How Childbirth Affects Mom and Baby

It seems obvious to state that birth has a profound impact on all involved. Your baby is entering the real world for the first time, and you are welcoming a new life. But in addition to these obvious changes, there is a lot happening to your body as a result of the experience, and there is a lot happening to your baby’s body. While most women expect it to take time to heal after giving birth, they may not realize the extent of the changes occurring and that it involves not just your stomach, but your spine and the surrounding soft tissue. Similarly, the birth process can be traumatic for a new baby, impacting their body far more than many realize.

Even with the most peaceful and natural birth experience, there can be lingering birth trauma in both mother and baby that can be eased by a skilled chiropractor at Vitality Precision Chiropractic.

 

How Mom Is Impacted

Pregnancy itself leads to a number of changes in a woman’s body, which is how it is able to grow, nourish, and birth a baby. As the uterus grows and Mom gains weight, the rest of the body has to make changes that accommodate this. Ligaments loosen in order to add flexibility to the musculoskeletal system and to support the growing uterus. Additionally, the lumbar spine shifts to allow for increased curvature, which balances the weight of the expanded abdomen and helps with the shifting center of gravity.

 

Once the baby is born, Mom’s body begins working to return to its natural state. This includes ligaments becoming more stable and the spine returning to a straighter posture. During this process, Mom may feel some additional discomfort as the body changes. Regular visits to a Rochester Hills chiropractor can help ease this pain and encourage the body to achieve proper alignment and balance once again.

 

How Baby Is Impacted

In the United States today, there is a heavily medicalized view of childbirth, with regular use of interventions. In some cases, these interventions can be lifesaving, but all too often, they are instead used when they aren’t necessary. This can lead to both short-term and long-term health issues for infants, including an increased instance of spinal trauma that results from the birth process, along with subsequent issues related to spinal misalignments.

 

Spinal cord damage, brain stem injuries, and spinal misalignments are all possible outcomes of the birthing process in general. Most newborns have a spinal misalignment of some sort when they are born. This risk increases when interventions are used and cause stress and hyperextension of the spine.

 

Chiropractic Care After Birth

Both mom and baby’s spines needs to heal after childbirth, and both can be encouraged to do so by visiting a Rochester Hills chiropractor. At Vitality Precision Chiropractic, Dr. Thomas Madigan and Dr. Brendan Shanahan work with new mothers and infants to gently adjust the spine and help the body acclimate to its new life. You can book an consultation for both you and your child today and begin healing and growing together!