Why We Need An Essential Oils Training For Birth Professionals

An adverse reaction caused by essential oils can quickly devastate a birth experience and cause professional fallout. Adverse reactions in birth are not only significant events—they’re also common. The latest research indicates that mothers may be more likely to have an oil reaction in birth even if she is an experienced oil user. No wonder many birth professionals believe “oil use in birth is appropriate only for certified aromatherapists.”

However, this response has failed to protect birthworkers who believe simple compliance with mothers’ requests to ‘add a few drops of oil to a bath or toilet’ or ‘turn on my diffuser on the other side of the room’ will be ok, only to have all eyes on them when a major problem suddenly erupts. This ‘hands-off’ approach is also failing the mothers we serve who are having reactions in increasing numbers.

The Essential Oils Birth Consultant Certification

We believe a more effective solution to these challenges in the birth community is training that matches the growing demands of increased oil use in birth. This new Certification from Brilliant Birth Academy builds on our academy’s acclaimed safety training by adding an evidence-based practice-focused curriculum that gives a comprehensive education on the best oils for birth that are applied according to our Academy’s unique therapeutic guidelines.

Course Distinctives

Comprehensive Safety Training 

Experience our premier safety training courses which distill an enormous volume of evidence-based research into laser-focused application strategies curated just for birthworkers. We’re committed to increasing safety knowledge and reducing adverse reactions in birth.

The 10 Best Oils for Birth

You should never excessively layer multiple different oils during labor; the number of oils (even in a long birth) should be limited. This natural restriction enables students to gain a professional level of confidence in the masterful application of the ten best oils for birth.

The Brilliant Oil Spectrum

The therapeutic range of safe and effective oil use in birth should be more conservative than traditional aromatherapy recommendations.  Recieve your oils education for birth from a trusted institution that specializes in oils for birth! 

Upon Successful Course Completion A Certified Essential Oils Birth Consultant From Brilliant Birth Academy Will:

Gain a thorough understanding of how essential oils work therapeutically, the underlying science that supports their evidence-based application, how to perform clinical intake assessments, develop integrative plans of care during birth, and use individualized therapeutic blends to integrate aromatherapy in a home birth practice or clinical setting.

The Essential Oils Birth Consultant Certification Will Certify Your Calling & Transform Your Passion Into A Masterful Essential Oil Practice

Aromatherapy is a relationship in which the chemical intelligence of a plant’s constituent molecules interact with the multidimensional human body at a cellular, biochemical, emotional, and spiritual level. Aromatic plant essences from every corner of the global village are now are now accessible to empower, rejuvenate, focus, inspire, and soothe mothers in birth.

Increasingly mothers who value natural solutions, self-education, and freedom in health care choices are more likely to seek out midwifery and doula care—as well as oils—at their birth!

This course is a response to that expanding consciousness and is curated for birth professionals who want to deepen their wisdom in the art and science of plant-based solutions for birth.

If you have a calling to honor and work with plant based solutions for birth, we invite you to consider our certification program for two primary reasons:

 

Comprehensive Oils Training

Our essential oil training is more comprehensive than many level 1 accredited aromatherapy certification programs. Additionally, we teach (and advocate for) an altered therapeutic range of safe and effective oil use in birth that is unique to this program, and more conservative than traditional recommendations for important safety reasons.

Unique To Birth Training

This course focuses exclusively on labor-specific application techniques with more than half of our training addressing the anatomy, physiology, somatic psychology, hormonal progression of labor, and many other topics not addressed in aromatherapy programs. If you’re a birth professional, this course is curated for you.

