A little bit goes a long way

Yesterday marked the 36th week of my pregnancy. It's a little surreal at this point!!  Still feeling a LOT of movement (to the point of being uncomfortable, this kid is beating me up from the inside!), lots of baby hiccups too. No Braxton Hicks yet... which doesn't really bother me I guess, although I'd love to know things are getting closer by feeling some of those common "he's coming" signs! Everything is going really well, and I am grateful that the aches and pains I have felt throughout the pregnancy have been relatively minor. Last week I started waking up every few hours with throbbing hip pain. Felt like someone punched me on the sides of my hips/butt and continued to feel the pain throughout the day. I attributed it to the weight gain and sleeping only on my sides, but after discussing it with my midwife and chiropractor, I remembered that the Relaxin hormone is really kicking in right now and making my joints loose. This means the hips are widening in preparation for birth. I also considered the fact that while a more firm mattress may be very supportive and comfortable when not pregnant, when pregnant, it can put a lot of pressure on your body if you are only sleeping in one position. Thankfully my pregnancy brain allowed me to recall that we had vacuum-sealed an old tempurpedic-ish foam mattress topper and it was stored in the garage. We took it out, put it on the bed, and I have felt 100% improvement in my hip pain since that first night I slept on it. What a blessing to not have to spend any $ and find the solution was right in my home already! THANK G-D!

Around the same time last week I also started noticing a little bit of burning pain in my groin and front of the thighs. I pulled out some differential diagnosis from the inner depths of my distant chiropractic student brain and remembered a fun little disorder called Meralgia Paresthetica (pronounced Mer-al-ja  Pair-ah-stet-ick-ah). A quick google search confirmed my inclination... when you are pregnant (or overweight, or wearing tight pants, or wearing a tight work belt like a police officer or handy man commonly does...) you can cut off or pinch the nerves that run through the groin area and provide normal sensation to the groin and front of the thighs. Hello 9 months pregnant belly and this weird burning painful sensation. So lovely to meet you after all this time. Thankfully, it comes and goes... and it only comes for a few minutes every few days, so I guess I'll just deal until baby arrives and the belly starts to shrink again. Oh week 35, you were not kind to me... week 36 is shaping up much better!

I wanted to share another experience with one particularly common symptom that I, along with many other pregnant women have had to deal with. When I was about 18 weeks pregnant or so, I started noticing some lower back pain. It started on the left side where my hip meets my tail bone and was aggravated by certain movements such as lifting my leg to get out of the car, getting out of bed, and even doing certain types of adjustments on my patients. I couldn't fathom why, after so many years of diligently taking care of myself and my spine, I would be one of the lucky ones to suffer from unrelenting low back pain in pregnancy. I wasn't even that big yet, so I was a little disappointed and disheartened to feel this pain.

I pulled out my notes and resources from school (nerd alert) and started researching the anatomy and physiology of how a woman's body changes through pregnancy. I knew it would make me understand more clearly the changes that were happening to me and hopefully give me a little bit of (mental) relief that although I wasn't comfortable, what I was experiencing was pretty normal.  

Here is a summary of what I found: 

Towards the end of the first trimester and beginning of the second trimester, the mommy-to-be may start to feel changes in her uterus, and even in her spine and pelvic area. These changes become more apparent as the uterus and baby grow.  The uterus has many ligaments that suspend and support it inside the abdomen and connect it to other structures in the body. Two ligaments worth mentioning (and by understanding their function, will help you understand why pregnant women may be feel some low back discomfort) are...

(Ready for your anatomy lesson of the day?!)

1) Utero-sacral ligament: (ligament connecting the uterus and sacrum, aka, tail bone). This ligament extends from the back portion of the uterus, travels around the rectum, and inserts over the middle of the sacrum. This ligament prevents the uterus from displacing anterior and inferior (forward and down).  If the ligaments stretch unevenly, they can cause the sacrum to move out of alignment (low back pain!). If there is enough displacement of the sacrum, the sciatic nerve may become irritated, which causes the burning/shooting pain down the butt and sometimes into the back of the leg. If the sacrum goes out of alignment, it can transmit torsion through the ligaments and cause tension within the uterus (this can cause uterus pain or even a breech, or feet-down positioning of the baby).

