Denise and her blog
Would you ever think to ask about pets when discussing essential oils? 🐾
It might sound unrelated - but it isn’t.
Cats lack the enzyme needed to metabolise essential oils safely, which means aromatherapy oils should not be used around them at all - even in litter trays.
As midwives using or teaching complementary therapies, safety doesn’t stop at pregnancy. It extends into the whole home environment.
Sometimes the smallest details are part of the safest practice.
Praise for Liverpool Women’s Hospital’s Pre-Birth and Postdates Pregnancy Service
I’ve just spent a fabulous few days in Liverpool with the midwives from the Women’s Hospital. This was my second trip to provide Expectancy’s 3-day course on Aromatherapy and Acupressure for Postdates Pregnancy. The first group of midwives have established a specialist clinic for women to help them prepare for birth and hopefully to reduce the need for induction of labour. It was now time to train up some more midwives to expand the service, which is extremely popular amongst both the mothers and the midwives. Once again, I was welcomed with open arms, by 20 excited and enthusiastic colleagues. Having thoroughly enjoyed the course I taught in 2024, it was lovely to return and also to see many of the midwives I had met before.
Despite the first day being held in a rather small pre-fabricated building, with a temperature roaming from freezing to boiling, we had fun. Midwives were impressed by the benefits of using aromatherapy for women at term, both before and during labour, and stunned by the safety issues they needed to consider when using essential oils. After a very intensive morning of theory, we had a lovely afternoon practising foot and hand massage and the group was fascinated by my introduction to reflex zone therapy (clinical reflexology) and its diagnostic potential for predicting stages of the menstrual cycle and onset of labour. On day 2, we explored how aromatherapy can help to relieve physiological symptoms in late pregnancy, labour and the early postnatal period, and the midwives had to “submit” to the pleasures of seated back massage for labour (they were warned not to tell the managers who might have thought they were just having a good time!) On day 3, we included the specific acupuncture points which have been shown to be effective (with thumb and finger pressure) for aiding descent of the fetus, cervical ripening and onset and establishment of contractions. Then we put it altogether and practised the full postdates pregnancy treatment in the afternoon. I was incredibly well looked after and was invited to join some of the midwives for drinks and an early supper on the final day of the course. Special thanks go to Gemma, who organised the course, Jayne, who made sure I was well supplied with coffee and Mia and her friends for the invite to Duke’s Place Market.
On the fourth day, I had the pleasure of attending the birth preparation clinic in the midwife-led unit, where it was wonderful to see how well the team had set up and were running the service. It was also a useful experience to add to my own CPD for NMC revalidation. Unfortunately, the MLU was closed to birthing women on that morning, but the clinic was still going ahead – and huge thanks to Courtney for allowing me to shadow her. We actually had a lovely morning despite a few issues arising. The first lady was from Somalia and spoke only a few words of English, so Courtney used Language Link for live translation – but unfortunately technology was against us as it kept being lost and we had to wait for the service to be resumed. This meant that the first appointment took much longer than normal, but eventually Courtney was able to conclude the acupressure treatment with a lovely foot massage for the lady. The second lady, having her third baby, had actually been an aromatherapist herself so it took a lot less time to explain what was being offered and to select a pleasant and clinically effective aromatic blend. It was also easier to show her the acupressure points around the body, which she was encouraged to continue practising at home. Both ladies were given the remainder of their individualised oil blends to take away, with instructions on how to use it at home.
The clinic is hugely popular and there is now a need to consider ways to expand the service,, especially with rising induction rates across the trust. We discussed that it was important to publicise it as a pre-birth preparation appointment rather than a complementary therapy clinic, which – from personal experience – often leads to a stampede from expectant parents wanting to enjoy a massage. There are specified criteria for eligibility to attend the clinic, and audit is showing that more women commence labour spontaneously and need less intervention, which can be a huge cost saving. The midwives’ attention to the safety criteria taught on the courses means that they have a solid foundation on which to build the service, whilst still offering something to help avoid the need for women booked for MLU births to have to transfer to delivery suite.
It was a fabulous week and the midwives at Liverpool Women’s Hospital should be rightly proud of what they have achieved so far. I hope to be invited again to further their training in using complementary therapies to aid physiological pregnancy and birth.
And now it’s time to get ready to trek off to Yorkshire for the next course ……
FAQs
Will this help me support parents more effectively?
That’s always the starting point.
Everything we teach is designed to enhance midwifery care - not replace it, and not overcomplicate it. Complementary therapies, when used appropriately, can support physiology, reduce stress responses and give parents a greater sense of calm, control and confidence across pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period.
For midwives, this means having additional, safe tools you can draw on when anxiety is high, labour isn’t progressing as expected, or parents simply need more support than words alone can offer. It’s about understanding when a technique is helpful, when it isn’t, and how to use it responsibly within your professional role.
We place just as much emphasis on clinical reasoning, contraindications and governance as we do on practical skills. That way, what you’re offering feels aligned with evidence, policy and good midwifery practice - not separate from it.
If you’re looking to support parents in a way that feels calm, grounded and physiologically informed, our programmes are designed with exactly that in mind.
Previous articles
Would you ever think to ask about pets when discussing essential oils? 🐾
Praise for Liverpool Women’s Hospital’s Pre-Birth and Postdates Pregnancy Service
FAQs
Safety and Storage of Essential Oils
Complementary Therapies Aren’t About “doing more ”
The Reflexology Relaxation Point
The Benefits Of Using Complementary Therapies In Pregnancy
What Is Happening In Midwifery?
Evidence-Informed Education In Complementary Therapies
Happy New Year !!
