Congrats! If you’re reading this you probably just met your little one or you’re counting down those final few weeks of pregnancy. At some point in that process you’re going to wonder what happens now, does chiropractic care continue? Do you just call us again next time you’re pregnant?!
In this blog and video we’re going to answer the 2 main questions we get after baby arrives!
The first question moms typically have is this: “How soon can I come back in to get adjusted after giving birth?” Thankfully, there is no mandatory waiting period! You can get adjusted just a few hours after birth, so feel free to stop by on the way home from the hospital or midwife center! Depending on what the birth process looks like (c-section, tearing, etc) we will use different techniques, not have you lay on your stomach, or do whatever else is needed to comfortably provide relief.
We encourage you to make it back in to get adjusted within the first 1-2 weeks after birth. The sooner the better, as this is a unique opportunity to set your body on the path to healing. At this point you’re still dealing with hormonal changes that loosen ligaments and give you less stability, but you no longer have the physical strain of being pregnant. This allows us to more easily make changes and make sure you have the right foundation of health moving forward into postpartum life and beyond!
Speaking of the baby, that is the next key question that parents have: “Why might a newborn need to see a chiropractor?” Most people don’t think about this, but birth is quite a stressful event for a newborn! Even if everything goes smoothly it is a big day for the little one, let alone if birth interventions like vacuum extraction, forceps, c-section, or hands pulling at the head and neck are utilized. All of that physical trauma can damage the newborn’s sensitive upper neck and brainstem. Pediatric chiropractic adjustments to undo that stress are nothing more than a gentle sustained pressure, not a quick or forceful input! Babies often sleep their way through the whole process.
While we encourage parents to bring a baby in to get checked even if there are no problems and they just want optimal wellness, there are a lot of struggles that we see improve with care at Thrive. Poor sleep, colic, reflux, constipation, nursing problems, torticollis, and stiffness/arching are just a few of them! Check out the referral pad picture here to see more examples of birth indicators or other challenges that providers use to know when a child should see a pediatric chiropractor.
And don’t forget – there’s no charge for the initial scan for any baby when we took care of the mom during her pregnancy! It’s our thank-you for letting us be a part of that amazing journey.
Congrats again and don’t hesitate to reach out with any specific questions!
-Dr. Andrew & the THRIVE team