Post-Partum

Delivery can be the most traumatic thing that has happened to many women.  And whether that process was natural and magical or a sudden surgery and not at all what you expected, your body has had some huge forces placed upon it.  If not corrected soon after the birth process, these can have long reaching consequences.

You may have experienced back pain during your pregnancy.  This may have been because the hormone relaxin (which causes the ligaments to relax) had allowed your pelvic bones to shift ever so slightly.  If this shift is not corrected, those changes can become much harder to remove because relaxin will not be released after the pregnancy concludes.  The ligaments then tighten, holding the bones firmly in their altered location.  This can result in intermittent to constant lower back pain.  Relaxed ligaments can also cause gall bladder issues after pregnancy and other symptoms than can be treated osteopathically.

During the babies travel into the birth canal, the baby will pass right in front of the mother’s sacrum.  In some cases, either due to failure to progress, or other difficulties, the sacrum can be “dragged” downward toward the mother’s feet.  Because there is an anatomical connection (via the dura) with the cranium (the head), this can cause headaches or neck tension/pain during or after the delivery.  This can also be easily treated with osteopathy.

These are certainly not the only things that can happen after a delivery.  C-section scars, appesiotomy scars, post partum depression, aches and pains that were not there prior to pregnancy…all can be helped with osteopathic treatment.

If you are choosing to breast feed (and it is a very good thing to do for your child’s proper development and your recovery from the delivery) then you may need treatment to help your body make enough milk.  This treatment is gentle and non-invasive.  It can help with milk let down, milk supply, and mastitis (both prevention and treatment).  I even recommend bringing your partner to your visit and I will be happy to teach them how to do this as well.