Interview with The Essential Midwife

By Stephanie Fritz | April 17, 2020 |

What is your birth philosophy?

Homebirth is not for every woman. My clients and I are a team. We look at all the choices surrounding pregnancy, labor, and birth, and I support them in whatever they choose through offering education and choices. I am the mother of four daughters, three of whom were born at home. I feel it’s these experiences that have shaped my vision of what women’s healthcare should be. I know first-hand what a difference information and a sense of control can make when having a baby.

What are some of the benefits of having a midwife and home birthing?

Studies show that an unfamiliar environment can compromise labor. Fear and discomfort can increase the pain experienced in labor, while relaxation can actually diminish stress, improve oxygen flow to the baby, and be positive labor support for mom. When a woman births at home, she has “the home-court advantage.” She can move about freely, wear her own clothes without worrying about the back flap of her gown opening, eat and drink as she wants to keep up her energy, relax in a warm tub of water with essential oils, have her feet massaged by supportive friends, and even birth in whatever position she feels comfortable in. Women are very in tune with what’s happening in their bodies, and most of the time they want to be in control during this process. Being in control at home in a familiar environment helps to eliminate fear and feelings of anxiety. My intention is to provide a safe, comfortable, and familiar space for women to do what they do naturally.

What successes have you and your patients seen using dōTERRA essential oils?

Using essential oils in pregnancy creates empowerment that is so valuable. Being able to have solutions that are timely and effective is essential. Women experience a lot of changes in their body and there can be a lot of common issues, whether it’s morning sickness or a variety of other occasional discomforts. When clients call in with the occasional morning sickness in pregnancy, I refer them to Peppermint or Cardamom essential oils. I have also had great success in my practice using Peppermint and Myrrh to help turn the baby to the optimal fetal position. When mom needs extra support for her back discomfort, I refer her to Deep Blue®and she reports back with gratitude for the relief it gave. When used appropriately, I believe essential oils can safely help during pregnancy and should be taken advantage of. The benefit associated with the essential oils can be extremely helpful for pregnancy, both on a physical and emotional level.

What tips would you give to expecting mothers to enhance their birthing experience?

Remember education is empowering, so read books that are relevant to your desired birthing experience. If you are planning a home birth, then read about that, but also learn about plan B and even plan C so you are prepared if you have to deviate from plan A. Relaxation is the key to a successful birth. Be prepared whether you are in a hospital or home to have things around you that bring you comfort, because the more comfortable you are in your surroundings, the more relaxed you can be. dōTERRA Balance® and Wild Orange make an excellent delivery-diffusing blend. The grounding blend helps balance emotions in the body, supporting feelings of courage, confidence, and strength, and Wild Orange helps reduce feelings of anxiousness. Consider a doula for labor and postpartum support. She is trained to be an advocate for you when you are in “labor land.” She often knows just what you need when you can’t vocalize it.

What essential oils do you recommend using (and how) during the labor delivery process?

There are many oils you could use in labor, but I like to simplify and use as few as possible. Labor Copaiba, Basil and Black Pepper essential oils combined with Fractionated Coconut Oil and massaged onto the low back can relieve discomfort during labor, and provide the needed strength to endure with greater ease. These two oils can be especially helpful when experiencing back labor. Clary Sage essential oil is calming and helps relieve tension, which helps with contractions. Try blending Clary Sage with Geranium and/or Lavender. AromaTouch® massage blend improves circulation and relaxation and is soothing to both mind and body. The back and shoulders are often areas of tension; massage with Fractionated Coconut Oil to these areas for stress and tension relief.

My favorite Labor Support blend: This blend not only smells amazing and is helpful for the discomforts of labor but it can be helpful in labor when you experience fear and anxiety.

Put in a 10 mL roller bottle and fill to top with FCO. Simply massage into low back and feet as often as needed during early or active labor

TIP: Diffusing Wild Orange and Balance helps you stay in the present moment letting go of fear and anxiety.

Birth Peppermint essential oil, when inhaled, can help reduce feelings of nausea brought on by discomfort. I sometimes use it to turn a breech baby. I apply Peppermint with Fractionated Coconut Oil from hip to hip and spread up and over the abdomen in a rainbow fashion. I apply Myrrh to lower where I want the baby’s head. Wild Orange and dōTERRA Balance® make an excellent delivery-diffusing blend. The grounding blend helps balance emotions, supporting feelings of courage, confidence, and strength. Wild Orange helps reduce feelings of anxiousness.

Perineum support for pushing stage:

Gently massage on the perineum during crowning to lubricate and help ease baby out.

What oils do you recommend using to support mom with immediate postpartum discomfort?

After Pain Magic When you experience after pains, this is the blend I trust to support the uterus while offering relief for the discomfort.

Put in a 10 mL roller bottle and fill to top with FCO. Apply generously to low abdomen after birth for discomfort and supporting the uterus as often as needed. These are all very gentle oils, so no worries if the baby’s skin comes in contact with this blend on mama’s tummy.

TIP: Nursing stimulates the uterus, using this blend just before nursing will be very supportive.

What are the first oils you use on a new baby?

The first oils I use on all the babies I personally welcome to earth are Balanced, Frankincense and Myrrh. Balance is a fantastic oil to apply to the baby’s feet to align and ground your baby to life outside of the womb. It helps to balance babe to his new surroundings. Frankincense Touch is perfect to roll in your palm and gently cover the head of your new sweet babe. This is not only emotionally calming for your baby but it also supports every single cell in your baby’s body and assists with bonding. Myrrh on baby’s umbilical cord after birth may help the cord fall off quicker and protect the area so no threat can enter.