Great Oils for Postnatal Massages
The best way to provide relaxation to your body after delivery is to have a full body postnatal massage. For starters, postnatal massage will not only relieve you of pain but also melt away your stress after giving birth. However, if you want to get the most from the postnatal massage, you need to choose the best oils — and the one closest to baby’s skin, too.
When you can start postnatal massages
If you have gone through a normal delivery, you can have a postnatal massage 7 days after birth. For C-section, you may need to give yourself some time for your wound to heal — usually 3 to 4 weeks, but always check with your gynaecologist or therapist first. To enjoy maximum benefits, you should aim to do this for at least 30 days. Daily sessions for the first week or two, tapering to alternate days afterwards, gives most mums the strongest recovery curve.
The right oil supports your skin recovery, your milk supply, and the bond between you and your baby — all from one bottle.
Best oils for postnatal massage
Mustard oil
Considered a warming oil, mustard oil is believed to relieve joint pain and improve blood circulation. The warming effect significantly supports the healing process — particularly for sore shoulders, neck, and lower back from feeding and carrying baby. Apart from its medicinal benefits, it’s also affordable and widely available across postnatal salons in Asia.
Coconut oil
Just like the fruit, coconut oil has a cooling and hydrating effect. Although it’s mostly used for head massages, it can also be used for the whole body. It comes with a unique feeling and pleasant smell that makes it one of the best postnatal massage oils — gentle on skin, light enough for daily use, and safe in proximity to a feeding newborn.
Ginger oil
A popular postnatal massage oil, ginger oil helps relieve pain, stimulate blood circulation, and ease sore muscles. Extracted from the rhizome of the ginger plant, this oil has anti-inflammatory properties that make it one of the best oils for a postnatal massage. With its warm spicy scent, it’s well suited for topical application across the lower back, hips, and shoulders.
Sesame oil
Sesame oil is a traditional oil of choice for postnatal self-massage. Rich in linoleic acid, it boasts anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties. It not only prevents skin issues but supports overall skin elasticity as your body returns to its pre-pregnancy shape. A warming oil — ideal for the cool postpartum weeks when your body is still adjusting.
Olive oil
Olive oil is gentle, hydrating, and rich in vitamin E — excellent for skin recovery, scar softening, and overall nourishment of stretched skin around the abdomen. It absorbs slowly, making it ideal for longer sessions where you want sustained slip without constant reapplication.
Almond oil
Sweet almond oil is among the lightest and most baby-safe options. It absorbs cleanly, leaves no greasy residue, and smells pleasant rather than medicinal — helpful if you’re feeding immediately after the massage. Many mums prefer it specifically for that reason.
How we choose oils at BMB
At BMB, our postnatal therapists choose the oil based on your delivery type, your skin sensitivity, your feeding plan, and the season. Vaginal-birth mums often start on warming oils (mustard, ginger, sesame) for the first two weeks then move to lighter blends (coconut, almond, olive) as recovery progresses. C-section mums get gentler protocols that avoid the incision area until it’s fully healed, and we work around any sensitivities to fragrance or texture you flag. Each session blends two to three of these oils for a tailored effect.