Prenatal and Postnatal Care
Restorative Solutions to Help You Achieve Whole-Body Wellness Before, During, and After Pregnancy
Self-care is always important for living a healthy and happy life. But if you’re planning to have a baby, or you’re already pregnant, proper self-care takes on a whole new meaning. You’re eating for 2, sleeping for 2, and exercising for 2. Everything you do affects your baby’s health.
There are all kinds of books you can read about what to expect when you’re expecting, or when you’re trying to conceive, but the books can’t talk to you calmly face-to-face about the changes your body is experiencing. But Dr. Natalie DeJesse can, and she can help you navigate all the twists and turns as well as aches and pains on your journey to be a mom.
Prenatal and postnatal care at Cima Health is not intended to replace regular visits to your OB, but complements those visits, and Dr. Natalie can work as closely as you would like with your OB or midwife.
Steps to Achieving Whole-Body Wellness for Expectant and New Moms
Dr. Natalie has a specific focus on pregnancy care, postpartum care, pediatrics, and women’s health. She’ll help you maintain whole-body wellness before, during, and after your pregnancy.
Stage I: Before and During Pregnancy
As a pregnancy chiropractor, Dr. DeJesse can help you even when you’re trying to conceive. In fact, many couples have conceived thanks to the assistance of chiropractic. If you’re having trouble conceiving, before starting invasive fertility treatments, consider chiropractic. Chiropractic care can help promote healthy reproduction by optimizing the health of your nervous system.
You might have painful periods or other issues that hinder you from getting pregnant. Chiropractic adjustment can get everything in alignment, make you feel better, and relieve stress – all 3 things can make it easier to conceive.
Chiropractic can also help if you suffer from pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS). While it can’t change how your body responds to the hormonal changes that precede your period, it can help relieve some of the symptoms, including lower back pain, headache, and reduce cramping.
Prenatal Chiropractic Care
If you’ve been receiving chiropractic care before your pregnancy, you’ll want to continue receiving adjustments, because you know how much they can help with how you feel. And if you’ve never seen a chiropractor, when you’re pregnant can be a great time to start.
That’s because pregnancy can bring all sorts of aches, pains, and unfamiliar sensations to your body – but you want to avoid taking common pain relievers because everything you consume can affect your baby. A trained pregnancy chiropractor like Dr. Natalie can evaluate you, determine what’s going on and why, and tailor her adjustments to relieve your pregnancy pain. and even help with morning sickness.
You’ll have a chiropractic pregnancy pillow that will support you during adjustments.
Certified Webster Technique Chiropractor in Palm Beach Gardens
Dr. Natalie is a member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) and has specialized training in pregnancy chiropractic care. She is a Webster-Certified chiropractor, one of only a few in Palm Beach County. According to the ICPA, the Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic sacral analysis and diversified adjustment. These techniques help you have a healthier pregnancy and a safer birth.
Prenatal Chiropractic FAQs
1. Q: Are chiropractors safe during pregnancy?
A: Yes. If you have a healthy pregnancy, getting chiropractic adjustments is perfectly safe. In fact, many obstetricians recommend visiting a chiropractor to their patients.
2. Q: What does a chiropractor do for pregnancy?
A: A pregnancy chiropractor has specialized training in adjustment techniques that help expectant moms. They can help you with find pain relief of pregnancy sciatica, back pain, neck pain, joint pain, and prepare your pelvis for delivery.
3. Q: When should I see a chiropractor during pregnancy?
A: You should see a prenatal chiropractor as soon as you know you are pregnant if you want to best prepare your body for a healthy pregnancy and easier delivery. You will then want to see your chiropractor for regular adjustments.
4. Q: How often should I see a chiropractor during pregnancy?
A: Generally, you will want to come in once a month during your first and second trimesters. The frequency than might go to once every two weeks, and then once a week as you approach your due date. The schedule of visits will be different for every expectant mother.
5. Q: What are the benefits of prenatal chiropractic care?
A: Pain relief, help with nausea, and an easier labor and delivery are the most common benefits.
Physical Fitness
Exercise for most pregnant women shouldn’t be too strenuous, but should be enough to keep you flexible and at a healthy weight. It’s good for both your mind and body. According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG), healthy pregnant women need at least 2 ½ of moderate aerobic activity each week. Of course, if you were running marathons or lifting weights before you got pregnant, you’ll be able to continue a more strenuous workout with your OB-GYN’s approval.
Keeping physically fit during your pregnancy will not only make you feel healthier and more energized, but can also make labor and delivery easier. Our physical fitness team will work closely with you and your OB (if you would like) to develop a fitness plan tailored to you, at all stages of your pregnancy.
Exercising While Pregnant FAQs
Q: What exercise is safe during pregnancy?
A: If yours is a healthy pregnancy and you are not at risk for preterm labor or complications, moderate-intensity exercise is safe. This includes walking, swimming, water aerobics, yoga (modified poses), side-lying Pilates, riding a stationary bike, and moderate strength training. You will want to get approval from your OB before starting an exercise program.
