The postpartum period can be a challenging time for new mothers and fathers, both physically and emotionally. After the excitement of giving birth, many women find themselves navigating a range of changes, including fatigue, pain, and hormonal fluctuations, while also adjusting to caring for their newborn👶🏽.

Creating an ideal postpartum experience for both mom and dad is ESSENTIAL, as it can help them recover more quickly, establish a strong bond with their baby, and feel supported and empowered as they transition into parenthood or adding another child to the family.

We want to help families have the best postpartum care possible, so today we will explore some of the key components to heal and recover after childbirth so mom, dad, and baby can have a positive, fulfilling postpartum journey. 🥰

7 Reasons Chiropractic Improves Your Family’s Postpartum Experience

With all the physical and emotional stress and changes your body endures through labor, taking care of a baby🤱, and possibly other kids, it’s critical to make sure your nervous system is functioning well because it’s the master control center for how the rest of your organs, nerves and muscles communicate and operate.

Here are 7 reasons why you should see a chiropractor both BEFORE and AFTER childbirth if you want to have a smooth recovery and better resiliency to stress after having a baby:

1. Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy is the Foundation for an Ideal Postpartum Experience: Regular adjustments throughout pregnancy 🤰🏽help keep mom physically comfortable, increase her adaptability to stress, and help baby get in the proper position for delivery - all of which reduce the likelihood of c-sections and other types of birth trauma. Less medical interventions during birth lends itself to an easier, faster recovery.

2. Rebalances and Strengthens the Nervous System: Torque Release Technique chiropractic adjustments LOCATE and REMOVE subluxation (built up nerve tension and stress💥) in the nervous system that keeps parents from healing as they should. A well-balanced nervous system helps a mother’s brain be more in tune with what is NOT working well so she can fix what is wrong or seek the help she needs. A subluxation-free nervous system leads to better and faster postpartum recovery on all fronts -- physically, emotionally, and mentally. 

3. Faster Hip and Low Back Recovery: Childbirth can alter the alignment of the pelvis and sacrum as ligaments loosen to expand the pelvic inlet and outlet for birth. Chiropractic adjustments help make sure the pelvis and sacrum are properly aligned postpartum which reduces any hip or low back pain mothers may experience.

4. Improves the Function of Female Organs: The brain 🧠 sends messages through nerves to the female organs telling them WHAT to do and HOW to recover, so it’s crucial to make sure those nerves are communicating optimally. We use neurological scans to identify WHERE subluxation (nerve interference) is occurring and adjust to remove subluxation so the brain, body, and organs can communicate and heal optimally.

5. Boosts Mood and Resiliency to Stress: Chiropractic care helps reduce the likelihood of postpartum depression or anxiety because it makes sure the neural pathways in the brain are wiring and firing as they should. Adjustments also help shift your autonomic nervous system from "fight or flight" mode to a parasympathetic state which is needed for better sleep, emotional stability, and healing. This is critical for BOTH mom and dad’s mental health during the postpartum season as the stress load runs extremely high. Dad’s of newborns, listen here as Dr. Kyle has a special message just for YOU!

6. Helps the Body Adapt to the Physical Demands of Caring for a Newborn: From all the hunching over parents do feeding 🍼and picking up baby, wearing them in a carrier, rocking them to sleep and changing diapers, mom and dad’s neck, back, and shoulders can really ache. Chiropractic care assures proper nerve tension and communication within the nervous system which helps sore areas heal faster 💫 and have more endurance to keep up with their growing child.

7. Helps Babies Sleep, Eat, and Digest Better: Labor is physically hard on a baby’s head, neck, and shoulders, which can cause issues such as trouble latching and nursing, digestive distress (reflux or constipation), colic, and poor sleep, to name a few. Challenging births can also result in developmental delays when subluxation in their nervous system is not removed. Gentle chiropractic adjustments restore the health of a baby’s nervous system so they grow into a healthy, happy child. Click here to learn warning signs your baby or child may have a dysregulated nervous system.

As you can see, chiropractic care benefits the ENTIRE FAMILY and helps ensure everyone recovers well and stays healthy (physically, emotionally, and developmentally) for years to come.

We are truly honored that we get to care for whole families and see them grow! If you are a new or expecting parent let’s get you feeling your best so you can be healthy and thrive while take care of your children!

✨In our office, we typically see mamas and their baby 7-14 days after birth for postpartum care and baby’s 1st adjustment, but even if you’re past that date chiropractic can still make a huge difference for optimal health and development. We hope to see you and your newest addition at Restore soon! 💞

The 5-5-5 Postpartum Rule

Do you know how to care for the 9 inch wound inside your uterus?

Postpartum - aka the 4th Trimester - is a crucial time not only for snuggling & bonding with your sweet new baby, but also for taking it SLOW and HEALING your body. Pregnancy and birth is hard on your body and the placenta leaves behind an open wound the size of a dinner plate on the inside of your uterus!

Watch this video as Dr. Mckenzie explains the 5-5-5 postpartum guidelines to help you prioritize your healing and recovery postpartum.

Read more about these guidelines here.

Story of Hope: Kersten

Being well-adjusted prior to and throughout your entire pregnancy can make a HUGE difference in the 4th trimester as seen here in Kersten’s story. Kersten not only had to overcome hurdles during her first pregnancy, but she did not have a great postpartum experience either.

When Kersten first came to Restore she remembers being impressed by the doctor's intentionality, care, and focus they placed on her unique journey as a pregnant and postpartum mom. Team members were supportive, inquisitive, and educated her on best practices and additional resources for birth and postpartum care.

Kersten received regular chiropractic adjustments throughout her entire second pregnancy and postpartum journey and noticed a significant difference in her sleep, energy levels, and “bounce back time” postpartum compared to her first postpartum experience without chiropractic care.

"Because of my consistent chiropractic care during pregnancy, I believe my postpartum experience was so much easier than my first time around. I was physically able to "do more", had better quality of sleep, and didn't feel as emotional for extended periods of time like I did in my first pregnancy." - Kersten