BPAL and pregnancy

[eyeska]

Scent lockets are basically locket pendants (ha, big jump there, right?) with strategic holes intended for you to put cotton pads/small bits of fabric fabric/etc with your perfume on them and then into the locket. They're fantastic if you cannot (or don't want to) wear the perfume directly on your skin, and they minimize morphing and other skin chemistry complications. With issues relating to skin contact with EOs, you can see how that would be useful.

 

The Black Phoenix Trading Post has some stunning ones (and some Neil Gaiman ones!), though there are others available via other retailers.

Edited September 28, 2009 by Eyeska

[abejita]

I'm pregnant and I still wear my oils. Things smell a little stronger to me, but nothing is triggering nausea. My "morning sickness" (such a lie, it's all damn day) is more the reflux variety than puking.

 

I feel like I should be "good" and not wear perfume, but I liiiiike them. Maybe it's time to just haul out the scent locket.

 

I have Miss Lupescu on right now.

[rosetta]

Thanks for explanation, Eyeska To be honest I had never seen those before... Maybe I need to get one (funds permitting)

 

Nice to know I'm not the only one who has been wearing perfume oils while pregnant, Abejita Although, as I said on previous page, I didn't even know that would pose any risk. Now I don't know what to do with my newly purchase imps when they arrive...

[jizatt]

The only oil I could wear while I was pregnant without it making me sick was Ulalume -- -- I'm thinking it was the dirt/earthy smell that made it wearable, which sounds like one of those weird pregnancy craving things

[Tiada]

I'm bumping this thread because I'm hoping that someone out there has more detailed information...

 

Since becoming pregnant I've been forced (by some pretty awful scent aversions) to walk away from my BPAL collection. I've noticed these symptoms starting to subside, so I'm hoping that I can start wearing BPAL again soon! (I'm 10 weeks now).

 

I e-mailed the Lab over a month ago with these questions but haven't yet heard back. I just re-sent my e-mail hoping to get a reply but in the meantime I'm coming here.

 

There are a lot of BPAL scents that don't have a descriptive list of what notes are in them. For example, I just bought a bottle of TKO that I'm anxious to use, but I have no idea if it's safe. Does anyone know if there is more information from the Lab on what blends to specifically avoid during pregnancy? I know the basic notes that are discussed in this thread, but I'm worried about wearing something I shouldn't when I didn't even know!

[AnArtfuldodger]

I just have to whine a little here...I had a miscarriage back in October, and I'm doing okay, and I *think* I just got pregnant again, hooray. But it WOULD happen as soon as I get a CnS for my lusted-after Blackbear Moon, wouldn't it??!! Gonna have to tuck that sucker away for the first trimester, just to be safe. *sob* Time to hunt out a scent locket I suppose...

[bicyclette]

I'm sorry for your loss, AnArtfulDodger- I hope all goes well with this pregnancy!

[Gateau]

What bicyclette said!

[bigeyedgirl]

The general consensus by aromatherapists (studying at the moment to become one myself) is that during the first trimester EOs should be avoided from skin contact. If you want to sniff them, they are not going to hurt you, but they are best avoided on skin all together during the first three months. Sometimes, we get a little warning happy, but in the case of pregnancy, it's just to get a scent locket and enjoy it that way. With all of the chemistry changes your body is going through beloved bottles and scents will not smell the same. And you may end up hating things that you loved. Just my two cents. I am not a lab employee.

 

Edit to add: I am sure the lists would be huge if there was a safe and nonsafe lists. So just be cautious and wear them in a locket.

Edited January 20, 2012 by bigeyedgirl

[AnArtfuldodger]

I swear to god if having a kid makes my skin dislike Dorian, I think I might have to return the kid or something.

[GypsyRoseRed]

Hopefully you're luckier than me. My beloved Snake Charmer smelled lovely on me up until the birth of my second child. Now it's just not the same, almost 3 years later.

[Gateau]

I had progressively worse smell aversions with each pregnancy. With this last one, there are soaps, hair gels, and cleansers that I still can't stand the smell of, and the baby just had his birthday. Though since I'm still nursing maybe it's hormonal. I couldn't tolerate any perfume at all, but once he was about 6 months I could get back into it, and that's when I found my way to BPAL.

[n3m3sis42]

I had progressively worse smell aversions with each pregnancy. With this last one, there are soaps, hair gels, and cleansers that I still can't stand the smell of, and the baby just had his birthday. Though since I'm still nursing maybe it's hormonal. I couldn't tolerate any perfume at all, but once he was about 6 months I could get back into it, and that's when I found my way to BPAL.

I had such horrible smell aversions during pregnancy that I didn't even try getting back into BPAL until a week or so ago, and my son is turning 1 next week. Well, part of that was also due to my son totally flipping out the time I got a massage with EOs when he was 3 or 4 months old. I had to go shower off all of the oils because he was screaming his little head off. But during pregnancy I could not tolerate any perfumes.

 

I'm still nursing a few times a day, but I'm okay on smells now for the most part. This is my first child, though.

 

Happy birthday to your little one!

Edited January 21, 2012 by n3m3sis42

[Gateau]

To you too!

 

Really, it's a good thing that we have no intention of having a fourth, because I shudder to imagine what another pregnancy would be like. Another rotten thing was that all the foods and flavors I'd found comforting in my previous pregnancies left a disgusting taste in my mouth with this baby.

[n3m3sis42]

To you too!

 

Really, it's a good thing that we have no intention of having a fourth, because I shudder to imagine what another pregnancy would be like. Another rotten thing was that all the foods and flavors I'd found comforting in my previous pregnancies left a disgusting taste in my mouth with this baby.

