The Best Essential Oils for Breastfeeding Mamas
So which are the BEST Essential Oils for Breastfeeding Mamas?
Energy
There are several oils that are great for a pick me up and a little extra boost. Unlike caffeine, they won’t give you a buzz or caffeine rush, but rather they just help clear brain fog and make you feel perkier.
- En-R-Gee (applied to bottoms of feet or the back of the neck)
- Peppermint (put a drop in your water! Unless you are having supply issues, in which case, hold off on peppermint. This was never an issue for me, but some women avoid peppermint while breastfeeding if it affects their supply)
- Citrus oils like Lemon, Grapefruit or Tangerine(put a drop in your water)
- Ningxia Red (drink up to six ounces a day, spread out throughout the day)
Milk Supply
Mamas lactate based on supply and demand and the average woman will make plenty of milk for her baby if she nurses on demand, but there are a few oils that can help support a healthy milk supply are:
- Fennel – a drop can be swallowed with honey every two hours. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water.
- Joy can be diffused to decrease stress and lift the spirits, which is important to successful breastfeeding
Nipples
It’s important to keep your nipples healthy and feeling good when you breastfeed. Rose Ointment can be very helpful with this , but you can also try these oils:
- Geranium
- St. Marie’s Lavender
- Myrrh
- Gentle Baby
Make sure you apply any oils AFTER the baby is finished feeding and then wipe the area down with a carrier oil before he feeds again. Essential oils are strong and baby probably doesn’t want to taste them.
The importance of pro-biotics and good bacteria!
It’s important to have fermented foods as part of a balanced diet to keep all of the bacterias in our body in balance. A good pro-biotic can also help with this and Young Living offers the Life 5 Pro-biotic which can support you in getting a good balance of beneficial bacterias. In addition these oils are helpful:
- Melrose (swab small amount in baby’s cheek with finger and leave for a couple of minutes and then nurse to get rid of the taste) Momma can apply this to her abdomen.
- Ningxia Red (swab small amount in baby’s cheek with finger and leave for a couple of minutes and then nurse to get rid of the taste)
I also used apple cider vinegar directly on the nipples while in the shower to support good bacterias on the nipples.
Breasts
For healthy breastfeeding, make sure to nurse regularly and often, switching sides and nursing on both sides at each feeding. Sometimes the breasts become full and tired, so here are some oils that may be comforting.
- Lavender can be rubbed directly on the breast and used with a carrier oil to massage the breast
- diluted citrus fresh can also be rubbed on the breasts.
Which oils are safe for nursing moms and babies?
As long as you are using therapeutic grade essential oils from a trusted source (I get mine here), many oils can safely be used on babies, especially if you dilute. As a general rule of thumb to know if an oil is safe while nursing, I check to see if it is safe for babies, since anything momma uses is being passed on to baby in her milk or tummy.
But if you want a list, here are oils generally recognized as safe for babies:
- Clove
- Di-Gize
- Dill
- Eucalyptus Blue
- Frankincense
- Gentle Baby
- Geranium
- Helichrysum
- Joy
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Melrose
- Myrrh
- Myrtle
- Peace & Calming
- Peppermint
- Purification
- Ravintsara
- Roman Chamomile
- Rose
- Thieves
As a general rule of thumb to know if an oil is safe while nursing, I check to see if it is safe for babies, since anything momma uses is being passed on to baby in her milk or tummy.
If you are not already using Young Living Essential Oils and are interested in getting your own wholesale membership, read this.
Want to see a FREE video class?
Related posts:
Which oils you need for Labor and Birth?
(photo credit: Jennie Pyfferoen Photography http://www.jenniepyfferoen.com)
PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.
AMAZON DISCLOSURE: The owner of this website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon properties including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor and the statements on this blog have not been evaluated by the FDA. Any products or techniques mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. I am just a mom who shares what works for me!