Crystals & Essential Oils
for Conception
Essential Oils for Conception
“INTENTIONAL CREATION BLEND”
Learn how plant magic can help support your fertility journey
Geranium resonates with Mother Earth. It signifies the archetypal energy of goddess culture, and encompasses the energy of the feminine, of reproduction, of birth and rebirth.Valerie Worwood, Aromatherapy for the Soul
The world of modern fertility treatments can create miracles: for hundreds of thousands of families (my own included), treatments such as intrauterine insemination, in vitro fertilization, and the use of donor sperm and egg banks have made possible the conception of desperately longed-for, dearly loved children. At the same time, many individuals experience modern fertility treatments as over-medicalized: heavy reliance on pharmaceutical and surgical interventions can be disempowering to patients, taking a steep physical, emotional, and financial toll. Complementary and alternative modalities such as acupuncture, massage, and aromatherapy are gradually gaining mainstream acceptance for their ability to support fertility and offset the negative effects of struggling to conceive.
In my own experience, aromatherapy – the use of aromatic essential oils for physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing – was a particularly powerful, accessible tool. Plants are master healers, and tapping into their wisdom can help us tune into our own wisdom and support us in creating the families of our dreams.
10 ways to use essential oils to support your fertility journey
Create a daily self-care ritual using essential oils. This ritual could take a number of different shapes: maybe there’s a particular oil that you love, and want to diffuse or apply to your body daily. You could also create a ritual where you allow your intuition to choose an oil that speaks to you each day from a palette of options (I highly recommend the books Emotions & Essential Oils and Aromatherapy for the Soul as a companions for this). Essential oils also pair beautifully with other self-care practices that you may already have in place, such as yoga, meditation, or journaling.
Manage difficult feelings when triggered. Reading on Facebook that yet another friend just got pregnant. Getting a baby shower invitation. Being told to “just relax.” Being on a challenging journey to conceive often means that emotional triggers are frequent and hard to avoid. Essential oils can be very effective at helping to de-escalate anxious, sad, or angry feelings in a healthy way. Try carrying a bottle of a calming essential oil (such as lavender, clary sage, or bergamot) with you as you move through your day: when you notice yourself feeling triggered, take out your bottle and breathe the aroma of the oil in deeply for at least one minute.
If you have a partner, use essential oils with aphrodisiac qualities to promote positive intimate connection within your relationship. No matter how you’re trying to conceive, the stress of timed intercourse, at-home insemination, or assisted fertility treatments can take a hit on your relationship with your partner. Essential oils commonly believed to have aphrodisiac qualities include ylang ylang, jasmine, rose, sandalwood, cinnamon, neroli, and cardamom (think florals, woods, and spices!). Try making a DIY massage oil, diffusing oils in your bedroom, or applying one or two favorite oils (such as jasmine, neroli, or doTERRA’s Whisper blend) as a perfume.
Use oils with self-massage. Positive, nurturing self-touch can be deeply relaxing to the nervous system, and sends a powerful message of love and acceptance to your body. Try pairing an essential oil that you love with a carrier oil (such as fractionated coconut oil, almond oil, or grapeseed oil) and gently massaging your abdomen. Essential oils that are especially beautiful for self-massage include grapefruit, bergamot, and any floral oils (such as lavender, jasmine, rose, or neroli). Self-massage can be a wonderful practice to pair with fertility affirmations.
Promote deep, restful sleep. The anxiety that can accompany fertility challenges can interfere with the sleep your body desperately needs to function optimally. Research has shown that lavender essential oil can improve the duration and quality of sleep, while decreasing night waking and overall levels of fatigue: try diffusing it in your bedroom at night, or applying diluted lavender oil to the bottoms of your feet, your heart area, and your temples before bed. Other essential oils that can can support optimal sleep include vetiver, cedarwood, sandalwood, Roman chamomile, petitgrain, and doTERRA’s Serenity blend.
Promote positive, uplifted mood. Research suggests that undergoing fertility treatments can provoke levels of stress that are similar to those experienced by cancer and HIV patients, and mood management can be difficult during a season that can feel like an emotional roller coaster. Essential oils offer a gentle, effective way to help ease feelings of stress and promote a positive outlook, particularly with aromatic use. Try diffusing citrus oils (such as wild orange, grapefruit, tangerine, or green mandarin) to boost mood throughout the day, and/or consider carrying a bottle of citrus oils in a purse or bag to use for in-the-moment support. A few deep breaths of the aroma straight from the bottle can instantly lift your spirits.
Support your body’s optimal hormonal balance. Hormonal imbalances are thought to be at the root of many female-factor infertility issues. Certain essential oils (such as clary sage*, geranium, lavender, rose, and ylang ylang) are believed to support healthy hormonal balance, and can be applied topically to the abdomen with a carrier oil. doTERRA’s Clary Calm rollerball blend is designed specifically for hormonal support, and contains clary sage*, lavender, bergamot, Roman chamomile, cedarwood, ylang ylang, geranium, fennel, carrot seed, palmarosa, and vitex – it smells divine, as well. (*Note that clary sage should be avoided during the second half of your menstrual cycle in months when you are actively trying to conceive, as it is anecdotally known to be a uterine stimulant. While I’m not aware of any documented research linking it to miscarriage risk, I’m of the belief that there’s no reason to create additional anxiety for yourself when trying to conceive!)
Gently alleviate the symptoms of your period. For many women, getting their period is especially disappointing when you’re trying to conceive, and the usual monthly discomforts may feel especially harsh. The essential oils that support healthy hormonal balance – clary sage, geranium, ylang ylang, doTERRA’s Clary Calm blend – can also be wonderful allies in alleviating menstrual discomfort. Try applying topically to the abdomen with a carrier oil of your choice.
Support healthy emotional & energetic boundaries. Speaking openly about struggles with fertility can be an inadvertent invitation for unwanted advice or input from others, and many women find that they need to protect themselves with stronger, healthier boundaries during this time. Melaleuca essential oil (a.k.a. tea tree), known as “The Oil of Energetic Boundaries” in the book Emotions & Essential Oils, is particularly useful in supporting clear, healthy energetic connections with others. OnGuard blend, known as “The Oil of Protection,” is also helpful for individuals have a difficult time saying “no” or removing themselves from draining situations and relationships. Try diffusing either melaleuca or OnGuard (or inhaling directly from the bottle) before or after encountering an energetically draining individual or situation, and/or apply 1-2 drops to the soles of your feet. (Side benefit: both oils are wonderful for your immune system, as well!)
Add intentional beauty to your life. In the midst of a difficult path to parenthood, it can be easy to lose sight of a larger perspective and the beauty that’s available in everyday life. Taking a few moments throughout your day to intentionally breathe in the aroma of an essential oil that you love can be a reminder of what’s still good and right with the world; it can literally help bring you back to your senses, one mindful breath at a time.
FOR THE LIBIDO !
Best Trick for
“Getting in the Mood”
is a slow, luxurious massage
with your partner using
Jasmine Oil (Great for the Libido)
SEX DUST
by
Moon Juice
ADAPTOGENS FOR FIRE*
Sex Dust® is a stimulating adaptogenic blend of
Shatavari, Shilajit, Epimedium, Schisandra, Cacao & Maca
that targets stress to support healthy hormonal balance
– igniting creative energy, in & out of the bedroom.*
