Q Can lavender oil help induce labor?
According to the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, essential oils are "highly concentrated aromatic extracts which are distilled from a variety of aromatic plant material including grasses, leaves, flowers, needles and twigs, peel of fruit, wood and roots." Essential oils have a number of properties including tonic, sedative, and stimulant. Some essential oils are emmenogogue, or stimulate blood flow to the pelvis, and can actually trigger uterine contractions.