Women, Wombs, and Wellness: Resources and Advice on having a Healthy Pregnancy

Read on to learn about how to safely ease physical discomfort, achieve a nutrient-dense diet for two, and discover the benefits of prenatal massage.

Written by: Emma White Montalvo, freelance writer and friend of McCann Family Chiropractic

The process of pregnancy is exciting and a beautiful process to go through! Yet it can sometimes also be a pain in the back- literally. ​

Photo Credit: Pixababy

Luckily, Dr. Matt and his wife Monica of McCann Family Chiropractic offer perinatal chiropractic services at their family practice! There's no need to continue on with back pain when you can instead be enjoying this new stage of life. The McCann's also love to suggest resources to help soon-to-be mom's stay on top of all the physical, dietary, and mental/emotional changes that come along with growing a new human.
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Keep reading to learn about *medically safe and wholesome steps moms can take to ease spine and joint pain, eat healthily for two, and naturally cope with the whirlwind of emotions taking place!

Photo Credit: Alicia Petresc on Unsplash

Physical Wellness during Pregnancy

Chiropractic Care

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Chiropractic care specifically maintains and improves the structural integrity of your spine as well as your central nervous system.

For women experiencing pregnancy, the chiropractic Webster Technique is a safe and gentle way to relieve nerve and muscle pressure caused by a change in center of balance, space limitations with a growing baby, and (normal/expected) weight gain. Special pregnancy pillows and tables with drop away ability are first provided to accommodate your growing belly. Dr. Matt will then gently address any misalignment of the pelvic bones, misalignment of the sacrum and vertebrae, and any round ligament pains that interfere with uterine support and pelvic balance.
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A well-known benefit to the Webster Technique is that the loosening of tight muscles and ligaments in the mom's pelvic area can make the baby's ability to settle into proper birth position easier. Webster adjustments also can decrease the mother's need for high levels of pain medication and intervention during labor.

Dr. Matt is proud to be certified in the Webster Technique and offers this form of chiropractic care to all expectant mothers! ​

You can call the office at 360-657-7183 to learn more information or to schedule an appointment today!

Products to Increase Physical Comfort
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Boppy Pillow Wedge Photo Credit: Flickr

• Your center of gravity is shifting forward and the weight strain of a rapidly growing baby bump can cause excess stress on your lower back and joints. A belly band/girdle support after 28 weeks helps limit excess movement and takes strain off of sore muscles.

• Getting around town as you waddle about can often lead to sore feet and back. Finding a solid pair of comfortable shoes will go a long way to helping you walk easier and keep optimal alignment.​
• Try experimenting with a pregnancy wedge pillow or a body sleep pillow. Extra padding designed specifically to cradle your growing curves helps most women settle into a comfortable sleeping position.
• Concerned about safety while driving? Consider looking into a seat belt adjuster designed to keep the belt off of the abdomen in case of a car crash. Both your mind and body as well as baby will be more at ease and safer should any road incidents occur. ​

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Dietary Wellness during Pregnancy

Seek educational literature about your Baby's Dietary Needs

Real Food for Pregnancy by Lily Nichols RDN, CDE is a favorite McCann go-to resource for mama's at all stages of pregnancy.

Real Food is a wealth of essential knowledge about the realities of eating for two while pregnant, what healthy natural foods are best for both mom and baby, and busting outdated thinking about pregnancy diet fads.

This book is the most comprehensive prenatal diet source out on the market today, utilizing over 930 unique research citations to back up the information within!
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Current circulated pregnancy diet guidelines are designed using outdated beliefs. The continued societal pressure of eating a high carb/low fat diet leads moms in the wrong direction towards a nutrient-deficient diet! Such a backwards diet puts women at risk for gaining too much weight, developing high blood sugar, and having other complications with pregnancy. ​
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Book Cover: "Real Food for Gestational Diabetes" by Lily Nichols

Ensuring that your body is consuming enough nutrient-dense foods ensures the proper amount of nutrients for baby. This is critical for their long term physical and mental development!Essential nutrients include vitamins like choline, vitamin A, vitamin B12, folate, iron, and iodine; minerals including magnesium and potassium; fiber; and a diverse range of antioxidants. Many of these require eating fats in order to be processed by both mom and baby!

To help all moms achieve a wholesome and fulfilling diet, Nichols breaks the book down into three main categories: Defining what "Real Foods" are (whole foods, not processed ones), Creating optimal meal plans for your dietary needs, and making current dietary research as accessible as possible.
Within those three categories of Real Food, readers are provided a full prenatal education on the following health subjects (among many others):
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• "How your nutrient intake affects the development of your baby and risk for complications.

• Misconceptions of conventional prenatal nutrition: optimal macro nutrient intake vs. current recommendations

• Why a vegetarian or vegan diet may not be the best idea during pregnancy (and what nutrients/supplements to consider if you choose a vegetarian diet).

• Prenatal exercise – what’s safe, what’s not, and why moving your body is so important.

• The crucial role of mindfulness and stress management during pregnancy.

• Practical steps to reduce exposure to common toxins."​​

Monica loved all of her pregnancies!

​Lily Nichols also has written a book called Real Food for Gestational Diabetes which was an absolute life saver for Monica McCann when she developed difficult-to-control gestational diabetes with her fourth pregnancy.  Monica took Lily Nichols’ online training program and joined her Facebook support group and received personalized advice from the author.  With a healthy dose of dedication, hard work, and creativity, she was able to stay diet and exercise controlled! 

(Please note: Controlling blood sugar during pregnancy is extremely important and if diet and exercise changes aren’t enough, you should work with your provider to ensure you and your baby are healthy and thriving.)
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Monica loves talking about her pregnancies, births, and the joy of being a new mom.  With regular chiropractic, massage, healthy diet, and exercise she ended up experiencing four relatively easy pregnancies filled with joy and activity!  All four boys were born quickly and “easily” (Monica laughs at this term because NO birth is “easy”… but… yet they were quick and without complication!) at Cascade Midwives and Birth Center in Everett.  The births of her four boys are the most empowering experiences of her life!  
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Exercising Appropriately

Pregnancy guidelines suggest doing light exercise for about 30 minutes a day throughout the duration of pregnancy. Monica loved taking brisk walks, especially in her last pregnancy.  She often walked twice a day which was a wonderful way to get exercise and refresh her mind and body in the beautiful outdoors.  

Monica brought exercise equipment to help keep GD at bay on camping trips!

Other favorite exercise options by moms include: swimming, riding a stationary bike, and doing prenatal yoga. As long as you avoid fast movements and lifting heavy objects, *you should be a-ok to get out and be active!

*always check with your primary care provider when exercising during pregnancy!  Moms need extra support to be sure they are safe and healthy!
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Mental and Emotional Wellness during Pregnancy

Pregnancy can have your hormones throwing emotions all over the place! Sometimes mama's need a bit of extra outside help to take control of their mental and emotional state to experience the joyful side of pregnancy.

Seeking help is empowering!

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Woman Receiving massage. Photo credit: Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

According to Healthline, pursuing **professional support and healing has a success rate of 80-90% for mothers regaining their sense of self! Physical aid such as soft tissue massages also are reported to help reduce mental and emotional stress.

Prenatal massage reduces soreness, tightness, muscle stiffness or spasms, helps control headaches, and aids in injury recovery and rehabilitation. Helping your body physically release tension contributes to stress relief and relaxation in a non-stressful environment.

​McCann Family Chiropractic has 4 lovely licensed massage therapists at the ready to provide prenatal massage in conjunction with the benefits of receiving chiropractic care! 
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Give us a call at 360-657-7183 to schedule a massage along with your next adjustment. ​