Current Student Testimony: “As a doula, I’ve known that essentials oils could be a powerful tool to help my clients through labor, but my lack of knowledge stopped me from really utilizing them.  I was looking for a course like this and have not found anything like it until Brilliant Birth Academy. I highly recommend this course to anyone considering using essential oils in their birth work.” – Kaelie H (Doula & Essential Oils Birth Consultant Student)

 

Download The Catalog

We Teach A ‘Unique-To-Birth’ Therapeutic Range Which We Believe Should Be Informed By:

The elevated respiration and temperature ranges of laboring mothers

The sensitivity of newborns in physiological transition to life outside the womb

The elevated temperature and humidity ranges of most birthing environments

Who’s Our Tribe? We Admire & Learn From: 

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are your program requirements for certification?
  • View at least 80% of the course training
  • Complete our guided blending at-home practicums
  • Complete the dilution math problem worksheet
  • Formulate oil birth plans according to example in-take forms
  • Submit 10 essential oil profile papers including references
  • Successfully pass the end certification exam with a minimum score of 80%
What is the material of this course based on?

This course is presented by a certified aromatherapist; it is science-based and research-focused curriculum sourced by current studies and multiple acclaimed textbooks including:

  • Tissarand and Young’s Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals
  • Clinical Aromatherapy: Essential Oils in Healthcare by Jane Buckle PhD RN
  • Aromatherapy for Health Professionals by Shirley Price
  • Medical Aromatherapy: Healing with Essential Oils by Kurt Schnaubelt Ph.D.
  • The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils: The Science of Advanced Aromatherapy by Kurt Schnaubelt Ph.D.
  • The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood
  • Fragrance and Wellbeing: Plant Aromatics and Their Influence on the Psyche by Jennifer Peace Rhind
  • The Chemistry of Aromatherapeutic Oils by E. Joy Bowles
  • See our full recommended source list here.

Our medical sections (on labor progression disorders, newborn physiology, etc) have been sourced with the same standard as the rest of the academy: over 1000 medical journal articles, 250 books on birth, dozens of modern obstetric textbooks, and every single midwifery textbook published in English in the US, Canada, and the UK since the 1950s.

What is the average length of study until certification completion?

The course is designed as a 12-week course of study to be completed in under one hour per day with an average of less than five hours of work per week required. There are 27 lectures plus assignments and exams. Most of our students have full schedules with families and jobs. Our intensive timeline will stretch you, but will still be manageable with real-life responsibilities.

The courses are dynamic. Some are focused on getting you to practice your new expertise with practical, project-based assignments. Some lectures include illustrated quick reference guides or curated textbook excepts, other lessons will look like a 10-minute video on an application strategy that ends with an assignment so you can act immediately on new insights instead of thinking “oh, I remember that presentation on dilution strategies…but none of the specifics…how do I do that…” The course is organized around completing oil-based assignment projects and learning from experience.

 Our completion rates are higher than industry standard and we value our student’s success– not just their initial payment. We’re here to help you succeed as quickly as possible!

What deliverables do I actually get with this program?
  • Lifetime accessto the Essential Oils Birth Consultant Certification online course plus guaranteed access to any future updates as the course develops and expands.
  • Epic Bonuses including courses like Finishers Formula, Self Care for Birthworkers, Brilliant Branding, legal/contract swipe files, social media assets and more.
  • A Brilliant Events Pass to all of Brilliant Birth Academy’s online events and summits.
  • A 40% off Brilliant Insider Coupon Code to use on all future course purchases with us. 
  • Buying assurance with our 100% money-back guarantee
  • Lifetime certification: no yearly fees here. Our continuing ed programs are voluntary, awesome, and free.
What is the course experience like?

Our Advanced Technology Creates A Transformational Learning Experience Online

Our multimedia classroom experience brings instruction into your home and delivers on your schedule. Learn from the academy founder, our course directors, and incredible guest speakers such as a labor and delivery nurse who does on-demand consults her hospital co-workers from obstetric doctors to heart surgeons with essential oils with astounding results!

  1. Watch condensed video presentations
  2. Download convenient audio files
  3. Access curated (not just transcribed) illustrated and detailed PDFs resources so you can reference and review what you’ve learned including:
  • Step-by-step quick reference guides on safety & application strategies
  • Business worksheets
  • Our illustrated ten advanced essential oil profiles with formula guides
  • How to conduct an intake consultation guide
How is this course different from an aromatherapy certification?

