Another Piggyback? Parenting and Your Spine
By Krista Elliott
When we think about parenthood's effects on our spine, we might first think of pregnancy and childbirth. And make no mistake — those particular events can do a serious number on your joints (separated pelvis, anybody?) But, the wear and tear on your joints and spine doesn't end when you get handed your newborn baby. In fact, it's really just beginning.
And yes, this is why they make kids so cute and lovable: To make up for everything they put us through.
So why is parenting so hard on your spine?
Nine Pillows? No, I Need More - Ah, nursing. There is something so primally beautiful and satisfying about nourishing your child from your own body. It's so lovely to look down at them, suckling away contentedly, with their eyes gazing up at you with so much love and trust. What's not lovely? The agony in your back from hunching over trying to get a decent latch because you don't dare shift position and risk messing everything up. Plus, the baby just fell asleep, and if you move, he might NEVER SLEEP AGAIN.
"Daddy! UP!!!!!! NO!!! DOWN!!!" - Up, down, up, down. Life with a toddler or preschooler means having to eat breakfast, answer emails, or go to the bathroom with a 30-pound child wriggling in your arms like a caffeinated trout. The best part is when you go to pick them up, and they hook their arms around your neck and suddenly become dead weight, causing you to overbalance head-first and almost fall on them.
The Joys of Carseats - Carseats are a wonderful invention that have undoubtedly saved the lives of countless little ones. So why is your kid arching away from it as though it's an iron maiden (the torture device, not the heavy metal group)? Your back is aching as you try desperately to get your kid to just bend at the waist enough that you can latch them in, but they remain impressively unpliable.
All of these fun-filled parental activities can result not only in frazzled nerves and new gray hairs, but in subluxations, pulled muscles, herniated discs, and other back and joint injuries. And as tiring as parenting can be, if you're parenting while injured? Hoo boy. That's a whole different ball of wax.
How Chiropractic Helps
First of all, by receiving regular chiropractic care from the professionals at The Joint Chiropractic, you're actually taking time for yourself and your needs, which is vital to your emotional health (and the length of your fuse).
Second, careful and customized adjustments can provide significant relief from back pain, especially the kind of lower back pain that often results from all the lifting and lugging you've been doing. An added benefit? The treatment is completely natural and drug-free, which is a bonus for nursing mothers as they don't have to worry about any effect on their milk.
And when you schedule regular chiropractic treatments, you're ensuring that your back and joints are in their best possible condition, helping you better withstand the rigors of parenthood and helping you feel your best.
So get in touch with The Joint today and let us give your back and joints some TLC with our no-appointment, no-insurance policies. No sippy-cups required.