Safe pregnancy for magical mommies

In honor of the Great Mother, and all mothers, I present this to you.

Many herbs common in magical studies and practices are dangerous to use during pregnancy. Mugwort tea, for example, part of any standard divination ritual for many practitioners, will cause miscarriage (even late in pregnancy) and subsequent bleeding. Fortunately, most herbs are safe to handle in small quantities, such as for carrying and placing in charm bags, sprinkling around a ritual circle, or garnishing candles. Essential oils, incense, stains, consumption, and magical baths are of great concern, as they all involve contact with the skin, mucous membranes, and greatly alter individual chemistry.

staining

Perfectly safe when done OUTSIDE, and in small doses! Sitting in a smoke-filled room is unhealthy (carbon monoxide), which is why staining during pregnancy is generally contraindicated. Prolonged spotting without proper ventilation is a recipe for miscarriage. If you are looking to cleanse your aura and prepare for ritual, salty baths are lovely, however you should avoid too many essential oils in your blends.

Essential oils

An oil diffuser is a great way to enjoy the aromatic, therapeutic and magical properties of plants, especially as a healthy alternative to incense for people with health problems or allergies to smoke. For the anal retentive out there, yes, it still corresponds to the Air element. Add a pen if you need more visual aids.

All essential oils are contraindicated during the first trimester (and should be completely avoided in high-risk pregnancies); however, if you miss your favorite scent, floral waters (hydrosols) are widely available and can be used safely, as they are not. almost as concentrated as pure essential oils. After the first trimester, most citrus oils are considered safe, including bergamot, at a dilution rate of 1-50%; Evergreen oils such as cedar (Atlas, Virginia, and Texas cedars included), as well as pungent or irritating oils (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice) should be avoided entirely. The following list is nowhere near complete, and some herbalists are much more conservative than others, and opinion, experience, and science skew the vote one way or the other. Avoid the following, or do more research on dilution rates.

Allspice (Pimenta officinalis)

Anise seed (Pimpinella anisum)

Balsam, Peru (Myroxylon balsamum)

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum)

Bay (Pimenta racemosa)

Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis)

Bergamot mint (Mentha citrata)

Cajuput (Melaleuca minor)

Camphor (Cinnamonum camphora)

Carrot Seed (Daucus carota)

Catnip (Nepeta cataria)

Cedar wood, Atlas (Cedrus atlantica)

Cedarwood, Virginia (Juniperus virginiana)

Celery Seed (Apium graveolens)

Cinnamon (C. zeylanicum)

Citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus)

Clary sage (Salvia sclarea)

Clove (Eugenia aromatica)

Copaiba balsam (Copaifera officinalis)

Coriander Seed (Coriandrum sativum)

Corn mint (Mentha arvensis)

Dill seed (Anethum graveolens)

Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)

Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus, E. citriodora)

Sweet Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

Galangal (Alpinia officinalis)

Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Grapefruit, white (Citrus paradisi)

Ho wood (Cinnamomum camphora)

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)

Juniper berry (Juniperus communis)

Labdanum (Cistus ladaniferus)

Lavender, Spike (Lavendula latifolia)

Lemon (Citrus limonium)

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus)

Lemon Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora)

Lime peel (Citrus aurantifolia)

Lovage (Levisticum officinalis)

Red Mandarin (Citrus reticulata)

Sweet Marjoram (Marjorana hortensis)

Wild Marjoram (Thymus masticina)

Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)

Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha)

Myrtle (Myrtus communis)

Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)

Opopanax (Commiphora guidotii)

Orange (Citrus sinesis, C. aurantium)

Oregano (Origanum vulgare)

Parsley Seed (Petroselinum sativum)

Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris)

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Salty, winter (Satureja montana)

Spruce (Tsuga canadensis)

Tagetes (Tagetes minuta)

Tangerine (Citrus reticulata)

Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Ylang-Ylang (Cananga odorata)

Wondering what you can wear? Quite a few of the oils listed above are actually safe, but only under the guidance of experienced aromatherapists. For example, many pregnant women don’t have a negative reaction to ylang-ylang, however, if you also have liver damage or suffer from epilepsy and severe migraines, it could cause a problem. This is not something I can help you with over the net, so I tend to err on the cautious side!

The following are considered safe by most aromatherapists, however, ALWAYS dilute your essential oils in a base or carrier oil (jojoba and sweet almond are fine), DO NOT, under any circumstances, take essential oils internally, and in case of If in doubt, ask your herbalist, midwife, or OB/GYN.

Benzoin, Bergamot, Grapefruit, Lavender, Lemon, Neroli, Orange, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Spearmint, Tea Tree, and Vetiver.

Rose, Jasmine, and Clary Sage can be helpful during labor.

Herbs

Stay away from mugwort, wormwood, yarrow, prickly ash, slippery elm, chaste berry, motherwort, parsley, and any of the poisonous herbs, OBVIOUSLY. Some people advise against ginger during pregnancy as it is considered a mild stimulant, but it is the most useful treatment for morning sickness. Simply chop up a bit of a fresh ginger root, cover with near-boiling water, and let sit for about five minutes. Drink slowly; you’ll feel better in a few moments. This really needs to be done with the fresh root, as ginger powder is terribly acidic.

This has been by no means exhaustive! Keep researching, keep learning. If you need more information, don’t hesitate to contact your OB/GYN, as more doctors in the field are educating themselves on the benefits and dangers of alternative medicine.