Stop and smell the roses. That old adage could be the new prescription for women suffering from postpartum blues, according to a study that appeared in the August 2012 issue of Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. While aromatherapists have long used calming essential oils like lavender and rose to influence mood, until now there has been little clinical evidence that specific scents could affect postpartum anxiety and depression when simply inhaled. 

This clinical trial, which was conducted at the Community Hospital North in Indianapolis, involved 28 mothers who had given birth within 18 months of the study. The women were divided into two groups. Those in the aromatherapy group inhaled a blend of rose otto and lavender essential oils for 15 minutes twice a week. The women who made up the control group were instructed to avoid aromatherapy during the four-week study.

All of the women were evaluated using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale at the beginning of the study, as well as midway through the trial and at the end. Those sniffing the essential oils scored significantly better than their aromatherapy-avoiding sisters on both scales. 

While many new mothers feel anxious, sad, irritable or incompetent during the days following the birth of their baby, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists notes that about 10 percent experience a more severe form of depression known as postpartum depression.  While severe cases should be treated by a qualified health care provider, this study suggests that aromatherapy may be a safe and effective way to ease mild to moderate cases of the baby blues.