooms of the ER with all the sick kiddos. Let me just say throughout my entire pregnancy I did not get sick once! I put it on the bottoms of my feet every day before work. Oh and added bonus…it helps with stinky feet ;) 

2. Peppermint

Ward off congestion and exhaustion with a little Peppermint. 

This is good for those early days when you feel a little (or a lot) woozy. And it can help alleviate head pressure and congestion that comes along with pregnancy. Oh and when you feel a little sleepy but you don’t have the option of a nap because a 2-year-old is running around your house? Breathe a little of this to perk you up! 

3. Lemon

Say goodbye to the queezies with Lemon. 

I’ve heard many women comment on lemon oil helping with the queezies. I didn’t know about this the first time around, but I definitely used it this time! And personally I love the taste and smell much better than peppermint. Lemon is also a great one to have around to keep your spirits up and help you stay positive!

4. DiGize

DiGize is great for all stomach discomfort. 

Anyone who does not have this oil in their possession (pregnant or not) needs to get a bottle. DiGize has saved me so many times! This stuff supports normal digestion and promotes healthy intestinal function and gastrointestinal system comfort -- after every meal. It also helps with that burning sensation you can get when you've eaten a few too many slices of pizza...you know that fun feeling that usually takes hold in the latter part of pregnancy…not looking forward to that…

5. Peace & Calming

Take the edge off of pregnancy stress with Peace & Calming. 

I used this my entire pregnancy on a daily basis. I started off using it for deodorant because I didn't want to come in contact with all that aluminum and other yucky stuff. I loved the smell and I mixed it with coconut oil. I’m convinced this is why my baby was ridiculously calm and chill as an infant, but can’t say for sure. Regardless, it kept me at peace to better handle all the stressors of being pregnant—and just life in general!

6. Gentle Baby

Add this to your daily regime to reduce your stretch mark risk. 

Gentle Baby helps prevent stretch marks. Unfortunately, I was not diligent the first go-round with this daily regime, but I learned my lesson. I’ve been using it like crazy for Pregnancy #2! I actually just whipped up some body butter made with Raw Shea Butter, Coconut Oil and Gentle Baby, and I love it!  Smells great and it’s super smooth and creamy.

7. Lavender

Lavender is great for so much! Try it for congestion, skin support and more. 

Lavender is the “Swiss Army Knife” of oils; it has so many uses and it’s so gentle I always felt ok using it. It promotes healthy respiratory function, the body's natural response to skin irritation and so much more! When in doubt, I pull out that lavender!

8. ClaraDerm Spray

Keep this handy for "down there" issues. 

This is a wonderful blend of oils combined with a carrier oil all in a super convenient spray bottle. ClaraDerm spray is great for all those “down there” issues that no one wants to talk about. It’s also great for prepping and recovering from labor and all the unspeakable things that happen with that!

9. OmegaGize

Help your pregnancy brain with OmegaGize. 

These are great capsules to help your pregnancy brain. Many people recommend taking fish oil while pregnant to help you and the baby. OmegaGize is a great alternative. Many fish oils go rancid quickly, sometimes before you even buy them. The way these capsules are produced and packaged you don’t have to worry about that, and they’re infused with essential oils to help you absorb the nutrients even more efficiently.

10. True Source

True Source vitamins are derived from the true source!

I absolutely love these vitamins! I did hours of research the first pregnancy to make sure these vitamins measured up to the prenatal vitamin standards. I also discovered many other tidbits of info along the way such as many synthetic vitamins can be dangerous to have too much of, like Vitamin A. So the great thing about these is they’re not synthetic and come from the true source! You can tell when you look at them too, the colors naturally reflect what they're made from. The one minor drawback: the set of 3 capsules can be hard to stomach in the beginning, but they are well worth the struggle! I feel great, my hair and nails grow wonderfully, and, the best part, I don’t have the negative side effect that arises from most other prenatal vitamins…the constipation. But even if you did, you could use peppermint or DiGize noted above to support your digestive system!   

Learn More

So as I was saying my little boy is an Oil Baby. I’ve used Young Living Essential Oils with him from the womb and now he asks for them! When he doesn’t feel good, he’ll go find the oil bottle and hand it to me. And I’m sure this next one will be the same way, except she’ll have Mom and big brother “oiling her up” to face the world. I wouldn’t have it any other way! 

If you would like to learn more about how my family incorporates essential oils into our everyday life, I would love to talk to you! Feel free to contact me at creationsbyrae@outlook.com or 408-250-0648.  Or if you're ready to just jump in, visit my website, youngliving.org/rachelzachary to sign up!  

Oily Mommas: What are your go-to pregnancy oils?