60 days postpartum
Birthing is a phenomenal experience. Overwhelming pain and overwhelming joy that simply can’t be explained with mere words! After birth, women often find themselves vulnerable. Both on a physical and mental level. What we don’t talk about in society is the amount of changes that a woman undergoes during the extensive period after labor. AND especially how long it takes for the body to recover. Full body and mind recovery can take anywhere from three months to a year - or even more, in some cases - this number varies upon each individual, each experience and each woman.
Usually, it takes up to three months for a mother to adjust to her new phase of motherhood, to ensure a smooth breastfeeding process and start getting back to her pre-pregnancy shape. However, considering the extreme amount of pressure the body has faced, it’s crucial for postpartum mothers to constantly and continuously monitor their mental and physical health, as there are possible challenges.
During the first 60 days postpartum period, one of the most commonly faced, but undermined misconceptions, is breastfeeding. Many think that breastfeeding is a natural process when a mother-to-be starts conceiving. Most women worry about labor and getting back in shape, but they don’t do much research on the matter of breastfeeding itself. Thoughts are, they nurse, milk spills. Done deal. Sadly, that’s not the case.
Breastfeeding is a fragile mechanism that depends on many factors. Especially the mental and physical state of a mother. It’s essential that women have plenty of food and water during these times, feel safe, supported and comfortable and spends plenty of time with their newborn baby.
If you are having trouble breastfeeding, there are many providers who can support you! A lactation consultant, a postpartum doula, a chiropractor and so many more people are in your village to help.
We know that a newborn baby requires a lot of care and attention: lifting, carrying, rocking - all of which can actually influence the mothers’ bones and joints. Especially after they’ve overcome the huge pressure during pregnancy and labor. To be on top of their health, a mother should always listen to the signals their bodies send to them. Whenever any discomfort arises, do not take it lightly and always get a medical checkup. It’s definitely an alarm for you to fix and prevent before it gets any worse.
Pelvic Floor
Focus on your pelvic floor - a group of muscles that hold our pelvic organs in their places (uterus, bladder, valine, small bowel, and rectum). They struggle a lot during and after labor: the muscles are weakened by labor, birth and the relaxin hormone and pelvic organs risk prolapse. It can lead to urinary problems, backache, painful intercourse, etc. Whenever you feel any of these symptoms, you’re highly advised to seek a specialist for treatments. Luckily, there are plenty of exercises and techniques that can strengthen pelvic floor muscles and return confidence and comfort to women. Chiropractic adjustments being one of them! As chiropractors, we can help you relieve the discomfort and teach you how to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. There are also specialty instructors through BirthFit who are certified and trained to support a woman’s body postpartum with intentionally designed programs. Dr. Padilla is one of the only BirthFit Leaders and the only BirthFit Coach in Northeast Florida.
Symphysis Dysfunction
Some women can also experience pubic symphysis dysfunction. The pubic symphysis is a joint that keeps two bones of the pelvic together. Normally, it’s limited and mobility keeps our pelvic stable, but in labor, under the influence of hormones and in order to facilitate space for a baby it can become very relaxed and cause instability in the pelvic area. It may cause a lot of discomfort to women and limit their activity. Chiropractic care can help fix this problem and bring relief. By doing gentle adjustments, we can help boost the healing of the pelvic functions.
Diastasis recti abdominis
If you feel pain in your lower stomach or any other discomfort in your abdominal area, it may be a sign for you to check yourself on diastasis recti abdominus. Diastasis recti is a connective tissue between our “six-pack”. It got stretched during pregnancy, as expected, by the growing baby and uterus, and normally, it can take up to a month post partum for your uterus to shrink back to its normal size. But if after a month you still feel the gap in your stomach and feel discomfort, this is a sign to do some extra care to your body. Diastasis recti abdominus often comes with other complications, including weakened pelvic floor, symphysis disjunction, and overall weak state of a newborn mother. It’s essential to visit a specialized chiropractor who can see the roots of the problem and give you individual care and tips on how to boost your healing process.
Chiropractic care
Most women are eager to go back to their “normal” shape by pushing themselves to hardcore workout exercises that can actually worsen the above-mentioned dysfunctions (in case the woman has them). Unfortunately, there is no healthy and fast way to your pre-pregnancy body. To win a long-term battle, a newborn mom should be gentle to herself, listen and feel her body and adapt techniques and exercises to her individual situation.
Chiropractic care, good nutrition, plenty of drinks, and time spent with the baby are the best way to speed up the recovery and heal the mind and body of a newborn mom.
Dr. Cristina Padilla Bravo | Mobile Family Chiropractor in Jacksonville, FL
Dr. Padilla’s practice focuses on expecting mothers, babies, and children, creating a supportive and educational space for women and their families. She is certified in BIRTHFIT training, designed specifically to assist women in their motherhood transition.
Thrive Family Chiropractic, LLC was founded by Dr Padilla in the fall of 2017 with the idea that Chiropractic care should be convenient and accessible to all, with a focus on facilitating care for families, women during pregnancy and children. Throughout her years of practice, Dr Padilla has seen how challenging it can be for families to incorporate Chiropractic into their lifestyles and make it a priority rather than a luxury. With this thought in mind, Dr Padilla wants to provide the best, most personalized and individualized Chiropractic care to women during pregnancy and to children of all ages, to help improve their lifestyle, prevent chronic illness and allow them to express their full potential in life, sports, school.
Call (904) 437-4546 today for a complimentary consultation and to schedule an appointment in the office or at home!