What Causes Pregnancy Stress? Plus 5 Safe Essential Oils That Will Help

Pregnancy is a time that often brings a mix of feelings, from joy to anxiety, to feelings of gratitude and stress and you may be experiencing pregnancy stress or anxiety on top of all those mixed emotions.

Today we're sharing the causes of pregnancy stress and one of our go-to items to help alleviate some pregnancy stress: essential oils.

Is pregnancy stress common?

Pregnancy is a time of massive changes which affect your body physically and mentally, as well as all aspects of your lifestyle. During this time, up to 84% of women experience perinatal stress whilst perinatal anxiety affects approximately 17% of women.

What causes pregnancy stress?

Before we jump into the 5 essential oils that can help alleviate pregnancy stress, let’s take a look at what might be causing it:

• Worries about pregnancy loss

• Worries about labor and delivery

• Pregnancy symptoms like nausea, tiredness, and mood swings

• Physical changes you’re experiencing

• Worry about telling work you are pregnant and preparing for maternity leave

• Financial concerns

• Feeling stressed about feeling stressed — worry about whether stress is dangerous for your baby can cause you to feel more stress during pregnancy

Can pregnancy stress cause miscarriage?

Whilst we know that stress isn’t good for your overall health, a 2018 study of 344 women found no link between miscarriage and stress, and stress is not linked to an increased chance of miscarriage.

Some studies have suggested there is an indirect link between stress and miscarriage, which could make it a risk factor, but more evidence is needed to prove this link.

Unfortunately, around 10-20% of all known pregnancies end in miscarriage. Most miscarriages occur because the fetus isn't developing as expected and there’s nothing that can be done to prevent it. This doesn’t make the loss any easier, but it’s important to know that experiencing pregnancy stress isn’t going to cause a miscarriage, so try not to let that fear lead to more stress.

For miscarriage support, please read this post.

What can help alleviate pregnancy stress?

1. Talk to someone you trust. Try to talk to friends, family, your partner, or a doctor about how you are feeling. Saying it out loud and processing any fears or worries can really help.

2. Exercise is a natural mood booster. Cortisol, which is released during exercise, affects a few different things in your body, but it mainly helps regulate your body’s response to stress.

3. Practice self-love. It’s scientifically proven that self-care can help to relieve stress and anxiety by occupying your mind. Self-love could come in the form of meditation, a skincare routine, yoga, walking, journaling, or breathing exercises.

5 safe essential oils that can help alleviate pregnancy stress

We've picked five of our favorite essential oils to help you stay healthy, invigorated, and as stress-free as possible throughout your pregnancy. Each one serves a slightly different purpose, so be sure to only use them as needed.

The good news is, these essential oils are all safe for use during pregnancy. However, if pregnant or breastfeeding, it's best to avoid applying any oils directly to your skin as they are highly concentrated. Placing a few drops of your chosen essential oil in a diffuser will do the trick. If you don't have a diffuser at home, we really love this one.

Wild orange to boost your immune system

This essential oil stimulates and purifies at the same time, and delivers a wide array of health benefits. In particular, it will give your immune system a boost and keep you feeling awake, both of which are super important during pregnancy -- no one wants to get sick and everyone wants to feel energized to enjoy it! Citrus oils are known for being energizing and wild orange is suited for those days when you need a bit of a boost.

Lavender to help you sleep

Craving a night of peaceful sleep? We'll guess the answer to that is, always: yes. Well, lavender is for you, boo. This oil will help ease feelings of tension while providing a calming and relaxing atmosphere to help you unwind and drift off to a blissful sleep. Perfect to help you catch some good shut-eye.

Bergamot for balance

If you're craving a bit of balance, this is the essential oil for you. Bergamot is calming and soothing and will help you unwind - but it's unique in that it also has an uplifting quality to it to give you a welcome breath of energy. Balance is always needed during pregnancy and this essential can help you reset.

Peppermint aids help you feel your best

Peppermint oil is noted for helping with digestion so you can feel your best, no matter what hits the dinner table. It can also improve breathing and naturally repels bugs to help you avoid catching a cold.

Frankincense for peace and relaxation

We had to include this one on the list as the smell itself instantly conjures up that warm, hygge-like sensation of the holidays. Frankincense is a great go-to oil when you're looking for some peace, relaxation, overall wellness, and satisfaction; isn't that what we're all after?

What helps you alleviate pregnancy stress? Let us know in the comments!

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