2) Round ligament: This ligament extends from the sides of the uterus, travels into the inguinal canal (groin area) where it joins with the inguinal ligament, and inserts in the upper portion of the labia. This ligament prevents the uterus from displacing posterior (backward). Tension of the ligament can increase the tension on the uterus and again create discomfort or even re-positioning of the baby.

Changes in a mommy-to-be's center of gravity, balance, and spinal positioning are common as her uterus and baby grow. It's important to recognize the body releases a hormone called Relaxin in larger amounts throughout her pregnancy. This hormone literally relaxes the joints in preparation for the widening of the pelvic girdle, which will eventually be the area baby exits from if mom decides to have a vaginal birth. Although this hormone is completely natural and normal, it does significantly loosen all the joints. Mom may already start to feel changes in her joints, not only in her pelvis but even other areas as well.  Most commonly because of the additional weight of the baby in the front of the body (creating additional stress on the spine) the pelvic and sacrum joints are more likely to move out of alignment, thus the low back pain and possibly sciatica. 

Once I reviewed all the info and refreshed my memory, it made SO much sense to me as to why getting adjusted by a chiropractor throughout your pregnancy is so beneficial. So... why?! Chiropractors can help by analyzing the spine and adjusting specific areas that are out of alignment. This helps to reduce interference to the nervous system and balance the spine, maternal pelvic muscles, and ligaments.  This in turn can make mommy-to-be's body function better, which will make her feel A LOT better! It will also reduce torsion in the uterus and allow for optimal fetal positioning (head down) in preparation for birth.

I think it is really important not to ignore the signals your body is telling you. Unfortunately, many times people run to the medicine cabinet and want to pop a pill that will make them feel better, but don't necessarily address the underlying issue. It becomes more difficult to do this when pregnant because it will greatly benefit the baby to avoid introducing chemicals into their developing bodies. I would recommend finding a chiropractor in your area that specializes or focuses on prenatal care. You can find a chiropractor at www.ICPA4Kids.org (I'm on there!) and they also have other wonderful pregnancy resources there.

Recognizing what your body needs, whether it's nutritional, emotional, spiritual, or physical is really important. When you take the proper steps to take care of yourself, a little bit goes a long way. It really has for me :-)

Pregnancy is... weird.

I always knew I wanted to be a mom. I have gravitated towards kids my whole life... teaching dance, babysitting, being a camp counselor, working at day care, shall I go on?

I never knew that when I finally made the responsible decision with my husband that we were ready to start "trying" (ie: bye-bye birth control), it would happen so fast. Like within a month fast. Yay for being fertile! Danny likes to think it's mostly because he juices and eats so healthy... sure honey, you have super sperm, add it to your resume :)

Keeping the secret that we were pregnant was HARD! It wasn't a secret for long... soon enough the parents and siblings knew, close friends, relatives... let the opinions begin! Everyone has an opinion when they find out you're pregnant. EVERYONE! They want to know how you're feeling, what you're experiencing. They want to tell you their awesome pregnancy and birth stories. They want to tell you their horrible pregnancy and birth stories that you definitely could have done without. Regardless of my conversations with people and all the (entertaining, silly, ridiculous, informative) blogs I've read, I'm not sure I could have ever really prepared for how my world would change since the 4 EPT tests said POSITIVE ! (Yes, Danny made me take four, just to be sure...)

Now that I'm 34 weeks into this 40 week gig, I'm always a little surprised to hear people say "I LOVED being pregnant." I don't want to sound ungrateful or unhappy that I'm pregnant, because we are extremely happy and excited to meet our son and start a family. I know how lucky we are to have gotten pregnant so quickly and with such little stress, and my pregnancy has been relatively uneventful. BUT, it's very strange to watch your body go through so many changes in such a short amount of time. Physically, physiologically, emotionally, spiritually. Your body is no longer your own. It's amazing when you think about it, but it's also a little crazy. A sperm and an egg meet, multiply, and turn into an embryo, and then a fetus, and then a living breathing baby arrives 10 months later?! What?! I can say I'm enjoying this time. Do I LOVE it? I don't know. Pregnancy is beautiful... but it is also weird.

