Natural Stress Relief During Pregnancy:  Aromatherapy of Sweet Orange & Lavender Essential oils 

Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful events in a woman’s life; it can also be one of the most stressful.

During pregnancy, a woman’s life changes in numerous ways: her body changes shape, her hormones alter her mood, and her relationship with the world around her changes. This can bring an enormous amount of stress that may have been unexpected. When used appropriately, aromatherapy can be a highly effective stress management tool during pregnancy. Utilizing essential oils of sweet orange Citrus sinensis and lavender Lavendula angustifola in appropriate and safe aromatherapy applications, women can relieve their pregnancy-related stress in a safe and non-invasive manner. Studies have shown that using aromatherapy during labor can reduce pain and anxiety (Nascimento et al., 2025). 

(Wilson, 2025) 

Why you should use aromatherapy in pregnancy 

Now more than ever, women seek natural health solutions during pregnancy. There is strong evidence to show the efficacy of aromatherapy during pregnancy on stress, anxiety, and pain. You do not have to wait until labor to take advantage of aromatherapy in pregnancy. The sooner you start utilizing aromatherapy, the more benefits you will obtain. The benefits can include:  

• Stress relief 

• Pain management 

• Anxiety relief 

• Morning sickness support  

• Insomnia support  

Below, we will focus on the stress and anxiety relief of two pregnancy-safe essential oils!  

Sweet Orange Citrus x sinensis  

(Stormy, 2017) 

This essential oil is your best friend when it comes to stress relief. Not only does this essential oil smell divine, but it has also been shown to reduce anxiety and stress. (Mannucci et al., 2018) The main active constituent in this essential oil is limonene, which is responsible for its anxiolytic effect. Studies have shown that this active constituent can modulate neurotransmitters activated during episodes of stress and anxiety  (Nascimento et al., 2025). 

 Benefits of sweet orange essential oil:  

• Relief for chronic and acute stress 

• Anxiety relief 

• Mood enhancement 

A pregnant woman can use this essential oil to decrease her stress while enhancing her mood. This is important during pregnancy because stress hormones affect the mother and the growing baby in negative ways. On the other hand, positive emotions and eliminating stress can increase the amount of feel-good hormones in the body, which can benefit the mother and baby. (Alves et al., 2021) 

Lavender Lavendula angustifolia  

(Wilson, 2025) 

  This essential oil is highly recommended for women who have insomnia-related stress and anxiety. A study conducted on women in labor using aromatherapy for stress relief found that their anxiety significantly decreased within 60 minutes of inhalation of lavender essential oil. (Tabatabaeichehr & Mortazavi, 2020) The main active constituent in this essential oil is called linalool, which has been shown to reduce depression and anxiety directly by reducing serotonin reuptake in mice when used in the form of lavender oil or as a pure extract (Dos Santos et al., 2022). 

 Benefits of lavender essential oil:  

• Insomnia relief 

• Chronic and acute stress relief  

• Anxiety relief 

Pregnant women can use this essential oil to deepen their sleep and reduce stress. Proper sleep is vital to a healthy pregnancy. By utilizing lavender essential oil to enhance sleep during the daytime, stress related to sleep deficiency can also be reduced. (Sisco, 2024)  

Proper Aromatherapy Pregnancy Practices  

Aromatherapy is all about creating a blend that fits your specific needs and palate, which can be reassuring during pregnancy when your sensitivity to smells can be at an all-time high. This heightened sensitivity applies to smells and compounds within essential oils, which is why proper and appropriate use of essential oils is important during pregnancy.  

How to use aromatherapy during pregnancy safely:  

• Choose pregnancy-safe essential oils like sweet orange or lavender  

• Play with blends or single essential oils to find a balance that suits you 

• Discontinue the use of essential oil immediately if adverse reactions occur 

• Do not use essential oils topically without consultation with an aromatherapist 

• 2-3 drops maximum of essential oil blends or single oils for diffuser use 

• Inhalation of diffused essential oils for no longer than 15 minutes 

• Do not ingest essential oils 

• Use personal inhalers of essential oil for only 5 minutes at a time  (Sisco, 2024)  

Aromatherapy takes a gentle approach, so more is not always better. Start low with a drop at a time until you find your perfect amount. If you are struggling with creating blends or are worried about which essential oils you should be using, seeking the help of an experienced aromatherapist is advised. You can find an aromatherapist by checking out this registry of registered aromatherapists: https://aromatherapycouncil.org/registered-aromatherapist/find/ 

Are you ready to ease your pregnancy-related stress? Give the blend recipe below a try and leave a comment on how it helped your pregnancy stress!  

