Table Of ContentA
Aromatherapy is increasingly incorporated into midwifery practice, so it is very important R
that midwives and birthing practitioners are aware of safe and appropriate use based O
Aromatherapy
on contemporary evidence. This accessible handbook covers safety, effectiveness, M
evidence, benefits and risks, and legal, ethical and professional issues related to A
incorporating aromatherapy into maternity care. T
The scientific basis behind aromatherapy, including relevant anatomy and physiology, H
chemistry and pharmacology are covered, as well as a critical appraisal of the E
contemporary research evidence supporting the use of aromatherapy in maternity R
care. Profiles of the oils that can be safely used in pregnancy, birth and postnatally are A in Midwifery
also included, as are useful charts and tables that can be quickly referred to in clinical P
practice. Y
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‘Aromatherapy in Midwifery Practiceprovides an evidence-based, safe and accountable
guide. Having led in setting up a service using aromatherapy for post-dates pregnant M
Practice
women, I feel such literature is essential for the use of complementary therapy within
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maternity care settings.’ D
– Tara Pauley, NIHR Midwife Champion W
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‘This book is a must for anyone who provides aromatherapy or is looking to set up an F
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aromatherapy service for women going through pregnancy, labour and the postnatal
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period.’
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– Philippa Cox, Consultant Midwife, Homerton University Hospital, London
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Denise Tiran, MSc RM PGCEA, is a midwifery lecturer, complementary
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practitioner and an international authority on maternity complementary
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medicine. She is Educational Director of Expectancy, the leading provider
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of accredited courses for midwives on aromatherapy and other C
complementary therapies. Denise is also editor of the acclaimed Bailliere’s E
Midwives’ Dictionary, now in its 13th edition. She lives in London.
D
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73 Collier Street A
London N1 9BE, UK N
400 Market Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
Denise Tiran
www.singingdragon.com
Cover design: Black Dog Design
‘This book is essential for all practitioners who use complementary therapies in
their practice, or advise pregnant women about the use of complementary therapies.
The book focusses on the fundamentals of safe and effective practice; challenging
the misconception that the use of complementary therapies is safe for all women.
Excellent evidenced-based reading. Highly recommended.’
– Louise Simpson, Consultant Midwife who utilises complementary
therapies in her everyday practice to maximise normality in childbirth
‘Anyone involved in complementary therapies and maternity will treasure this
book. It provides teachings from a bio-psycho-social approach based on evidence-
based practice. It demonstrates Denise’s experience, passion and drive to educate
professionals about complementary therapies while highlighting safety and
professional accountability when using complementary therapies in maternity care.’
– Amanda Redford, Senior Research Midwife/Trial Co-ordinator, Acupuncturist
and Complementary Healthcare Practitioner for Women’s Health
of related interest
Essential Oils
A Handbook for Aromatherapy Practice Second Edition
Jennifer Peace Rhind
ISBN 978 1 84819 089 4
eISBN 978 0 85701 072 8
Aromatherapy vs MRSA
Antimicrobial Essential Oils to Combat Bacterial Infection,
Including the Superbug
Maggie Tisserand
ISBN 978 1 84819 237 9
eISBN 978 0 85701 191 6
Aromatica
A Clinical Guide to Essential Oil Therapeutics
Volume 1: Principles and Profiles
Peter Holmes LAc, MH
ISBN 978 1 84819 303 1
eISBN 978 0 85701 257 9
Aromatherapy in
Midwifery Practice
Denise Tiran
London and Philadelphia
First published in 2016
by Singing Dragon
an imprint of Jessica Kingsley Publishers
73 Collier Street
London N1 9BE, UK
and
400 Market Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
www.singingdragon.com
Copyright © Denise Tiran 2016
Front cover image source: Shutterstock® and Thinkstock®. The cover image is for
illustrative purposes only, and any person featuring is a model.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form
(including photocopying, storing in any medium by electronic means or transmitting)
without the written permission of the copyright owner except in accordance with the
provisions of the law or under terms of a licence issued in the UK by the Copyright
Licensing Agency Ltd. www.cla.co.uk or in overseas territories by the relevant
reproduction rights organisation, for details see www.ifrro.org. Applications for the
copyright owner’s written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should
be addressed to the publisher.
