In honor of the Great Mother, and to all mothers, I present this to you.

Many common herbs in magical studies and practices are dangerous to use during pregnancy. Mugwort tea, for example, part of any standard divination ritual for many practitioners, will cause miscarriage (even late in pregnancy) and subsequent bleeding. Fortunately, most herbs are safe to handle in small amounts, such as carrying and placing in charm bags, sprinkled around a ritual circle, or garnished with candles. Essential oils, incense, stains, consumption and magical baths are the great concern, since they all involve contact with the skin and mucous membranes and greatly alter individual chemistry.

staining

Perfectly safe when done OUTSIDE, and in small doses! Sitting in a room full of smoke is unhealthy (carbon monoxide), which is why spotting is generally not indicated during pregnancy. Prolonged spotting without adequate ventilation is a recipe for miscarriage. If you are looking to cleanse your aura and prepare for the ritual, salty baths are lovely, however you should avoid too many essential oils in your blends.

Essential oils

An oil diffuser is a great way to enjoy the aromatic, therapeutic and magical properties of plants, especially as a healthy alternative to incense for people with health problems or allergies to smoke. For the anal retainer out there, yes, it still corresponds to the Air element. Add a feather if you need more visual aids.

All essential oils are contraindicated during the first trimester (and should be completely avoided in high-risk pregnancies); however, if you forget your favorite scent, floral waters (hydrosols) are widely available and can be used safely as they are not as concentrated as pure essential oils. After the first trimester, most citrus oils are considered safe, including bergamot, at a dilution rate of 1-50%; Evergreen oils such as cedar (Atlas, Virginia, and Texas cedars included) as well as pungent or irritating oils (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice) should be avoided entirely. The following list is nowhere near complete, and some herbalists are far more conservative than others, with opinion, experience, and science swaying the vote one way or the other. Avoid the following, or do more research on dilution rates.

Allspice (Pimenta officinalis)

Anise seed (Pimpinella anisum)

Balsam, Peru (Myroxylon balsamum)

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum)

Bay (Pimenta racemosa)

Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis)

Bergamot mint (Mentha citrata)

Cajuput (Melaleuca minor)

Camphor (Cinnamonum camphora)

Carrot Seed (Daucus carota)

Catnip (Nepeta cataria)

Cedar wood, Atlas (Cedrus atlantica)

Cedarwood, Virginia (Juniperus virginiana)

Celery Seed (Apium graveolens)

Cinnamon (C. zeylanicum)

Citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus)

Clary sage (Salvia sclarea)

Clove (Eugenia aromatica)

Copaiba Balsam (Copaifera officinalis)

Coriander Seed (Coriandrum sativum)

Corn mint (Mentha arvensis)

Dill seed (Anethum graveolens)

Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)

Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus, E. citriodora)

Sweet Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

Galangal (Alpinia officinalis)

Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Grapefruit, white (Citrus paradisi)

Wood Ho (Cinnamomum camphora)

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)

Juniper berry (Juniperus communis)

Labdanum (Cistus ladaniferus)

Lavender, Spike (Lavendula latifolia)

Lemon (Citrus limonium)

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus)

Lemon Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora)

Lime peel (Citrus aurantifolia)

Lovage (Levisticum officinalis)

Red Mandarin (Citrus reticulata)

Sweet Marjoram (Marjorana hortensis)

Wild Marjoram (Thymus masticina)

Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)

Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha)

Myrtle (Myrtus communis)

Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)

Opopanax (Commiphora guidotii)

Orange (Citrus sinesis, C. aurantium)

Oregano (Origanum vulgare)

Parsley Seed (Petroselinum sativum)

Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris)

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Salty, winter (Satureja montana)

Spruce (Tsuga canadensis)

Tagetes (Tagetes minuta)

Tangerine (Citrus reticulata)

Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Ylang-Ylang (Cananga odorata)

Wondering what you can use? In reality, quite a few of the oils listed above are safe, but only under the guidance of experienced aromatherapists. For example, many pregnant women do not have a negative reaction to ylang-ylang, however if you also have liver damage or suffer from epilepsy and severe migraines, it could cause a problem. This isn’t something I can help you with over the net, so I tend to err on the cautious side!

The following are considered safe by most aromatherapists, however, ALWAYS dilute your essential oils in a base or carrier oil (jojoba and sweet almond are fine), DO NOT, under any circumstances, take essential oils internally, and if in doubt, consult your herbalist, midwife, or OB/GYN.

Benzoin, bergamot, grapefruit, lavender, lemon, neroli, orange, patchouli, sandalwood, spearmint, tea tree, and vetiver.

Rose, Jasmine, and Clary Sage can be helpful during labor.

Herbs

Avoid Mugwort, Wormwood, Yarrow, Prickly Ash, Slippery Elm, Chasteberry, Motherwort, Parsley, and any of the poisonous herbs, OBVIOUSLY. Some people advise against ginger during pregnancy, as it is considered a mild stimulant, but it is the most useful treatment for morning sickness. Just snip some fresh ginger root, cover with near-boiling water, and steep for about five minutes. Drink slowly; you will feel better in a few moments. This really needs to be done with the fresh root, as ginger powder is terribly acidic.

This has been by no means exhaustive! Keep researching, keep learning. If you need more information, don’t hesitate to contact your OB/GYN, as more doctors within this field are educating themselves about the benefits and dangers of alternative medicine.