 

Ugh, I had the food aversions, too, although they were mostly related to smell and appearance (stuff that I managed to get in my mouth usually tasted okay). The worst part was during my first trimester when the smell of ANY food cooking would make me sick. My husband had to cook when I wasn't home. :\

 

I also got nauseated by even seeing some food on TV. I watch Top Chef and its spinoffs, and I couldn't stand looking at any "beige" food, which was my classification for anything that was too unicolor and light white, gray or brown. Ugh and double ugh.

 

The first 12 or 13 weeks, I pretty much ate nothing but Goldfish crackers and Greek yogurt. Perhaps this is why my son seems to be a picky eater? ;-)

[Gateau]

I ate EVERYTHING when I was pregnant with my first, and he's a champion picky eater (though at 10 he's starting to show some improvement FINALLY). I think they do it just to drive us nuts.

[n3m3sis42]

I ate EVERYTHING when I was pregnant with my first, and he's a champion picky eater (though at 10 he's starting to show some improvement FINALLY). I think they do it just to drive us nuts.

My son seriously eats like ten foods total on a regular basis: plain yogurt, bananas, cheese, bread, English muffins, bagels, pizza, pasta (if it has cheese and tomato sauce), tomato slices, and red grapes. We have offered him a ton of other things and those are basically all he will eat.

 

Oh, he will eat Cheerios and those yogurt melt thingies too. He will not eat real food.

 

Our pediatrician told us at his 9 month appointment that he was "a little young to be a picky eater". I was like, "Oh, okay... I'll let him know that, then." :-P

 

/threadjack

Edited January 27, 2012 by n3m3sis42

[Tiada]

Hopefully you're luckier than me. My beloved Snake Charmer smelled lovely on me up until the birth of my second child. Now it's just not the same, almost 3 years later.

 

I've just started playing with my BPAL collection since my pregnancy (he was born Jan 20), and have noticed a few small and other not so small chemistry changes. At least I'm still blaming my little one instead of cancer... though it might be part of the changing of scents.

[Delirium1009]

I'm newly pregnant (6 weeks tomorrow) and was wondering what people here did as far as testing new scents during their pregnancy. I only intend to wear scents in my clocket, not on my skin, but I don't know if it would be worth it to get new stuff of it just smells good on a piece of fabric or paper. I guess I wouldn't be using a lot, so a decant might be enough.

 

I'm hoping to get the Tonka SN just because its one of my favorite notes, but I probably won't be able to wear it for a long while.

[Antaria]

First of all: Congratulations and I wish you the best for your pregnancy

 

 

 

If you are pretty sure that the scent will work on you: Why not get a bottle and wait till you can wear perfume again. If it's a fail, you can still trade it away later, after proper testing. But I think I would not bother testing new GC-stuff ... on the other side: Could be that you find the perfect scent-locket scent!

 

The moment I knew about my pregnancy I stepped away from all my perfumes and make-up. First because I knew I should not wear them, after some time because I didn't even want to wear them. So I didn't test anything and I did not wear my scent locket.

 

I even had to hide my TKO massage oil bottle - a scent I often used for sleeping time - because I just could not stand it any more and opening the closet where I stored it was terrible! It took quite some time before the scent went totally away. But funny how something you always liked turns into something so very ugly. But I was really sensitive. Only had to throw up once in the 12 weeks, but I was not able to open the fridge or to feed my guinea pigs. Even after my miscarriage it took some time before I could use TKO again.

Edited November 7, 2012 by Antaria

[ivyandpeony]

I think Antaria's advice is spot-on. Grab any "holy grail" LEs that happen to come along while you're pregnant and you can swap or sell them later if they end up not working or if your chemistry decides that a certain note doesn't work anymore. Congratulations!

[SadariEvenstar]

I'm 21 weeks pregnant and I haven't noticed any difference in skin chemistry so far, it was the same with my first. I still skin test everything that I buy, for me only a small dot is needed and I can't imagine that tiny amount doing much. Then I put what I like in my clocket. Once I got out of my first trimester I started wearing some on my skin again too as long as there aren't any problem notes listed and I tend to wear less than I did before I was pregnant.

[Delirium1009]

Thank you for the opinions, and the congratulations I really have very little interest in most of my perfumes, but have worn Pumpkin Princess and Embalming Fluid in my clocket so far, and the latter is especially nice and refreshing. I guess I just fear I'll miss out on something, but I have more important things on my mind so it shouldn't matter too much. I got a bottle of SN Tonka, and picked up Autumn Lace, and will probably wait a while until I smell or skin test either.

[Ataraxia Sorrow]

Hi there! I'm pregnant but my due date is just in two weeks! I had read a lot about that pregnant people needs to avoid essentials oils (and just in case I didn't used them...'til now...couldn't wait!!). I'm from Spain and I asked as well my doctors and all of them said to me that it wasn't a problem use them... as well during my breast feeding.... there's anybody like me?

[AlectoFurious]

Congrats Gory!!! I used the following as a guideline for my oil usage during my two pregnancies. It has a nice list of what you can and cannot use.

 

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/x536449/is-it-safe-to-use-essential-oils-while-im-pregnant

 

I am a foody/boozy scent lover and slathered away during both my pregnancies as most of those blends do not have any oils from the no-no list.

 

ETA: I cannot remember what I did during breast feeding time. I was usually so tired I would forget to use any scents!

Edited September 16, 2014 by AlectoFurious