Aromatherapy is a game changer. When it comes to managing stress and PMS pain, very little comes close. It's amazing how quickly a couple of drops can banish cramps and mellow a haggard soul.

I love singing essential oils' praises. So I was beyond excited when one of you lovely readers asked how to use essential oils to balance your hormones and prepare for pregnancy. Thanks for the post idea; you know who you are! This one's for you.

Wanna know how to use aromatherapy to create a more fertile and fruitful body and mind? Read on.

Balancing Your Hormones and Prepping For Pregnancy with Essential Oils, Simplified

Creating hormonal harmony can be complicated. There are loads of hormones (I'm not even going to pretend I know them all or can tell you exactly how many there are.) And any number of things can affect them.

Which is why I'm not a huge fan of using oils to try to control them one by one. That's like playing whack-a-mole with your health.

Just as you get one thing settled something else pops up, unless you get to the root.

Instead, I use them to support your body's built-in ability to balance itself. Essential oils can help you:

• Build resilience to stress

• Drive down inflammation

• Improve your emotional health

All of which promotes hormonal health.

*It goes without saying, but I have to say it. If you suspect you have a hormone imbalance, head to your health care provider to be sure. Yes, I believe you know your body better than anyone else. And I believe in your body's ability to heal itself with the right support. But I don't believe in avoiding health care providers or conventional medicine. You don’t have to choose between natural and conventional. You can benefit from both.

Which Essential Oils To Use When You're Trying to Get Pregnant

If you're actively trying to get pregnant, it's a good idea to avoid things that aren't safe during pregnancy.

Why? It's unlikely you'll know you're pregnant the second you conceive. You could be exposing your body and baby to things that aren't safe during pregnancy without knowing it. Makes sense, right?

Oils to Avoid When You're Actively Trying to Conceive, Might Be Pregnant, or Are Pregnant

• Wormwood

• Buchu ct diosphenol

• Sweet Fennel

• Parsley leaf

• Yarrow

• Buchu ct pulegone

• Feverfew

• Pennyroyal

• Zedoary

• Lesser Calamint

• Genepi

• Rue

• Carrot seed

• Hiba wood

• Anise

• Cassia

• Ho leaf ct camphor

• Spanish Sage

• Star Anise

• Chaste tree

• Lanyana

• Savin

• Araucaria

• Cinnamon bark

• Spanish Lavender

• Tansy

• Artemisia vestita

• Dalmatian Sage

• Costus

• Mugwort

• Thuja

• Atractylis

• Blue Cypress

• Myrrh

• Western red cedar

• Sweet Birch

• Indian Dill seed

• Myrtle/ Aniseed

• Wintergreen

• Black seed

• Bitter Fennel

• Oregano

Now that you know which to avoid, you're free to choose from just about any other oil you enjoy. Some of my favorite fertility- and pregnancy-friendly oils are lavender, chamomile, peppermint, and distilled citrus oils.

How to Use Essential Oils to Balance Your Hormones and Prep for Pregnancy

Dilution is the most important thing when it comes to eo safety. Diluting your oils prevents unpleasant reactions.

To dilute an oil, you just add drops of it to your carrier of choice.

You can use milk, un-fragranced creams, body washes, lotions, or body oils, vegetable oils, vegetable butters, hydrosols, or plain water (if you'll be using them for a facial steam or to diffuse through the air.) 

If you're trying to conceive, remember you just might be pregnant, so I recommend you stick to the pregnancy recommendation of a 1% dilution. Just add 6 drops of essential oil to every 1 ounce of your carrier. 

Now that you know how to dilute 'em, you're ready to use 'em. 

Replace Pain Relievers

Some pain relievers may hamper ovulation (more info here and here.) If you're trying to get pregnant, ovulation isn't something you want to interrupt.

Essential oils make a great alternative to NSAIDs  like aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil), and naproxen (Aleve) when you need to manage menstrual cramps, get rid of a headache, or take the sting out of muscle pain. 

My two favorite oils for pain relief are lavender and peppermint. I combine them to make my favorite PMS massage oil (I'll sometimes add a bit of ginger or chamomile too). 

For sinus headaches, a facial steam with peppermint oil works wonders. And simply inhaling lavender cuts through headaches like nobody's business.

Replace Synthetic Fragrances

One of the easiest things to do to balance your hormones is cut out synthetic fragrances. Because they may contain phthalates, nasty little endocrine disruptors, anything you can do to cut them out is a good idea.

Here are a few ideas:

• Instead of dryer sheets, use a wool dryer ball with a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil.

• Diffuse eos instead of using air freshener sprays, candles, car fresheners, or those sketchy plug-ins.

• Use water, vinegar, and tea tree oil or lemongrass to clean, freshen, and disinfect counter tops.

• Choose a body wash made with pregnancy- and fertility-friendly eos in place of soaps with "parfum" or "fragrance".

• Use eos mixed with hydrosols or a body oil in place of perfume or body mist.

Stress Relief

Trying to conceive can be stressful. Heck, life can be stressful. Luckily, there are loads of things to help you manage stress. Aromatherapy is one of them. 

Use calming oils like lavender, tangerine, or chamomile during meditation, deep breathing, or whenever you are feeling pushed to your limits. Simply diffuse them. Or make an inhaler with your favorites for stress relief on the go.

Insomnia Relief

Sleep is vital for health and fertility. While you sleep, your body has a chance to heal, repair, and detoxify. Getting 7-8 hours of sleep is linked to better IVF outcomes. So anything you can do to support restful shuteye is worth the effort.

Integrating essential oils into your night time routine can help you get the sleep you need.

Diffuse oil while you journal, meditate, pray, or do a relaxing yoga flow. You can add a couple of drops (mixed into a carrier) to a warm bath. Or spritz your pillow with a DIY fabric spray made from a mix of hydrosol and essential oils.

Aromatherapy is powerful yet gentle. With the info above, essential oils can help you achieve hormonal balance and prepare for pregnancy, simply and naturally.

Be well,

Kendra