The quality of aromatherapy certifications varies widely:

Some level 1 accredited aromatherapy certifications cover less credible information than an MLM presentation (though participants usually spend a lot less by the time it’s finished! However the level of mastery taught in other aromatherapy certificates is amazing; we honor their investment and do not claim to be a training of that depth.

  • Many certified aromatherapists have studied botanical product development theory and practice as well as essential oil production methods and extraction processes with a sensitivity to environmental considerations and ethical nutraceutical creation and distribution.
  • They’ve studied the how essential oils are created in plants, types of essential oil glands and the functions of essential oils in the plant which informs their application.
  • They are able find, analyze, and interpret scientific literature, understand research methodology, are aware of study limitations, types and approaches including the relevancy of animal research and the relevancy of research on individual oil constituents so they can apply professional/critical interpretation methods on a wide range of health conditions.
  • They use advanced botanical science to evaluate various extraction processes and can produce essential oils from plant matter and assess existing products on the market for safety and quality.
  • Before professionally recommending oils, they have advanced, hard-science training in botany and phytochemistry, aromachemistry, botanical taxonomy, pathophysiology, and psychoneuroimmunology. They understand the specifics of oil distribution and metabolism including limonene and fat distribution as well as the routes of excretion and how long elimination takes.
  •  They can create master blends using culturally diverse blending theories for therapeutics, perfumery, and perform psycho-emotional/spiritual blending. They can formulate the full spectrum of aromatherapeutic products such as skin care, eco-friendly household, spa, and therapeutic products with legally compliant labeling. They are suitably trained in internal consumption.
  • They study laboratory analysis of essential oils, chemical families and chemotypes and the useful lifespan of an essential oil. They can explain an evidence-based, scientific analytic process examining the oil’s complexity and potency as well as it’s chemistry, weight, light refraction, polarity, expected effects, synergy, antagonism, and electrical qualities for over 100 essential oils identifiable by their Latin identification. (On average, an essential oil contains 100 chemical components.)
  • They have an in depth understanding of anatomy & physiology studied for a body systems approach to essential oil administration including an advanced understanding of the Circulatory, Musculoskeletal, Digestive, Nervous, Endocrine, Olfactory, Integumentary, Respiratory, Reproductive, and Lymphatic Systems.
  • They have studied advanced psychoneuroimmunology (the effects of psychological health and how the immune system is effected by the nervous system as well as how to address pycho-emotional imbalances.)

All these and more topics have informed this course, though they are not individually taught in-depth. This course is infused with aromatic theory while being laser focused on safe application strategies curated and condensed for birth professionals.

Do you encourage oil use by birth professionals who are not aromatherapists?

While essentials have been recognized by multiple national institutions as being generally recognized as safe substances, you should not take this certification course if you are a doula from one of the certifying agencies that controls essential oils use without an aromatherapy certification. If that’s you, our safety certification would likely be a better fit. You’ll learn strategies that are valuable to any doula who does not use essential oils but has clients who do. 

How is this course different from your previous free essential oils course?

Our course has been re-imagined from the ground up in response to a six month-long field research initiative we conducted on oil use in birth among birth professionals and mothers. The new course is a paid certification course that features technology and branding upgrades, assignments, assessments, and non-affiliated oil recommendations. The content presentation features much shorter videos, and more downloaded resources. Our production team has made 11 courses since our first production (the oils course) and we’ve improved quality standards significantly since then. While approximately 40% of the material is the same, it has all been re-mastered for a fresh experience.

I’m already an aromatherapist. Would this course have value for me?

We hope so! We recognize how comprehensive many of you have been trained, however this course addresses birth specific information not covered in aromatherapy courses; information on how essential oils interact with the hormonal progression of labor, the physiological transition of the newborn and how that must be specifically protected in an aromatic birth space, and labor progression patterns that inform oil use. We’ve designed the course with you in mind: the material on fundamentals is mostly separated from the birth-specific material that would likely be new and valuable to you so that you can easily skip the basics. Download the course catalog which is there to help make a quick and clear decision! Or if you’d like to preview the course, you’re welcome to explore our free preview or even to purchase the course relying on our full refund guarantee. We hope you’ll join, find value, and contribute your insights to our community discussions.

