Not everyone in St. Petersburg understands the value of postpartum chiropractic. It is designed to support both mom and baby after birth. During pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes many changes over a short period of time. After baby arrives, your body begins trying to adjust back to its previous form. It adapts to the new physical and emotional challenges of motherhood. Your spine is trying to adjust to the absence of your child being in your belly with the extra-added weight. Without help from a chiropractor, it’s difficult to navigate the 4th trimester (postpartum period) free from discomfort.
The Impact of Hormones
During the end of your pregnancy, you release a hormone called relaxin. This hormone contributes to softening your joints and ligaments, which assists with opening your pelvis for the birth of your baby. After birth, this hormone is still present, which helps chiropractors in St. Petersburg to realign your spine and pelvis more easily. Postpartum chiropractic care allows you to work with your body where it’s at and promote healing.
Most of the time, after birth, the back, pelvic, pubic, and rib pain you experienced during pregnancy will disappear. As you begin to nurse and carry your newborn in your arms, new areas of discomfort will appear due to the softness from the relaxin, which allows your joints to become misaligned easier. When the body is in such a vulnerable state, it’s important to work with a practitioner who can help you every step of the way. A chiropractor can realign the spine, taking pressure off the nerves. Postpartum chiropractic is a great tool that assists women in St. Petersburg have an easier, pain-free transition into the 4th trimester.
Does My Infant Need Adjustments?
The birthing process is tough work for both mom and baby. Birth trauma causes nerve dysfunction, which results in many issues such as colic, irritability, sleeping problems, constipation, reflux, and difficulty with feeding. Undetected nerve dysfunction can cause further problems as the child grows and develops. Postpartum chiropractic adjustments for infants are very gentle, safe, and effective. These adjustments help to alleviate spinal subluxations, which are misalignments of the vertebrae. The pressure applied is about the amount of pressure you would use to check the ripeness of a tomato. There is no “popping” or “cracking” with an infant adjustment. Our chiropractor’s applications are so mild that, oftentimes, babies will sleep right through the appointment in St. Petersburg!
What Causes a Baby’s Misalignments?
While the cause of misalignments is unique to the individual, some common causes include:
- Constraints while in the uterus
- Abnormal positioning in the uterus
- Failure of the cervix to dilate
- Use of Pitocin to strengthen/induce uterine contractions
- Pulling and/or twisting of the head to deliver the baby’s body
- Use of forceps or vacuum extraction
- Cesarean delivery (due to lack of progress)
- Cord around newborn’s neck
- Very short labor
- Very long labor
All newborns in St. Petersburg should be checked and adjusted by a pediatric chiropractor as soon as possible after birth to ensure that they are beginning life without inferences in their nervous system. Left uncorrected, these can impact the baby’s spinal growth and development, which may reduce the healthy function of the nervous system. There are numerous factors beyond your control that impact your little one’s wellness. Postpartum chiropractic care is an excellent way to address any issues.
We Offer Postpartum Chiropractic Care
At Happy Healthy Spine, we can help you prioritize postpartum chiropractic in the 4th trimester. Dr. Shannon Whitlock is a Webster Certified Chiropractor with a focus on pediatrics, prenatal, postpartum, and family wellness care. We make it easy for every member of the family to receive treatment in St. Petersburg. Call our office at 727-767-0564 to make an appointment for you and your little one!