Q: What are the benefits of exercising during pregnancy?
A: Exercising while pregnant can boost your mood, so it helps you both mentally and physically. In addition, studies show the benefits of exercising while you’re pregnant include:
- You’re more likely to have an uncomplicated delivery.
- You’ll have a quicker recovery.
- It will help regulate your blood pressure.
- Exercise can ease constipation.
- It reduces the risk of complications with delivery and your baby’s health post-delivery.
Our number one priority is making you feel confident and energized throughout your pregnancy, and physical fitness is a big part of that. And remember, you can break your 2 ½ hours (150 minutes) of exercise a week into smaller chunks of time. Twenty minutes a day with a few extra minutes one or two days a week is all it takes to reap the benefits for both you and your baby. And of course, you can exercise more if you feel up to it and your OB approves.
Nutrition Coaching
We also offer nutrition coaching for our moms-to-be to help ensure you get all the nutrients you need to stay healthy, and to help your baby develop. We’ll offer you tips for healthy meal planning, as well as tips about certain foods to avoid during pregnancy.
Pregnancy Nutrition FAQs
Q: What are the best foods for pregnancy?
A: There are simply too many to list here, but you may want to check out the Mayo Clinic’s week by week pregnancy nutrition requirements. It’s essential that you get enough folic acid, calcium, vitamin D, protein, and iron. You can get most of the nutrients you need from eating a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of dairy, lean meats, and green leafy vegetables. Take the supplements recommended by your OB.
Q: What foods fight nausea during pregnancy?
A: The best foods to fight morning sickness vary from woman to woman. But most are bland and easy to digest. Think of the BRAT diet – bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. High-protein foods, smoothies, almond milk, and ginger, along with sugar-free carbonated beverages can help fight nausea during pregnancy.
Q: What foods should I avoid during pregnancy?
A: You will want to avoid undercooked meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. You should also avoid fish and seafood with a high mercury content. Also, avoid excess caffeine and eliminate alcohol during your pregnancy. Lastly, many pregnant women get a food aversion, where even the smell of a food can trigger nausea – avoid trigger foods. The Mayo Clinic has a great guide for this.
Aesthetics
Up until now, everything we’ve discussed has centered on what’s healthy for your body, and therefore healthy for the baby. Now we move to what’s healthy for you and your desire to look and feel good.
Your body is going through a lot of changes, from the baby bump in the first trimester to the baby belly of the third trimester. But pregnancy can also bring changes to your skin and hair. Some women get that “pregnancy glow” naturally, while others may get unwanted skin conditions during pregnancy such as acne or facial pigmentation changes (melasma).
Many of these changes are due to hormonal changes. Our Aesthetics team can help you cope with some of these changes by offering facials, customized acne treatment, and other skincare techniques. You may also want to treat yourself to a lash and brow treatment to pamper yourself.
Massage
Prenatal massage can soothe and relax you during your pregnancy. Pregnancy massage is completely safe, and the massage therapist will be sure to avoid any trigger points that could induce labor. A regular relaxation massage can help relax tense shoulders and other tense muscles, improve your sleep, reduce anxiety, and provide you with an overall sense of well-being.
Pregnancy Massage FAQs
Q: What areas should not be massaged during pregnancy?
A: The massage therapist should avoid trigger points in the wrists, hands, pelvis, and ankles.
Q: Can I lay on my stomach to get a pregnancy massage?
A: If you are comfortable doing so (usually in the first trimester), you can lay on your stomach for your massage. We can also have you lay on your side and provide support as your pregnancy progresses.
Q: How often should I get a prenatal massage?
A: In general, you will benefit most by scheduling a monthly massage until around 27 weeks, and then schedule every two weeks, and even weekly the closer you get to your due date.
Stage 2: When You’re Due
The past nine months have been leading to this moment. You’ve gotten chiropractic care to help your body be able to bring a baby into the world, you’ve eaten right, and you’ve exercised. You’ve built the foundation for a good labor and delivery experience.
But the baby isn’t paying attention to the calendar. There are things we can try to encourage your body to send the signals to baby that it’s time. We can also help you during your labor and delivery.
You might have painful periods or other issues that hinder you from getting pregnant. Chiropractic adjustment can get everything in alignment, make you feel better, and relieve stress – all 3 things can make it easier to conceive.
Chiropractic can also help if you suffer from pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS). While it can’t change how your body responds to the hormonal changes that precede your period, it can help relieve some of the symptoms, including lower back pain, headache, and reduce cramping.
Induction Massage
If you want to go into labor naturally rather than be induced at the hospital (and does anyone really want that?) an induction massage may be a good choice for you if you’re at full term. Our massage therapy page goes into more detail, but essentially, the massage therapist can help your body send some signals to baby that it’s time to enter the world.