Many women go their entire lives watching their figure, trying to stay in shape, and then, in the blink of an eye, it's supposed to be ok to watch the scale go up.... and up... and up. It's a very hard thing to digest initially... at least it was for me. Everyone has said, "enjoy this time, it's the only time you shouldn't feel guilty for gaining weight!" But still... it's going to have to come off at some point... so I'll opt out of the 3 slices of chocolate cake/ pint of ice cream every night, thankyouverymuch.  Don't get me wrong, I definitely still indulge in my sweet tooth (and carb tooth, if there is such a thing?!) but I'm trying to be relatively conscious of the decisions I make, not only for my body's sake but for the health of baby Tokar, who obviously will benefit from good nutrition as he grows and develops. I've come to terms with my weight gain and I know because I was healthy and active before and will be after pregnancy, in addition to breast feeding, I'll be just fine. I've also been walking my dog a little bit every day, walking (waddling?) on the treadmill at the gym (enjoying the other people's reaction to my baby bump), using the free-weights here and there, and taking prenatal yoga, which I absolutely love. I think if you try to have a balanced pregnancy, you will feel pretty good about yourself. I know I do.

Other than a few mild "normal" symptoms, this pregnancy has been really uneventful. We had a little scare when I received news around week 13 that I was a carrier for a Jewish genetic disease (Familial Dysautonomia, AKA, Riley Day. Never heard of it? Neither had we...). Thankfully Danny's blood work revealed he was not a carrier, so our chances of the baby having the disease were eliminated. The 2 weeks waiting to find out the results were pretty hellish, but ironically we received the good news on Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. I took it as a good sign, and we were extremely relieved, to say the least... hence the big facebook reveal the same day (I'm so lame)!

My biggest concern as of lately is trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in. The body pillow and the ceiling fan are my best friends. I wake up every few hours to switch sides and relieve the pressure from my bladder and see my husband bundled up like it's the North Pole in our bedroom. It puts a smile on my face as I attempt to fall back asleep before baby boy finds a nice spot to jab under my ribs with his growing feet. He always seems to wake up when I do... I guess I should get used to this altered (lack of!) sleep pattern now...

I know these last few weeks will get a little more uncomfortable and difficult as time inches closer and closer to the big day. All I can say is that overall, I'm extremely grateful for my health. My loving fur babies are pretty intuitive as to what's going on with mom... they always keep me company when I'm laid out on the recliner with a heating pad on my low back, indulging in my favorite reality shows and dramedies at night. My husband, god bless him, has been 150% supportive throughout this entire journey, from me changing from an OB to midwives halfway through my pregnancy, to taking hypnobirth and baby classes with me, to researching the best prices and types of diapers and baby products. Even this morning, as I waddled into the shower, he said, "Wow babe, you are all baby belly! You haven't even gained weight anywhere else!" He shot me his gorgeous smile and kissed me on the cheek after kissing my belly. I mean, I could just melt. My parents and in-laws have been extremely supportive, offering wonderful advice without ever seeming to overstep the boundaries of offering TOO MUCH. My chiro girlfriends (and spouses of my chiro guy friends) have been wonderful at keeping me informed, confident, and grounded throughout this experience. I have two dear friends who live locally that are also expecting their first babies, and it's been really nice to go through this with them and connect on a deeper level. I feel so lucky to have such awesome people in my life!

So while I say, pregnancy is weird, I mean it in the best possible way!  As I sit here and finish up blog post #2, I wish you could see my belly distort into the weirdest shapes. Baby boy sure is active... if I ever wondered what it felt like to have an alien in my belly, this would be it! I can't even begin to describe what I've learned about myself throughout this process but I wouldn't trade it for anything!

My introduction...

Hello! If you're reading my blog, I assume you:

(A) are a friend, family member, or acquaintance
(B) know something about my pregnancy or background and want to know more
(C) are interested in learning more about health, wellness, etc.
(D) ended up here my mistake

If the answer is D, simply click the "X" box in the top right corner because I'm here to share my experiences, thoughts, opinions, and expectations, whether they're congruent with yours or not.  I certainly don't think my blogs will offend anyone, but you may not agree with what I have to say, so here's your chance to get out now!

I have to start by saying that I realize that being a chiropractor and alternative healthcare provider makes me a little different than the "norm" in society.  It is not a path commonly chosen, nor understood. Many people have absolutely no concept of what it is that I do, how much education chiropractors receive, how natural healthcare can help them, etc. No, I didn't receive my degree after a weekend seminar. No, I am not a quack. No, I do not crack your bones and make you addicted to my services FOR-EV-ER. Maybe you or your sister's husband's mother's best friend had a bad experience at a chiropractor, and have written off the entire profession forever. That's unfortunate, because when I don't like a certain office or professional, I find someone else instead. These are the types of things I hear fairly frequently, so if you have any other questions or want to clarify common misconceptions, feel free to ask me so I can explain! Maybe you had an amazing, life-changing experience with a chiropractor? If you have, you need to share your story so people will understand how wonderful a body free of interference can truly be!