(Wilson, 2025) 

Pregnancy Stress Blend 

Essential oils:  

• Lavender Lavendula Angustifolia 

• Sweet orange Citrus x sinensis  

Supplies:  

• 5ml amber essential oil bottle 

• Label 

• Reusable personal inhaler or Aromatherapy diffuser 

Blend:  

• 5 drops Lavender Lavendula angustifolia essential oil 

• 10 drops Sweet orange Citrus x sinensis essential oil 

Combine essential oils as directed in the 5ml amber bottle and label it with the name and date. You can now use this blend in the aromatherapy application of your choice. Below are instructions on setting up a personal aromatherapy inhaler and diffuser.  

How to use a personal aromatherapy inhaler:  

1. Dismantle the inhaler by removing the cap and pulling apart the inner chamber holding the wick.  

2. Unscrew the cap 

3. Remove the wick 

4. Place 2-3 drops of the essential oil blend onto the wick 

5. Replace the wick into the glass chamber & screw on the lid 

6. Reassemble the inhaler  

Use this as needed for acute episodes of /stress and or anxiety throughout your day by putting the inhaler to your nose and taking deep breaths for five minutes at a time.  

(Wilson, 2025)  

How to use an aromatherapy diffuser: 

1. Dismantle the diffuser by removing the lid or outer chamber to expose the water tank and condenser 

2. Lift the funnel-shaped condenser cap off of the tank  

3. Fill the tank with water to the fill line  

4. Place 2-3 drops of the essential oil blend into the tank 

5. Replace the condenser cap and outer chamber lid 

6. Plug in the diffuser, and if applicable, set the time to 10-15 minutes to begin diffusing  

This method is excellent to use when you are experiencing stress or anxiety or want to promote a relaxing environment. Using this method for up to 15 minutes in duration is safe.  

(Wilson, 2025) 

Final Thoughts: Aromatherapy for Pregnancy Stress 

Utilizing aromatherapy during pregnancy can be beneficial for women suffering from stress and anxiety when the proper precautions and education have been applied. Sweet orange and lavender essential oils are popular and efficient essential oils that can be used alone, together, or blended with other pregnancy-safe essential oils to make your perfect stress relief blend. Remember always to prioritize your health and safety! Work with a qualified aromatherapist if you have any concerns or questions! 

Aromatherapy and other alternative practices never replace conventional medicine and or medical practices. Be sure to consult your healthcare provider before starting or stopping any medications or medical practices your healthcare team prescribes.  

References 

Alves, A. C., Cecatti, J. G., & Souza, R. T. (2021). Resilience and Stress during Pregnancy: A Comprehensive Multidimensional Approach in Maternal and Perinatal Health. TheScientificWorldJournal, 2021, 9512854. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/9512854 

Dos Santos, É. R. Q., Maia, J. G. S., Fontes-Júnior, E. A., & do Socorro Ferraz Maia, C. (2022). Linalool as a Therapeutic and Medicinal Tool in Depression Treatment: A Review. Current neuropharmacology, 20(6), 1073–1092. https://doi.org/10.2174/1570159X19666210920094504 

Mannucci, C., Calapai, F., Cardia, L., Inferrera, G., D’Arena, G., Di Pietro, M., Navarra, M., Gangemi, S., Spagnolo, E. V., & Calapai, G. (2018). Clinical Pharmacology of Citrus aurantium and Citrus sinensis for the Treatment of Anxiety. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2018(1). https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/3624094 

Nascimento, J. C., Gonçalves, V. S. D. S., Souza, B. R. S., Nascimento, L. C., Carvalho, B. M. R., Nogueira, P. C. L., Santos, J. P. S., Borges, L. P., Goes, T. C., Souza, J. B., Coutinho, H. D. M., & Guimarães, A. G. (2025). Effectiveness of aromatherapy with sweet orange oil (Citrus sinensis L.) relieves pain and anxiety during labor. Explore (New York, N.Y.), 21(1), 103081. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2024.103081 

Sisco, E. S. C. (2024, March 1). Aromatherapy use and safety: What to know about essential oils during pregnancy. Mayo Clinic Health System. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/essential-oils-and-pregnancy 

Stormy. (2017). Sweet Orange essential oil benefits and uses. [Sweet orange infographic] The Happy Herbal Home . Retrieved March 9, 2025, from https://thehappyherbalhome.com/sweet-orange-essential-oil-benefits-uses/Links to an external site.. 

Tabatabaeichehr, N. M., & Mortazavi, N. H. (2020). The Effectiveness of aromatherapy in the Management of labor pain and Anxiety: a Systematic review. Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences, 30(3). https://doi.org/10.4314/ejhs.v30i3.16