Pregnancy Massage-Touch for the Mom-to-be

Touch for the Mom-To-Be By Shirley Vanderbilt Originally published in Body Sense magazine, Fall 2002.Forwarded by Chelsea Brausen of Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson Drive, 403-347-3261 www.family1stchiro.ca 

Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. All rights reserved.

Pregnancy is a beautiful and natural condition -- nine transformative months full of excitement, planning and peering at the awesome unfolding of life. But this transformation also brings inevitable side effects, sometimes making a woman feel like her body has been taken over by an alien force. In the early months, there are mood swings from ecstasy to unpredictable crying, in later months, there are aches and pains more common to the domain of the elderly. Physical changes, such as nausea, back pain, heartburn, raging hormones, breast pain, and swollen legs and ankles affect many women during this time. But you don't have to suffer in silence. The gentle, noninvasive approach of pregnancy massage can ease your discomfort, help you prepare for labor and give you the emotional support of a caring practitioner. Massage sessions can also bring back a sense of body-mind integration, putting you into a state of relaxation and calm acceptance of your continually evolving physical form.

According to Lynne Daize, with the National Association of Pregnancy Massage Therapy, training for this specialty includes learning specific techniques for each trimester, as well as those required for labor and postpartum massage. A certified pregnancy massage therapist is well-acquainted with the physical and hormonal effects of pregnancy and has the skills to counterbalance these changes. You'll find the therapist uses a lighter touch and concentrates on those areas most vulnerable to changes in your body. She will also give you deep breathing exercises and tips on how to improve your posture to adjust to the added weight and shifting center of gravity.

Massage has many scientifically proven health benefits such as stimulating the blood and lymph systems, thereby increasing immunity and removal of toxins, stabilizing hormonal levels, and adding tone and flexibility to muscles -- all of which enhance the health of both you and your baby. As pregnancy progresses, your body adjusts to a changing alignment caused by the baby's increasing weight. This puts strain on your back and legs and increases stress on weight-bearing joints. Massage increases flexibility, enhancing the ability to carry this extra weight while also relieving aches and pains, leg cramps and muscle spasms. The effects of relaxation and tension release add to improvement in the physical state of muscles and joints, and assist in balancing emotions.

Recent studies from the Touch Research Institute (TRI) in Miami, Fla., indicates that pregnancy massage provides more than just symptom relief for the mother. A group of 26 pregnant women were given either massage or relaxation therapy during a five-week study. In addition to experiencing a reduction in symptoms of anxiety, stress, sleep problems and back pain, the massage group had fewer complications in their delivery. Their newborns also had fewer postnatal complications. Another TRI study reported massage during labor resulted in shorter labor times for the mothers, shorter hospital stays and less postpartum depression.

Obstetrician Bonita Kolrud of Westside Women's Care in Wheat Ridge, Colo., is an avid proponent of bodywork, although she cautions women to make sure their therapist is experienced with pregnancy massage. Kolrud praises the physical benefits of massage, noting it relieves tension and pain caused by changes in body alignment. "The biggest thing is so many women still look at massage as a luxury. But it has so many physical health benefits and is more of a necessity for some patients. Emotionally, it's really beneficial for women to be touched when they're pregnant. I think a lot of pregnant women don't necessarily get as much physical touching as they would like. It's a very nurturing thing having someone taking care of you, and it's a great bonding experience with the baby when you're both receiving massage."

More Business of Being born, a great success

Thanks for the successful event More Business of Being Born

On Behalf of Dr Joelle Johnson and the staff at Family First Chiropractic we would like to say a huge thank you for all of your support before and during the event.  Without wonderful local vendors we would not have been able to make More Business of Being Born such a huge success.  We had a wonderful turn out and it was because of all the fabulous people that helped to promote our event.  Thanks for all of the generous donations that flooded in for the door prizes and swag bags. 

Sincere Regards,

Dr Joelle Johnson and the Family First Chiropractic Staff.

Hosted by Family First Chiropractic and Wellness 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer 403-347-3261.This follow up movie to the Business of Being born is a must see for anyone thinking of having a baby.