Join 1353+ Others Who Trust Brilliant Birth Academy

 

Rachel M
Birth Doula + Plant Based Healer

“I’ve had a lot of clients specifically wanting a doula who uses essential oils, but I knew I couldn’t properly support them. I did some research, but it’s hard to know what to trust; I just didn’t feel confident in the information I was finding on random websites. When I found the Brilliant Birth Academy Essential Oils Birth Consultant course, I was overjoyed! I was so relieved that I found a trustworthy source about properly using essential oils during labor and now I feel very confident when using oils during birth. I’m so thankful I found this course and, because of it, can better support my clients during such an important time!”  



As an Essential Oils Birth Consultant on the unique therapeutic range of safe use of the best oils for birth, you will:

  • Professional-level training within a strict scope of practice with clear legal and professional parameters developed by course director Michael Sullivan who has had careers as an attorney and as a vice president at a pharmaceutical company (don’t worry it was one of the ethical ones!)
  • The three main reasons adverse reactions happen including the ‘wild card’ issue we obsessively train for at this academy.
  • The signs & symptoms of the two types of adverse reactions; these may present similarly but require different first aid strategies—this is a must know.
  • Evidence-based professional guidelines for essential oil first-aid by the different routes of exposure—full master classes and reference PDFs for easy reference. You’re welcome. Spread the word.
  • What you really need to know about oils in birth: the physiological mechanics of birth and maternal anatomy that inform oil application strategies plus learn how to align oil use with the natural hormonal progression of labor.
  • How to be articulate and confident explaining the science behind the results of your oils recommendations so that you’re not left stammering by any client ‘why’ questions. BONUS: Use our done-for-you scripts to best communicate the art, science & bioenergetics of essential oil therapy.
  • Oil bioavailability timelines and safety guidelines that inform professional dosing strategy (hint: don’t give an anti-nausea oil that takes 20 minutes to be effective after mom starts hurling and for the love of God please stop use peppermint in a labor space!)
  • The stages and phases of labor and their clinical indicators; how to anticipate essential oil use for common symptoms (see above).
  • The signs of precipitous, protracted, & stalled labor, the six causes of dystocia and how to naturally support abnormal labor symptoms with oils.
  • The physiological transition of the newborn including the most comforting aroma to the newborn (spoiler: it’s amniotic fluid—not an oil!)
  • Masterful knowledge of the top ten oils recommended for birth including usage strategies, safety precautions, and oil property information.
  • The surprisingly simple mindset shift that will enable you to be completely natural and at ease in money conversations; learn how to handle those ‘closing the deal’ discussions that are key to establishing positive and strong client relationships.
  • Learn professional charting of maternal essential oil use so that you can collaborate with primary care-providers that often have varying documentation requirements; this will be vital to your reputation.
  • The exact questions to ask in your client intake form that will ensure you have all the information you need for professional-grade recommendations. Plus get our exclusive (and beautifully designed) client intake form and full training on how to run an initial client meeting in order to provide a exceptional service experience.
  • Get our multi-media marketing materials, legal contracts, and other valuable professional assets. 
    Download our courses’ full length learning objective statement here.

Essential Oil Use In Birth Is Here To Stay 

Respond to an Urgent Need

Research interviews and our analysis of adverse reaction reporting in birth suggest that adverse reactions are more common in birth even for experienced oil users.

Become A Community Leader In Oil Safety

Our premier safety trainings are a valuable resource to the birth community, our certification program enables all of our advocacy work and community training.

Discover A Unique Therapeutic Range

The therapeutic range of safe and effective oil use in birth should be more conservative than traditional standards. Join the #brilliantoilspecrum movement with Brilliant Birth Academy.

Explore A Unique Certification

Designed to be a bridge between personal study and aromatherapy certification, this unique-to-birth course will certify you in an effective use of a limited range of the best oils for birth.