Surrendering with Clary Sage
In.recent decades, clary sage has become known for bringing on contractions in a pregnant woman. Birthing units around the country now keep countless bottles of clary sage essential oil to use in labour rooms. Clary sage oil features in every labour kit. Some women swear it helped their labour to start. But what is missing?
Clary Sage, or salvia sclarea, is a plant that grows in the Mediterranean, with beautiful large spikes of pink flowers. Like most plants, it has been used over the years for many ailments - one of which is menstrual issues. Clary sage balances hormones and is auterotonic, meaning it nourishes the womb while helping it to contract, effectively emptying the uterus.
In recent decades, clary sage has become known for bringing on contractions in a pregnant woman. Birthing units around the country now keep countless bottles of clary sage essential oil to use in labour rooms. Clary sage oil features in every labour kit. Some women swear it helped their labour to start. It is the go-to essential oil for increasing uterine activity, widely used in UK maternity hospitals for increasing the strength and frequency of contractions if labour begins to slow, or if a placenta is slow to separate following birth.
Clary sage is a very powerful plant.
It is often used for relaxation. It has been described as one of the most powerful relaxants known to aromatherapy and is subsequently used to reduce anxiety. Studies on the use of clary sage oil during labour don’t look at its use asa uterotonic, but rather as an anxiolytic (calming nerves) and use as pain reliever.
Nathaniel Hughes of the School of Intuitive Herbalism describes the smell as inducing “profound surrender to the physical body, the animal body”. When I mentioned this to a friend who had recently given birth at home she shared with me that she intuitively hadn’t allowed the clary sage to go on the oil burner “until she was ready”. At the time, she wasn't sure what she meant.
The act of giving birth commands a surrender to the experience. Labours that are hesitant or halting are sometimes due to an emotional or psychological hesitancy to this necessary act of surrender.
Birthworkers should be aware of this aspect of clary sage.
Plants work with us, as allies. They do not take over the process and force a change, like an oxytocin drip does.
Perhaps when clary sage oil is used to enhance uterine activity, the birth worker could firstly introduce the idea of surrender to the woman. Speak gently with her about the importance of yielding to the power of the contractions, of trusting in the act of surrender. Like closing here yes, relaxing and letting herself get swept over the waterfall.
Perhaps her birth worker could allow her time to gather herself one more time and then let go…and let clary sage guide her with calmness through the portal of birth.
Clary sage essential oil is often used the same way as a medicine during labour. Contractions slowing down? Get some clary sage in the room! This is a good step, but not a complete one. Plant medicine is more complex and whole than pharmaceuticals. They demand a deeper learning, a deeper experience. A more holistic one, if you will. Which means that along with getting out the clary sage, the woman should be given the attention and care to relax and accept the process of her labour. Decide she’s ready to birth. And then surrender to it. With clary sage at her side.