Aromatherapy when breastfeeding
Hello wonderful, knowledgeable folk.
I'm just about to start Aromatherapy case studies and although am aware of the cautions during pregnancy, I can't seem to find anything about the use of essential oils affecting a mothers milk and possibly being passed on to the infant.
Does anyone have any advice on this?
Many thanks
Faye Jackson
Replies
Hi Faye
I tried not to be the one to reply to you as my views are not popular with those who practise and teach Aromatherapy.
There are an average of about 250 different chemicals in an essential oil bottle they are complex and some are very volatile. So light and volatile that as soon as the top is removed they evaporate, others will evaporate on contact with a nice warm body, of course the Therapist is working over that body and breathing them in and the lungs disperse the chemicals into the blood very effectively.
Having finished one patient the Therapist then moves on to another and another. Overdosing themselves thoroughly.
I don't think I need go on.
I'm sorry but you did ask and unfortunately no one else replied.
Yours aye Mike
Thanks for your response anyway Mike
Faye, is it you that's breastfeeding or the client? I thought from your post it was the client, but Mike's reply seems to imply it's you.
I am a qualified aromatherapist
I would not use essential oils if I was pregnant myself (as a therapist) at least for the first 12 weeks
With regards to breast feeding, there are a few essential oils that are galactogogues i.e. they are meant to help increase the milk flow. Lemongrass is one of them, together with fennel and jasmine.
I would NOT recommend massaging over the breast and feeding. If the breast is massage, wash it first. This is so the infact does not accidentally ingest it.
It is absolutely safe for the mother to have a massage with aromatherapy and breast feed. Fennel tea is also a good idea as it is digestive, and galactogogue.
Hope this helps :)
Maria
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