Fitness and Chiropractic Postpartum
Dr. Natasha and pregnancy & postpartum fitness instructor Mel Hagn had a live interview together on Instagram. They discussed the benefits of chiropractic care and fitness during and after pregnancy to help with pain and birth recovery for both birth parent and baby.
Here are some of the points discussed in the interview. You can listen to the full interview HERE.
Often pain and pregnancy have been considered ‘normal,’ and Dr. Natasha felt this was not really the way it should be, so she decided to learn more about it. As a Doctor of Chiropractic in Montreal, Natasha focuses her practice on prenatal care and pediatric treatments for a variety of conditions for birth parents and babies.
Being a mother herself and recovering from a difficult c-section, Mel Hagn realized how important it was to get stronger and healthier, which turned into a passion for helping other mothers have a healthy and active lifestyle.
Building a community of holistic health care providers is key to a quality recovery from pregnancy, birth, and beyond.
More research is available on the benefits of chiropractic care for the whole family than a few years ago.
Chiropractic adjustments can be given to birth parents during pregnancy right up to birth and for the baby too. Some chiropractors are even on-call to adjust during labour if it has stalled and the midwife suspects it could be due to pelvic imbalance. Baby adjustments are very gentle, similar to testing an avocado for ripeness, as early as one week. Often babies will sleep right through the adjustment.
Babies go through quite a bit as they prepare for birth. The pelvis is contracting and changing during delivery, which can put pressure on the baby’s skull bones. In most cases, there are no complications; however, sometimes there is tension, for example, in the breech position or if the delivery is slow, that may cause some tension in the baby’s neck, face, jaw, and chiropractic care can help release this tension, so they are able to feed and feel more comfortable.
You may hear the term cone head and/or flat head, and normally that will settle on its own, but if not, adjustments can release the tension and help round out the head. If a baby doesn’t like being swaddled (wrapped tightly in a blanket), that could indicate some tension.
Chiropractic care may be extremely efficient in treating symptoms of unexplained colic in babies. Gentle adjustments will address underlying tension to restore normal function of the digestive tract and support digestion to alleviate symptoms of colic.
When to start visiting a Chiropractor
The earlier you see a chiropractor, the better it is to establish a relationship and address concerns early before they become intense. Sometimes women may feel uncomfortable going out right after birth. Still, if they have established a connection before birthing, it is easier to address any symptoms that arise. When you have already built a trusting relationship with your chiropractor and require a referral to another practitioner in the community, Dr. Natasha can help with that.
Building a community
If your baby has difficulties in breastfeeding, Dr. Natasha can address the underlying biomechanical causes. If the parent is having a lot of discomfort in their shoulders when nursing or feeding, they can have an adjustment to relieve the discomfort.
Natasha may also refer the mother to a lactation consultant if the baby has tension or the baby is not latching well.
Many postural changes during pregnancy and birth affect the neck, back, and hips. Our gravity center shifts during pregnancy, and there is a bit more of a curve in the back. The hormone relaxin is released from the beginning of pregnancy to enable the pelvis to open up for delivery and can last up to five months after birth.
There are stretches and exercises that Dr. Natasha, a chiropractor, and Mel, a trainer, can suggest to assist with flexibility.
Mel Hagn is a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach specializing in Pre- and Post Natal Training. She helps mothers discover that a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition is attainable for everyone. Get Fit with Mel
Often when women come for training with Mel and express concerns through the conversation, she can make referrals to a chiropractor like Dr. Natasha, physiotherapists, or other holistic practitioners in the community.
Transitioning through pregnancy, birth and onto motherhood and parenting, there are many layers of change. Having the resources available to prepare you for these changes is important to becoming healthy and happy birth parents.
As practitioners who have worked with clients throughout the process and beyond, we have the privilege of seeing the baby and the family’s joy grow healthily.
Dr Natasha Hayden is a pediatric and prenatal chiropractor that is passionate about helping her community discover just how good their bodies are designed to feel, so they can do more of what they love.
Your health goals are within reach with the support of our team.