That’s because pregnancy can bring all sorts of aches, pains, and unfamiliar sensations to your body – but you want to avoid taking common pain relievers because everything you consume can affect your baby. A trained pregnancy chiropractor like Dr. Natalie can evaluate you, determine what’s going on and why, and tailor her adjustments to relieve your pregnancy pain. and even help with morning sickness.
You’ll have a chiropractic pregnancy pillow that will support you during adjustments.
Induction Massage FAQs
Q: Is induction massage safe?
A: Yes, it’s completely safe as long as you are at full term. It’s a non-medical way to help induce labor.
Stage 3: After the Baby Arrives
Your little bundle of joy is finally here! As you bond with your baby, you may will also be healing from giving birth – both mentally and physically. You’ll want to continue with your chiropractic care to help you restore your health, feel supported, energized, and confident in your abilities as a parent.
Postpartum Chiropractor FAQs
After your baby is born, Dr. Natalie provides you with postpartum chiropractic care to help your body recover from giving birth. Your pelvis and your spine, especially will need help getting back in alignment. Whether you had an easy birth or had complications, she will tailor your treatment to your needs.
In addition to the pelvic recovery during the postpartum period, she can give you adjustments that can help with the tense and sore shoulders, back, and neck you might get from lifting and carrying your baby, a diaper bag, and all the gear that goes along with having a baby. Seeing a post-pregnancy chiropractor can help you relieve pain and stress to help you be the best parent you can be to your little one.
Dr. DeJesse also specializes in pediatric chiropractic care. Adjustments can start even with your newborn. Early, gentle adjustments can help the baby’s alignment. Infants require the pressure only from the fingertips. Adjustments can help the baby recover from the trauma of delivery, and can help with issues such as colic. Dr. Natalie and her 3 children have been receiving adjustments since the day they were born – a testament to the safety and benefits of pediatric chiropractic.
Induction Massage FAQs
Q: When can I see a chiropractor postpartum?
A: Whether you had a vaginal delivery or a C-section will impact the answer to this question. If you had a vaginal delivery, you can see a chiropractor postpartum as soon as you want, for adjustments of the neck, back, pelvis, extremities, and spine.
If you had a C-section, you can have neck, upper back, and extremity adjustments right away. You may need to wait up to 3 months before getting a lower back treatment. As always, check with your OB for clearance.
Q: How does seeing a postpartum chiropractor help me recover after giving birth?
A: Postpartum chiropractic care promotes healing. Adjustments and corrective exercises help restore your nervous system’s alignment and your range of motion. These treatments will target the lingering pain caused by labor and delivery.
Stage 4: Get Your Body Back After Pregnancy
Having a new baby in the house can be one of the happiest times of your life. It can also be one of the most stressful. Middle of the night feedings and diaper changes can leave you feeling exhausted. You may feel too tired to even think about exercise.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. If you continue to work with the team at Cima Health, continuing to get chiropractic adjustments can help you feel more energized. That in turn, can make you feel inspired to start a physical fitness routine. By taking care of yourself mentally and physically, you can be a better mom to your newborn.
And remember, self-care can include some pampering, too! There are 3 main things you can do at Cima Health to help get your body back after pregnancy:
Physical Fitness
If you were physically fit before you got pregnant, you’re probably itching to get back into a more rigorous fitness routine. And if you gained more weight during pregnancy than you hoped, you may be wanting to shed a few pounds. Our physical fitness team will work with you and Dr. Natalie to develop a tailored exercise plan for the gym and at home that can help you get your body back after pregnancy.
Body Sculpting
Body sculpting is a non-surgical procedure that can help you get your figure back after exercise has helped you shed some of your pregnancy pounds. Having a baby changes your body and skin in ways exercise alone can’t address.
Aesthetic Treatments
As a mom, you devote a tremendous amount of attention to your newborn, as well as the rest of your family. But are you paying enough attention to self-care? Consider getting one of our aesthetic treatments such as relaxing facial or lash and brow treatment to lift your spirits and help you look your best. When you look good, you feel good – and your baby can sense that.
Benefits of Prenatal and Postnatal Care
The prenatal and postnatal care you get from Palm Beach Gardens pregnancy chiropractor Dr. Natalie can help you relax and feel better, enabling you to be the best Mom you can be. Benefits include:
- Help for infertility and painful periods
- Relief for sciatic pain during pregnancy
- Relief of back pain during pregnancy
- Pelvic pain during pregnancy
- Help with starting and moving your labor along
- Postpartum pelvic and public symphysis
- Tension relief
- Stress relief
- Pediatric care for your newborn
- Pregnancy and postnatal exercises tailored to you
- Adjustments and exercises to promote healing after childbirth
Over the years, Dr. Natalie has helped hundreds of moms and is ready to help you, too!
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Book Your Prenatal or Postnatal Appointment Today
Whether you’re having trouble conceiving, having aches and pains due to your pregnancy, or need help recovering after bringing your baby into the world, Dr. Natalie can help you feel better. As a mom of three, she is a testament to the power of chiropractic care before, during, and after pregnancy.
