Rubbing lavender cream onto the legs before bedtime significantly reduced anxiety, stress, and depression in pregnant women, according to a 2015 study. The women applied the cream for 10 to 20 minutes each night for eight weeks. Some of the women also included a warm foot bath in their nightly routine. The women were 25 to 28 weeks pregnant at the start of the trial.
Maternal anxiety, stress, and depression can have negative effects on both the pregnant mother and her child.
