FAB FIND: Citronella as a Natural Mosquito Repellant

I was actually surprised at how many items one should avoid when pregnant.  This being my first, I was, of course, doing tons of research on the dos and don't s while on this 9-month pregnancy state.  Add to the additional warnings my ob-gyne gave me, and I might as well live in a bubble for all these grueling months!

One thing I was wary about from the beginning was the use of commercially-produced insect repellants.  I was unfortunate enough to find myself in this delicate state during the summer months and hence was a clear target and at the mercy of those pesky mosquitoes!

A cousin-in-law who was in a similar predicament as I was, recommended a natural and safe alternative in ridding these pests -- Citronella oils!

Citronella oils are obtained from the leaves and stems of different species of Cymbopogon or lemongrass; and has been used intensively in making perfumes, soaps and cosmetics.  It is also a well-known plant-based insect repellant (to learn more about citronella oils, visit wikipedia.com)

Being such a common household and perfume scent, one can find these wonderful oils in just about any department store in the country.  Take, for instance, this Novu brand which we brought  from SM's Home store for around Php200.

Word to the wise: do not expect this stuff to totally kill the mosquitoes.  They just "repell" these pesks away to a certain distance.

I love the scent and best of all, it's natural and safe for babies and pregnant women!  Such a great find!  =)