Warning: The doing of an unauthorised act in relation to a copyright work may result in
both a civil claim for damages and criminal prosecution.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978 1 84819 288 1
eISBN 978 0 85701 235 7
For Adam, with all my love
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my editor, Claire Wilson, for giving me the opportunity
to write this new textbook on aromatherapy in midwifery. I have known
Claire for many years, since the first two editions of my previous book on the
subject were published. It is exciting to be working with Claire again and in
a new company, at a time when aromatherapy has become almost a standard
part of pregnancy for many women.
I would particularly like to thank my partner, Dr Harry Chummun,
lecturer in physiology at the University of Greenwich in London, the Open
University and Expectancy (my company, which provides complementary
therapy courses for midwives). His help in reading Chapter 3 on the science
of aromatherapy has been invaluable and his support at home has allowed
me time to work on the manuscript.
Thanks also go to my colleagues, Charlotte Kenyon, Deputy Head
of Education at Expectancy and midwifery lecturer at the University of
Huddersfield, as well as Expectancy’s Programmes Administrator, Anoushka
Lucas Howells. They have both taken off some of the pressure whilst I was
completing the manuscript and have been a huge moral support to me.
Charlotte in particular has been a source of help when I have needed to ‘off-
load’ or to debate professional issues, either in relation to the content of the
book, or in my ongoing teaching.
A huge thank you, too, to all the midwives who have attended Expectancy
courses on aromatherapy and whose questions and discussions have
highlighted the issues which midwives need to know in relation to using
aromatherapy in their practice, particularly in the National Health Service.
Most of all, as ever, my love and gratitude go to my wonderful son, Adam.
I first started writing books when he was only three years old so he has been
with me throughout all the trials and tribulations which come with writing
a book. At one time, Adam helped with some of the work in Expectancy, but
he is now settled in London and working in the African music business. He
is my most ardent supporter and I could not have done it without him in
my life.
Denise Tiran MSc RM PGCEA
Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Chapter 1 Complementary Therapies
in Pregnancy and Childbirth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Chapter 2 Principles and Practice of Aromatherapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Chapter 3 The Science of Aromatherapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Chapter 4 Safety of Aromatherapy in
Pregnancy and Childbirth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Chapter 5 Implementing Aromatherapy
in Midwifery Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Chapter 6 Application of Aromatherapy to Maternity Care . . . . . . . 146
Chapter 7 Essential Oils for Maternity Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
references . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
subject Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
author Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
List of Boxes, Tables and Figures
Boxes
Box 2.1 Purchasing essential oils for clinical aromatherapy ..........42
Box 2.2 Storage of essential oils ....................... ..... ..44
Box 2.3 Principles for blending of essential oils ... ..... .......... ..50
Box 2.4 Summary of methods of administration of essential oils ... ....58
Box 2.5 Principles of administration of aromatherapy in pregnancy
and childbirth ....... .. ..... .... .. ..... ...........59
Box 3.1 Physiological effects of massage ............... ..... ....65
Box 4.1 Hazardous essential oils contraindicated in
clinical aromatherapy .. .. ..... .... .. ........... ....95
Box 4.2 Additional essential oils which should be avoided
during pregnancy and breastfeeding ........ ... ........96
Box 5.1 SWOT analysis for implementing aromatherapy in
midwifery practice ....................... ..... ...127
Box 5.2 Writing a business proposal for the implementation
of aromatherapy .... ... ..... ........... ..... .....131
Box 5.3 Possible costs of implementing aromatherapy in a
maternity unit ......... ... ..... ........... ..... ..133
Box 5.4 Recording aromatherapy treatments .. ..... .......... ....136
Box 5.5 Points to include in aromatherapy clinical guidelines ........ .143
Tables
Table 1.1 Classification of complementary and alternative therapies
(according to the House of Lords Report 2000) ........ ...16
Table 1.2 Classification by mechanism of action of complementary
therapies commonly used in the United Kingdom (2016) ... .17
Table 2.1 Dosages used in massage ....................... .....45
Table 2.2 Aromas of some chemical constituents found in
essential oils ............... ........ ..... ........48
Table 2.3 Benefits of massage in pregnancy, labour and
the puerperium ....................... ..... ......56
Table 3.1 Summary of some recent research on anti-infective
properties of essential oils ................ ..........85
Table 3.2 Summary of some recent clinical studies on analgesic
effects of essential oils/aromatherapy ............... ..86
Table 3.3 Summary of some recent clinical studies on relaxation/stress-
relieving effects of essential oils/aromatherapy ..........87
