While pregnancy and birth can garner the bulk of your attention during the first ten months, our postpartum chiropractor in Tampa Bay urges you to consider the importance of a postpartum plan. After all, when your baby is born, it is easy to direct most (if not all) your attention and energy to the infant or other family members. By taking care of yourself, you can take better care of your entire family.
Mental Wellness
Postpartum depression and anxiety are real risks, so it’s important to be aware of the signs. This is especially important if you have preexisting depression and/or anxiety. 1 in every 7 moms gets a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder.
You are NOT alone.
Lack of sleep, early challenges with breastfeeding and the major event of adjusting to a new family member are incredibly overwhelming. Many in Tampa Bay keep this condition to themselves because they are ashamed or think it isn’t an issue. This is a common reaction but it only delays getting the help you need. Make yourself and those closest to you aware of depressive signs to look for. In the midst of depression, we cannot always see it for ourselves. We need partners, family, friends and professionals to help us sometimes.
If a specific subject is important to you or causing worry, seek out local resources beyond the pediatrician’s office. This might include locating a lactation consultant in Tampa Bay to assist with breastfeeding challenges or finding a postpartum chiropractor who offers pediatric services to optimize your baby’s spinal health. Sometimes, tending to your little one can reduce the big worries that are growing in your mind.
Body Wellness
Birth takes a toll on the body, and it is vital that you give yourself the proper care and attention so that recovery is smooth. Drinking fluids and continuing prenatal vitamins is an important baseline, but we encourage you to look beyond that for optimal self-care.
Physical Recovery and Movement
Birth has a considerable effect on the body, and it needs tender, loving care to recover. The hips and back are deeply affected during pregnancy and after birth, which can make walking or other basic movements more challenging. Posture is affected and can lead to serious discomfort. You might seek out a postpartum chiropractor who specializes in optimizing the recovery process. That way, you can address your body’s specific needs. Labor and birth can also lead to muscle pain or joint discomfort. There are also upper back complications (something we like to lovingly call mom/dad back) linked to breast or bottle feeding— not to mention carrying your infant around. Sure, they seem small in size. But the frequency of handling them impacts your upper back. Our postpartum chiropractor can help your body transition from lower back pain common in pregnancy to the upper back issues related to feeding and carrying.
After you have been approved for exercise, it is wise to start small and build up to bigger things. What you were able to accomplish before and during pregnancy is drastically different after giving birth. Our postpartum chiropractor can assist you as you incorporate more activity into your routine and may be able to suggest ‘mommy and me’ exercise classes in the Tampa Bay area, pelvic floor physical therapy programs, and more.
Sleeping
It can be difficult to catch some zzz’s after the baby is born but they are vital for your health. Shifting your perspective from lengthy stretches of sleep to little cat naps can help reframe what sleep means during this season. A little bit here and there adds up, so leave the dishes and thank you notes for later. If physical discomfort is keeping you awake, contact a postpartum chiropractor in Tampa Bay to help ease the pain.
Eating
With the hustle and bustle of a new baby, it can be easy to overlook food, but this is an essential component to your recovery. Warm, nourishing meals restore your body, providing energy to produce milk and recuperate after giving birth. Some techniques include preparing meals while pregnant to freeze for later, assigning this job to a family member who can help, setting up a meal train, or making a list of restaurants and downloading the UberEats app. Whatever method you choose, it is crucial to keep yourself and your family fed.
Personal Wellness
So many of these components are interconnected. Without sleep or food, we are not as physically or mentally strong. Without our physical health, our abilities and immunity are compromised. Without our mental health, our self-care and relationships suffer. This is why a postpartum care plan is so valuable— because it touches every area of your life. Some people in Tampa Bay prefer massage or acupuncture while others seek out lunch with a friend, reading a book or getting their nails done. It’s important to find a little corner of your world for self-care that is just for you.
Work with Our Postpartum Chiropractor
At Happy Healthy Spine, we want to help you take the best care of yourself during pregnancy and beyond! Our staff can help all the members of your family, from prenatal care to pediatric and adult chiropractic care. You can contact our postpartum chiropractor in Tampa Bay to schedule an appointment. Call 727-767-0564 to learn more about creating a support plan or to schedule an appointment with our chiropractor!
Postpartum depression and anxiety happen. GETTING HELP MATTERS:
*Contact your health care provider-
*Call Postpartum Support International at 1800-944-4773
*Call 911 for immediate help
*Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1800-273-8255 for free and confidential emotional support- they talk about more than suicide
*Call the substance and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline at 1800-662-4357 for 24 hour free and confidential mental health information, treatment, and recovery services referral in English and Spanish.
Postpartum Progress information can be found here.
