Chiropractic care can help ease many facets of the postpartum healing process. By focusing on holistic healing, with an emphasis on correcting imbalances in the musculoskeletal and nervous system, chiropractic care can help women in the postpartum period ease pain, regain mobility, and start feeling like themselves again.
While postpartum recovery can be long and frustrating, it can sometimes take a year to fully recover from pregnancy and childbirth. Here are 4 ways Chiropractic Care can help you in the Postpartum Period
1. Easing and relieving new aches and pains
There are many aches and pains that come with pregnancy like sciatica type pain, low back pain and groin pain. There are also things like cramps, heartburn and reflux that many women experience. While these aches and pains can disappear postpartum they are sometimes traded in for new areas of discomfort. That cute little baby that you just gave birth to you now spend most of your time staring down at. This forward hunched posture really puts a strain on the neck and shoulders. And this can be just the start of that posture: holding your baby on one hip, chasing after toddlers, and helping little kids with homework can all take a toll on our bodies. Parenthood can do a number on your neck, back, shoulders, and hips. The goal of post pregnancy chiropractic care is to support your body through all of the stages associated with motherhood.
2. Rehabbing your body
Your postpartum body will feel different from what it once felt like. While this is completely normal, chiropractic care aims to support you through the process of healing and recovery. Whether that means helping you alleviate body discomfort, getting you back to exercising, getting access to pelvic floor physical therapy (which is also available in our office) or restoring the proper communication, motion and flexibility to your body, we’ve got you covered!
3. Stimulating the parasympathetic system
The postpartum period can be a time where it’s a challenge to feel our best: physically, mentally and emotionally. Lack of sleep, adjusting to a new routine, taking care of older kids…this can be a time of equal parts joy and stress. While chiropractic care can’t take the stressful things out of your life, it can help regulate your body’s response to stress!
The way this happens is by stimulating the parasympathetic system. This system is also appropriately called the “rest and digest” system, whose job it is to calm down the physiological stress response in your body. By targeting this system you may benefit from better sleep, less anxiety and stress, and improved digestion.
Supporting your Mental Well-being
When I gave birth to my first baby, Avery almost 9 years ago I was so out of sorts in the postpartum period. What made the biggest difference in my recovery was surrounding myself with a community of women. Women of all ages who had been through the experience of birth. Mothers who mothered me in a way I am eternally grateful for.
Taking an outing to the chiropractor at first may be stressful but once you get to our office you are greeted by a community. We will sit and hold space for you in this precious time. We will talk about the struggles and let you know that you are not alone. Feeling part of a community of Mothers can help you fell less anxious in this new journey of Motherhood.
