Aromatherapy comforts women in labor

Giving birth is a natural process that women have experienced since the dawn of time. However, it’s common for many women to feel uneasy about managing labor pain when the time comes.

Medication-based pain management has been an option for decades. But, increasingly, women are turning to more natural methods, such as aromatherapy — a practice using essential oils from plants to enhance well-being.

“Women need and deserve personalized care,” says Katie Pratte, RNC, MSN, at Sharp Grossmont Hospital for Women & Newborns. “That’s why it’s important to take personal preferences into account, ensuring individual needs and comfort levels are met. For some, that means opting for a natural birth, others choose medication to help them, and many rely on a combination of the two.”

Aromatherapy is a natural method that many women have been taking advantage of at Sharp Grossmont to help ease both the physiological and psychological challenges they face during labor and delivery.

By popular demand, lavender

“Studies have shown that multimodal therapies, like aromatherapy, may benefit the obstetric population and improve the childbirth experience,” Pratte says. “This includes reducing pain, nausea, anxiety, tension and fear.”

A doctor’s order is not required, and nurses can introduce aromatherapy at any time or upon patient request. Sharp Grossmont offers lavender, peppermint and orange scents.

The most popular choice among patients is lavender, which is not surprising. Lavender has been around for centuries and is known for its calming and soothing effect. Studies also support that both lavender and orange scents can help lower anxiety.

Of course, some patients may be sensitive to aromatherapy, including those with a heightened sense of smell during pregnancy. To accommodate this, diffusers are not used; instead, individual scent sticks are provided. Pratte adds that other exclusions include anyone with allergies or sensitivities to specific scents. Additionally, peppermint should be avoided in patients with heart disease or hypertension.

Comfort cart makes the rounds

The aromatherapy program has been so successful that Sharp Grossmont’s labor and delivery unit recently introduced a new “roaming” comfort cart that is rolled from room to room. The cart is stocked with various items, including aromatherapy, to help soothe, calm and support moms-to-be.

The carts may include:

• Coloring books

• Combs

• Earplugs

• Eye masks

• Galaxy projection lights

• Hair ties

• Massage tools

• Sound machines

• Stress balls

“Sharp Grossmont’s OBGYN Unit Practice Council initiated this project to provide a non-pharmacological coping mechanism that would enhance and support vaginal deliveries,” says Pratte. The council aims to bring together patients, families, staff and clinicians to make recommendations that enhance or improve the patient experience.

She says the coloring books, galaxy lights and massage tools are among the “hot items” that patients love.

A positive patient experience

Patient Daniela Tardiff, who recently delivered a healthy baby girl at Sharp Grossmont, expressed her appreciation for the items on the cart. Daniela is also a labor and delivery nurse at the hospital.

Her favorite items were aromatherapy and the lighting. And as a laboring mom, she enjoyed the extra pampering.

“I was given a list with all the different items and was able to pick what I felt would be the best fit for my own labor experience,” she says. “The aromatherapy made my room smell so nice and helped me cope through the contractions. The lighting created a relaxed and calm environment to give birth.”

Daniela also appreciated the stress balls because they gave her something to squeeze, a much-needed distraction during contractions.

Daniela added that even though she is a nurse who helps guide other women through the labor process, she didn’t know how she’d get through it until she was in labor herself.

“This was my first birth, and I somewhat knew what to expect because of my job,” she says. “But every labor is unique, and unless you’ve been through it, you don’t know how you will cope. For me, the comfort cart was a nice touch and really made a positive difference in my labor experience.”

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