Chiropractic for Moms

By Tracy Thomas

With Mother’s Day being right around the corner, I thought I would take a few minutes to talk about how chiropractic care can help moms deal with every aspect of their lives. Being a mother has its rewards, but it can also come with a healthy dose of mental and physical stress.  Everything from conception and pregnancy, to childbirth and raising a child brings with it a host of life-changing physical transformations that need to be dealt with in turn. This article is designed to cover those changes, as well as how chiropractic care can help mothers better deal with them.

It all Starts at Conception

Imagy by simple.wikipedia.org

From the moment of conception, a mother-to-be begins a physical and emotional journey that will transform her body in many ways.  Being a mom can be hard on the body.  As the fetus grows, a woman gains weight.  This tends to throw everything from the spine and pelvis to the joints, muscles, and tendons out of whack. Once the spine becomes misaligned, it can also cause chronic pain, particularly in the third trimester.   Since a developing fetus shares its mother’s blood supply, this makes taking prescription painkillers problematic. 

Chiropractic adjustments all through pregnancy are a wonderful way to ease the strain and discomfort that goes with it.  By keeping the spine properly aligned, a pregnant woman is better able to deal with the extra weight that she must carry for nine months.  While pregnant women mentally prepare themselves to deal with their increased appetite, the rapidly expanding belly, and the overall loss of balance, what many first-time mothers don’t take into consideration are the sore knees and swollen ankles that are common during pregnancy.  Chiropractic care offers a number of treatment modalities that can help a mom-to-be keep her body better balanced and improve circulation, which in turn will reduce swelling and inflammation to the joints.

Here is a list of common complaints during pregnancy:

·         Lower Back Pain

·         Joint Pain

·         Pelvis Strain

·         Nausea

·         Headaches

·         Lethargy

·         Anxiety

·         Mood Swings

When the big day finally arrives, the act of childbirth itself presents a number of issues that are the culmination of 9-months of changes to the skeletal system, the musculature, and the nervous system.  Everything from the way a fetus presents prior to birth to the pain of childbirth itself can be improved through chiropractic care long before the due date.

Mommy Dearest

Image courtesy of Max Pixel

Chiropractic is also a great way to deal with newborns as well, since it is safe for infants.  If you find that your baby cries incessantly, or has problems either sleeping or nursing, this could be a sign of a spine misalignment.  You’d have a sore back too if you spent 9-months curled into a tight ball. Many times, a single, gentle adjustment is all it takes to make it possible for both baby and mother to achieve a good night’s sleep. 

As babies turn into toddlers, there are many issues that mothers must deal with.  While chiropractic care can’t heal a skinned knee, it can address such things as colic, asthma, allergies, ear infections and immune issues.  Since the spine is the body’s primary conduit for the nervous system and since children’s bones grow inordinately fast, it should not come as a surprise that many childhood maladies can be traced back to skeletal imbalances and nervous system blockages.  Periodic chiropractic adjustments have proven to contribute to healthier, happier children.  Instead of reaching for medication, you should consider speaking with a chiropractor if your child has any of the following issues:

·         ADHD

·         Asthma

·         Allergies

·         Numerous colds

·         Ear Infections

·         Chronic Headaches

·         Listlessness

·         Trouble Sleeping

Mom Approved

Image courtesy of flickr.com

Let’s not forget that mothers can also benefit from chiropractic care.  Did you know that chiropractic can deal with everything from PMS and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, to Fibromyalgia and Menopause?  As women age, their bodies go through a series of predictable, inevitable changes to their physiology.  Many women who have suffered from menstrual cramps, hot flashes, and debilitating fatigue have found chiropractic care can offer an alternative to taking medications that mask the discomfort without addressing the core issues.  For more than a century, women who have had to deal with a number of gynecological issues have discovered the natural healing benefits of chiropractic care.

If you are a mother or mom-to-be, I urge you to talk to a chiropractor so you and your children can lead happier, healthier lives that are kid tested and mother approved.

Tracy Thomas is the Vice President of Vibrant Life Health Center. Tracy’s personal experience with chiropractic and nutrition has allowed her to watch many life changing transformations.  This is what drives her complete passion to devote her life to the mission of true Health & Wellness. Tracy’s life was changed drastically over 15 years ago and  her intensive transformation stands as a testimony to the life changing value of what we do at Vibrant Life Health Center today.   Tracy’s passion to educate families is what drives her on a daily basis! Being married to Dr. Jon for 18 years and raising 4 children has allowed her to continue to grow and master her holistic skills. Her family shares in the joy of Health and Wellness as she has made it a priority to pass on her wisdom of healthy living to her family and everyone who knows her. For fun Tracy loves scrapbooking, taking Sunday trips with her husband, reading and photography.