​The 4th trimester is a phrase used for the postpartum period until your baby is about 3 months old. This is a time where mamas are getting used to being new moms and getting into the groove of having a new life that depends on them every minute of the day. With all of this excitement of welcoming in a new life can also come some hard time of stress, little sleep, and aches and pains. Moms out there need to know they are not alone and everyone goes through the 4th trimester (in all different ways) and still need love and a support system to get them through it. 

​The demands of your body have now changed from feeding and nurturing the baby in utero to now carrying and caring for this baby in the real world which can put a lot of stress on the body. You can thank your body for the hormone Relaxin as it helps most mamas have a relaxed pelvis and cervix during birth but this hormone is rolling through the body till about 6 months postpartum so this helps your body heal from the incredibly amazing experience of child birth you just went through. However, the sleepless nights, countless hours of holding baby and still taking care of your family can take a toll on your body so make sure to let your parents, friends, family and whoever is wanting to help, help you out with small chores to make your life easier.
 
Breastfeeding and caring for a new baby can be difficult on your body. If you are nursing your baby, your body has to not only hold the baby up and use muscles in your arms that you might not have ever known were there but you also change the way you sit while nursing. Mamas have a tendency to slouch forward to help get a clear view of their baby and the most important thing is to be comfortable with your baby so there is no need to focus solely on your posture but to be aware of it after breastfeeding so we can help stabilize those back muscle so we don’t cause tension in the neck, shoulders, and back. One good way to help with this and still get to look at the wonderful life you just created is to bring baby up to you or support them with a nursing pillow. We will be publishing another blog about exercises to do during this time period so don't fret. 

Having a baby, no matter how prepared you might be, is going to shake your world up but I promise you will see it is in a good way!! Wether you are a first time mom or a pro at the whole parenting world, you can still have emotions running through you, some good, some bad throughout the whole 4th trimester and even after. This is a time where you cannot forget about yourself. You need to take time for yourself, take care of yourself, let people help you so you can get just 30 minutes of sleep because your body will thank you! As a chiropractor I see not only the physical demand it takes to be a parent but the emotional demand. Moms are exhausted  and to add emotions in the mix can really cause a lot of tension in their shoulders, neck and back. This is why it is important to not forget about your chiropractor during this time because we can help decrease joint restrictions in the pelvis, back, and neck as well as evaluate your baby to help with some stressful things like latching and sleeping.
 
A lot of moms want to be the perfect mom out there when in reality you don’t have to be perfect; babies don’t need perfect; they just need you to be you, the loving mom they had nurturing them in utero and now in the flesh!!  DO NOT forget that you are all they need in these first years of life… no special gadgets, no special toys, no special feeding utensils.. just YOU.

​Every pregnancy, birth, postpartum period and baby are different. Just make sure that you are taking care of yourself. Take time to exercise or spend time with a friend or do activities that you might not of been able to do during pregnancy.  If you feel overwhelmed, ask for help… remember most people would drop their whole day to help you snuggle and care for a new baby… it a blessing for most people to just be there to hold your baby so you can take a shower or go to the bathroom in peace. 

​Increased milk supply
Better hormonal balance
Increased energy levels
Less stress and anxiety
Better sleep
Improved immune and nervous system function
 
Bottom line is parenting can place a physical and emotional demand on your body but you have a team of family, friends, and providers waiting to help you get through this 4th trimester. Don’t wait to see your chiropractor because they can help you feel back to normal and live a healthy and happy life with your new little one.
 
YOU GOT THIS MAMAS! 

​For simple terms, a diastasis is a gap in the muscles of your stomach that causes a protruding belly. It is also a gap of more than 2.7 centimeters between these belly muscles. If you are doing a finger width gap test you are able to tell if you have a diastasis by having a width of 2-3 fingers in the gap. 

​During pregnancy, the uterus grows and stretches the muscles in the belly. Specifically it starts to stretch a band of connective tissue called the linea alba in response to hormone change during this uterus growth. This can cause the two bands of muscles that meet in the middle of the belly to separate —this might cause a bulge in the middle of the abdomen where the two muscles separate causing us ladies to think we have a “pooch.” 

You might be thinking well I am not pregnant anymore and my hormones are back to normal why is this still an issue? This is the hard part about a diastasis, it is not all about hormonal changes, yes, the hormones start to balance out in our postpartum period but sometimes the linea alba gets stretched out too thin that is loses it bounce back and is harder to get back to the pre-pregnancy state. Think of a hair tie that has been stretched out over and over… over time you see the hair tie stretched out because it lost all of its elasticity, however it is still a hair tie and functions but not as optimal. This is why it is important to get checked by your primary care provider, chiropractor, or women’s health physical therapist so we can help regain that core and allow for the stomach to function at its best.
 
It might not be all about the hormone change and the over stretching and might just be about your typical daily movements or simply your body type and anatomy. Some things that plays a part in developing a diastasis are:
 

• If you had one from a previous pregnancy, you are more likely to develop one with your next pregnancy (if not properly treated)
• Are of smaller stature and petite
• Have pelvic instability
• Have a weak core 

During your pregnancy and after pregnancy, there are everyday activities that can be modified to prevent your core from being in a vulnerable state. One way you can help prevent is when picking up anything off the floor that might be heavy like a baby or boxes, you want to make sure you are using your legs to help you support the weight. You want to make sure you are squatting to pick up instead of bending down with a straight back and knees causing your core and low back to be vulnerable. Another way you can help prevent is when getting off the couch or out of bed is to try your best to not do a sit up type motion and twist your body to get out of bed. The best way to get out of bed is to roll onto your side, then use your arms for support on your side to push your body up to a sitting position then get up to a standing position. 

