Hello! My name is Tina Lebedies. I’m honored to be a guest blogger on Sweet Pea Births. I am a work at home mom and am so blessed and thankful to get to be at home with my three sweet kiddos. I am a  Bradley™ childbirth educator and an Ameo essential oil distributor. Since becoming a mom I have become passionate about living more green, eating healthier, breastfeeding, cloth diapering, pregnancy and birth, and essential oils. So basically, just living healthier!

Let’s talk about essential oils. Some people say they are a fad or just another marketing scheme. But, you know what? They have been around since Ancient times. The Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Chinese were the first to start using them. They are even talked about in the bible with the three wise men bringing Frankincense and Myrrh to the baby Jesus. Essential oils are not going to fade away. 

In fact, much of modern medicine is manufactured to replicate the active ingredients found naturally in essential oils.  For example, the main ingredient in Bengay is 15% methyl salicylate.  Wintergreen is 98% methyl salicylate! It is more effective, you use less product, and it comes from a plant rather than created synthetically in a lab. Thankfully people are starting to learn that nature is our best medicine.

In high school I often got headaches and had a hard time relaxing. I loved the smell of lavender so I started using lavender candles to help me relax. Sometimes they helped with my headaches. Then I discovered a “migrastick” at Trader Joes. It consisted of peppermint and lavender oils and it worked well for me - most of the time. We even had it packed in my hospital bag for the birth of my oldest son, who is now 8.

My mom used essential oils off and on but I thought it sounded silly so I honestly never paid much attention to them. She would put oils on the grandkids feet after their baths to help them sleep well. I thought it wouldn’t make a difference but they smelled great so I never minded them. They did help everyone sleep well though. Score!

Somewhere between all of this and through my journey of living more healthy I became very interested in essential oils while I was pregnant with my third child. I used them to help with pregnancy discomforts, aches, and pains. They helped me with headaches, sleeping, backaches, morning sickness, and managing my emotions.

I have now learned how to use them for almost everything. Since we have integrated them into our daily life my family gets sick less often, less severely, and we are healthier all around! How awesome is that?

I have also learned that quality is crucial. If it is not top quality it has the potential to not work or even to cause you harm. Remember when I said that sometimes the candles helped me relax and sometimes the migra stick worked? They were synthetic or poor quality oils. I had also used a tea tree that stung horribly! 

I was amazed at how a good quality tea tree did not do that at all. It is also a fallacy that 100% pure oils are guaranteed to be the best. I have recently learned that they need to be more than completely pure. They need to pass rigorous testing to assure that all of the oil’s constituents (chemical make-up) are at the proper levels to be safe and therapeutic. The testing also makes sure that impurities did not try to sneak in under the radar.

Before I say goodbye for today I would like to acknowledge the safety of essential oils in pregnancy. Of course it is controversial as so many things are these days. A couple experts are ultra-conservative and believe that essential oils should be avoided during the first trimester. However, no studies have shown that there are any ill side effects to the normal use of oils during pregnancy. 

To play it safe a pregnant mama could certainly enjoy the benefits of essential oils by always diluting her oils with a carrier oil, such as fractionated coconut oil or olive oil and not taking them internally.  In addition, avoid the following oils during pregnancy: basil, birch, wintergreen, and clary sage. Clary sage is okay once the mom has begun labor. Many doulas and midwives will help labor along by using it. Peppermint and sage do affect some women’s milk supply so proceed with caution for a few days until you know how your body reacts to it.

Sources:

1. https://www.naha.org/explore-aromatherapy/safety/

2. An Integrated Approach to Essential Oils Book

This week only as a special “Sweet Pea Births” promotion, you will receive a free, large {15 mL} bottle of Orange essential oil when you order a kit, or spend $100 a la carte. Every kit includes a FREE diffuser and complimentary wholesale membership. If you opt for a la carte, there is a one-time $20 fee for your wholesale account which will last 12 months starting on the day of your first order. You will also receive 4 full-color Essential Oil Education sheets that will give you an amazing start using your essential oils daily in your home. These sheets cover:  Essential Oil Life Hacks, Emotional Health with Essential Oils, Care for your Baby/Child Naturally, and Proactive Health with Essential Oils.

 You have 1 week to order to take advantage of this great deal!

Orange is an intense, tangy essential oil that easily invigorates brain and body. It has become an invaluable remedy for many common problems that individuals may be facing. Orange is by far one of the most popular oils for beginners because of its ease of use and pleasant learning curve. With a crisp and refreshing scent, it has also become a favorite of aromatherapy enthusiasts.

Please note that the free bonus products will be shipped separately, and may take up to 2 weeks after the last day of the promotion to arrive at your home.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Tina Lebedies

Cell 602-430-7224

http://tinalebedies.myameo.com/