The movie Explore Your Options: Doulas, Birth Centers & C-Sections is a follow up to the first movie.... The most comprehensive and educational DVD in the series, Explore Your Options offers birth-planning guidance around key topics such as the role of doulas (labor support specialists,) the advantages of birth centers and the alarming escalation of cesarean sections in the United States and Brazil. Epstein and Lake talk to doulas about why their profession is currently booming and uncover why having a good doula can make-or-break the entire birth experience. They look at the ever-growing rates of inductions and c-sections, which have reached 50% in many US hospitals and more than 99% in some private hospitals in Brazil. How “safe” are these cesarean surgeries, and what are the health implications for the mothers and babies? Explore Your Options examines the pros and cons of birth centers, described as a perfect middle ground between home and hospital. Special features include Alanis Morissette and Alyson Hannigan on the advantages of doulas, Christy Turlington Burns on her unexpected complications at a birth center, Molly Ringwald on how she avoided a cesarean birth with her twins and Gisele Bundchen and Michelle Alves on the cesarean epidemic in their native Brazil. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJTN88Zv0_M
In order to keep noise to a minimum, we have requested that parents attending the event find alternate child care for thier older children. This way we can assure noise levels will be kept to a minimum.
NEWBORN NURSING INFANTS ARE WELCOME

Booths that will be at this great event are:
Family First Chirippractic and Wellness, Uppy Mama, Jo Dumont Fitness, Itty Bitty Baby Company, The Bra Lounge, Green Bottoms, Pure & Simple, Mom's Town, The Green Clinic, Ask 4 Acupuncture, Essential Oils, Comfort Keepers, Happy Hypnobabies, The Breathing Room, Billings Method, Pure Earth Organics, Sweet Bliss Creations, Birth Without Fear, Teensy Tooth, Beautiful Birth, Avena Originals, La Leche League, Deanna Hall Photograghy, Red Deer Doula Association, VBAC society, Vaccination services, Mommy Connections, Knowledge First Finacial, Pregnancy

A Fathers Homebirth story #6

Home Births Part 6 – In late January, 2008 our third son was born on a cold winter night in the warmth of a small kiddie pool in our basement. Our midwives braved the cold and snow that day and Marshall was born without incident with their assistance. We were completely comfortable with a home birth by the third child. The care given by our midwives was superb and professional and we thank them for making those experiences memorable.
 I have not had the experience of having a child born in the hospital so I really cannot comment on a hospital birth. What I can say is that having our sons born at home in a pool with the assistance of our midwives were experiences that I will never forget and that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. I would recommend a home birth to anyone is pondering that option. Other options include a midwife assisted birth at the hospital and/or the support of a doula.
I am proud to say that our sons were born at home.
Written by Lyle Johnson B. Comm and father if 3 boys
Family First Chiropractic and Wellness 142 Erickson, Dr, Red Deer, Alberta T4R 2X3
403.347.3261
www.family1stchiro.ca

A Dad's birth perspective, part 5

Home Births Part 5 – Two years after our first son was born, we had moved from our small, cozy home to a home large enough for our second child due one month later in June, 2005. There was no doubt that we wanted to use a midwife and have this baby born in our new home.  I felt completely comfortable with a natural midwife assisted home birth and now I could not imagine going to a hospital for this birth. However, I did learn that each pregnancy is different for which the baby and his mother received plenty of professional pre-natal care. Food cravings and aversions to certain smells by the mother are different for each pregnancy. Each baby carries differently causing their mother discomfort at different times during the pregnancy. Regular chiropractic treatments definitely help to alleviate the discomfort as well as position the baby well for an optimal birth.

Laboring prior to the birth of our second child was not as intense as the first birth but still a lot of work for mum. When Adam was delivered in a water birth on June 25^th, 2005, he came out so fast that his mother did not realize that she had just delivered our second son. The midwives were fantastic throughout the pregnancy labor and delivery. I really can’t imagine any better care than what we received.
Lyle JohnsonB. Comm  is a father of 3 and husband to Dr. Joelle Johnson of Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 erickson Dr. 403.347.3261 www.family1stchiro.ca

MORE BUSINESS OF BEING BORN SCREENING Jan 7, 2012 FREE!