​If you are pregnant or in your postpartum period and think you may have a diastasis or want to get checked seek out a health care provider like your chiropractor to help assist you in diagnosing and treating your diastasis. Both Dr. Ali and Dr. Kayla (me) can assess you after pregnancy and help you with proper form with movements and healing as well as what to avoid if you have a diastasis! You can also check out our new Facebook group linked at the bottom of the page that is geared towards helping and empowering women throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period. 

 Heartburn is that not so fun sensation felt in the upper chest that is a burning or gnawing type pain. If you experience heartburn I am sure you are already saying to yourself that heartburn is your worst enemy… well look no further because here is some reasoning behind what causes heartburn especially during pregnancy and how to help diminish the symptoms!! 
 
How to know if you might be experiencing heartburn 
Here are just a few symptoms you might feel if you have heartburn 

• Feeling warmth or heat in chest 
• Burning sensation in your chest 
• Bitter or acidic taste in mouth 
• Pain that is worse when lying down 

​The hormone progesterone which has high secretions during pregnancy to support baby and all processes in the body happening during pregnancy can have an effect on the sphincter in your esophagus (throat). The hormone causes relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter who’s role in the body stops food from flowing in the wrong direct. However, if it cannot do its job as well because progesterone is telling it to relax, this causes heartburn and reflux because stomach content gets backed up into the esophagus. 

​Heartburn is most common to be experienced in the third trimester as baby is growing in the uterus. The growing uterus starts to put pressure on the stomach and the intestines causing stomach contents to push back up into the throat which causes reflux and heartburn. 

​Did you think I would leave out chiropractic… no way!! Chiropractic during pregnancy is completely safe and very beneficial. We are able to help you with digestion while working with the spine and nervous system to allow the parasympathetic nervous system to do its job!! Certain adjustments geared towards relaxing the diaphragm can help with the valves in your esophagus to help with reflux and heartburn. 

​Let’s first talk about the simple truth about grains… grains are an important source of nutrients like fiber, B vitamins, and minerals like magnesium, iron, and selenium. But now you’re going to laugh when I say but grains aren’t necessarily good for you. When I say this I mean certain types of grains which we will talk about later specifically refined grains. For now let’s talk positive and talk about what are the good grains out there!

​When thinking about your diet and it including grains you should think about what kind of grains you are going to fill a portion of your plate up with. You want the grains that have nutritional value and good health benefits like aiding in digestion, helping lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and helping with weight loss.  These healthier grains include grains that fall under the “Ancient or Heritage grain” category which are grains like quinoa, amaranth, barley, teff, millet, and sorghum.
 
The reasons why these are considered “good grains” is because they are grains that are not genetically modified or are unaltered in the planting and growing process. These grains are not only high in minerals and vitamins, they are rich in omega-3's which is a healthy type of fat we want in our diets.
 
The real question it comes down to… does “good grains” mean that they are what should only be in your diet? NO. We love to say the phrase “moderation is key,” this fits this topic… we don’t want to fill our diet with all grains because there are other foods that are rich in vitamins and necessary fats and minerals. This includes good fats like lean meats and fish as well as leafy green vegetables.
 
The reason behind the satisfaction of grains is that they expand once they hit the stomach which then gives you a feeling of fullness even though the body has not reached its adequate nutrient load so it is very important to have moderation with grains so you are able to optimally receive nutrients. 

We already know in life that if there is a classification of “good” there is also a classification of “bad” which leads us to talk about the grains that are not necessarily terrible for you but they just aren’t bursting with nutritional value. The most common ones to try and avoid are corn, rice, and wheat. You might think well those are all my favorite foods and that is because most processed foods are filled with these grains that add no nutritional value. The main thing we see today is that people who primarily eat these grains have issues with vitamin B12 deficiencies. 

Let’s first talk about what the Webster Technique is!! The technique is a way to check the bones, ligaments and muscles of the pelvis for any imbalances/restrictions. Since your ligaments are looser than normal, you can thank the hormone Relaxin for that, and you have a new life living and growing in your uterus, it can become a lot easier for your joints and muscles to go out of whack on you. This is why we use the Webster Technique on ALL of our pregnant mommas, whether you have low back pain, pubic pain, sciatica, and/or a mal-positioned baby which is a baby that is not head down. 

​The eustachian tubes in kiddos are more horizontally placed in the ear canal than adults (more vertical). This allows for things like bacteria and breast milk to get stuck in the canal and cause a bacterial infection called otitis media, a fancy name for middle ear infection. This is why if you have seen me in the office I always stress about how to correctly breastfeed/bottle feed a baby. It is important that we feed our babies at an angle so that there is a smaller chance for bacteria to get trapped and build up causing recurrent infections. However, anatomy can only explain one part of ear infections.