I'd like to think the personal experiences I've encountered in chiropractic throughout the last 15 years of my life have opened my eyes and my mind to the possibility that we don't have to accept everything that society deems "normal and common" when it comes to health care. Now that I am expecting, I also have to add that my eyes have been opened to other possibilities, strategies, and schools of thought regarding pregnancy, labor and birth, raising a child, and having a family that values and appreciates health and wellness. Health is NOT the absence of sickness and dis-ease. You don't have to subject yourself to "getting by" on medication to keep you "well" (ie: less sick; masking symptoms, hiding the source of your problem. I liken this to taking the batteries out of a smoke detector... the fire is still there but at least you don't have to hear that horrible beeping noise!). You don't have to deny yourself a higher quality of life. You just have to make an effort to learn different approaches to health and make small changes that can drastically improve the quality of your years and how you spend them!  If you take the proper measures, you can prevent many of the most common ailments that Americans are suffering from in scary record numbers.You can live a healthy, fulfilling, vibrant life. I don't want to be a statistic, and I don't want my family (or friends) to either. That is why I do what I do, and why I decided to start this public forum to share what I know... as well as receive thoughtful feedback.

When I was introduced to chiropractic at the age of 15, I began to experience improvements in my health and quality of life that I had never imagined could be achieved naturally. Severe, debilitating headaches that other heath care "experts" told me I'd have to just deal with started to decrease in frequency and intensity within a few visits to my chiropractor. My immune system seemed to also gain some strength, and the once/month "sick girl" wasn't getting sick anymore. I was inspired and motivated to continue this lifestyle, and to learn more about this career because I knew I wanted to share my experience with other people who could benefit from the results that I was fortunate enough to have.

Ultimately I realized that it was my life's calling to become a chiropractor and help people experience a better quality of life, naturally. I also loved the idea of educating people about chiropractic and health, because so many don't understand what our bodies are truly capable of.

As I began my pregnancy, I knew that I wanted this experience to be special, even enlightening. I also wanted to learn as much as I could about all things baby, labor, and delivery so I could really prepare myself as much as possible. I realize you can never 100% prepare for what labor will feel like or the moment when your baby arrives and is placed into your arms, but with my beliefs and background, I felt it was my due dilligence to take the steps necessary to be an educated and involved mommy-to-be. I never felt it was enough to just ask mommy friends and family for their advice and call it a day. I've read more articles, books, seen more documentaries, had more serious & educated discussions in the past 8 months than I probably have in the past 10 years! I've researched a variety of topics that I felt were important for a new mom to know about... such as how to make your own baby food, safe strollers/car seats, breastfeeding vs. formula, baby wearing, pediatricians, and some more controversial topics like vaccinations and co-sleeping. I've had debates with people on some of these topics, which have been exhilarating and exhausting! I can't imagine bringing our little one home after 10 months of waiting to meet him, and having only taken the time to get through "What to Expect When You're Expecting" and then just winging it...! I certainly have not and will not ONLY take the advice of medical doctors either. No thanks. That's not enough for me. It shouldn't be for any mom.

I have received a wide range of responses when it comes to some of the things I am doing to prepare for being a mom, as well as the type of birth and lifestyle I want for my son. From the encouragement of loved ones to the rolling eyes of incredulous friends, this journey has tested my strength and confidence in my beliefs, yet empowered me as a woman and soon-to-be mom that I am doing all of the right things, no matter who agrees with me or thinks I'm crazy. At the end of the day, I am grateful for the opportunity to have a fantastic husband, caring family, and circle of friends and colleagues who support me on my journey into motherhood.  Even more so, I am grateful to have the insight into knowing that by making thoughtful decisions, reading, educating myself, and not giving in to whatever the media, government, and medical world tells me to do in regards to raising my child, my action, not my complacency, will forever positively affect the life of my son and my family.

In future posts, I look forward to sharing more about the Hypnobirth series of classes I recently took, as well as sharing my birth story, and what is sure to be my many adventures as a new mom.

Thanks for reading :)