Hosted by Family First Chiropractic and Wellness 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer 403-347-3261.This follow up movie to the Business of Being born is a must see for anyone thinking of having a baby.

The movie Explore Your Options: Doulas, Birth Centers & C-Sections is a follow up to the first movie.... The most comprehensive and educational DVD in the series, Explore Your Options offers birth-planning guidance around key topics such as the role of doulas (labor support specialists,) the advantages of birth centers and the alarming escalation of cesarean sections in the United States and Brazil. Epstein and Lake talk to doulas about why their profession is currently booming and uncover why having a good doula can make-or-break the entire birth experience. They look at the ever-growing rates of inductions and c-sections, which have reached 50% in many US hospitals and more than 99% in some private hospitals in Brazil. How “safe” are these cesarean surgeries, and what are the health implications for the mothers and babies? Explore Your Options examines the pros and cons of birth centers, described as a perfect middle ground between home and hospital. Special features include Alanis Morissette and Alyson Hannigan on the advantages of doulas, Christy Turlington Burns on her unexpected complications at a birth center, Molly Ringwald on how she avoided a cesarean birth with her twins and Gisele Bundchen and Michelle Alves on the cesarean epidemic in their native Brazil. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJTN88Zv0_M
In order to keep noise to a minimum, we have requested that parents attending the event find alternate child care for thier older children. This way we can assure noise levels will be kept to a minimum.
NEWBORN NURSING INFANTS ARE WELCOME

Booths that will be at this great event are:
Family First Chirippractic and Wellness, Uppy Mama, Jo Dumont Fitness, Itty Bitty Baby Company, The Bra Lounge, Green Bottoms, Pure & Simple, Mom's Town, The Green Clinic, Ask 4 Acupuncture, Essential Oils, Comfort Keepers, Happy Hypnobabies, The Breathing Room, Billings Method, Pure Earth Organics, Sweet Bliss Creations, Birth Without Fear, Teensy Tooth, Beautiful Birth, Avena Originals, La Leche League, Deanna Hall Photograghy, Red Deer Doula Association, VBAC society, Vaccination services, Mommy Connections, Knowledge First Finacial, Pregnancy Care Center, and Bessingway Midwifery.

A Dad's Perspective Part 4

Home Births Part 4 – I was awakened in the early morning hours on a hot summer night in late July by my wife who was experiencing some labor pains. “We are going to have this baby” was her resolve. We got dressed and went outside for a brisk walk at 4:30 a.m. just in time to watch the sun rise and the birds to start singing. I was timing how far apart the contractions to make me feel like I was contributing. We called our midwife later that morning as the contractions became closer. The midwife came over to see how far along things were with the delivery. Things were progressing slowly and I learned quickly that every pregnancy is different – this baby would come when he’s ready. Being at home was comfortable for both my wife and I – we did not feel any pressure to deliver the baby because it was the end of somebody’s shift or that it was just taking too long. We were allowed to follow the birth plan that we chose and we were respected by our midwives for the choices that we made. Regular monitoring of my wife and our unborn child was done.

Later that evening, the contractions were not far apart and my wife was dilated to the point where it would be soon to start pushing. The birthing tub had been prepared earlier in the day and it was time to put some warm water into it. When my wife started to push, my wife was not put on a bed with her feet in stirrups with somebody in a mask peering over a veil at her. Instead, she was allowed to kneel, squat, lay down, go in the shower or whatever in order to continue the birthing process. Due to an injury sustained due a skiing accident when she was a young adult, the pushing process took over 2 ½ hours and the midwives were able to keep her concentration on what she needed to do. When the baby started to crown, my wife entered the kiddie pool set up in the basement of our first home. Late on the evening of July 24th, 2003 we were blessed with the birth of our first son, Logan Lyle Johnson. What an experience! What a courageous, amazing delivery by his mum in a water birth assisted by midwives in our home!  
Lyle Johnson B Comm, is husband to Dr. Joelle Johnson of Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson Dr, Red Deer, 403-304-7980 www.family1stchiro.ca