Baby Mal-position (Breech) and Correction with Chiropractic

14 Oct 2014 Women & Pregnancy , , , , , , , , ,

What is Baby Mal-Position?

It’s when the baby’s head position isn’t engaging with the pelvis, by either turning around in a way or tipping asymmetrically so that birth and labor are not optimally positioned. OB/GYN’s and Midwives will typically notice and classify a baby as Mal-Positioned somewhere between weeks 32-37. This may seem late but prior to these weeks, the baby will be moving into different positions often and it doesn’t matter up until the end of pregnancy because the baby is small enough in comparison to the uterus and so has plenty of room to move.

What are the different Mal-Positions?

Breech – buttock down
Complete Breech –baby is sitting cross legged on the cervix
Footling Breech – is butt down with one foot on the cervix
Knee Breech – is one or both knees on the cervix (most rare)
Frank Breech – is baby folded up with the buttock on the cervix and feet up by the head
Transverse position
Posterior position – babies nose pointing toward mom’s belly button.
Oblique position
Extended baby head
Asynclitic position with baby head tilted to one side or the other causing the cervix not to open evenly.

What are some of the Causes of Baby Mal-Position?

Stress, Anxiety or Fear
Pelvic Mis-alignment – especially the tail bone
Bad Posture
Trauma even minor bumps and bangs
Tense Uterus due to muscle or any of the above issues

A patient may present with only one of the problems or she may have a combination of several causes leading to a baby in a less than optimal position.

How do you treat Mal-Position?

Chiropractic (Webster Technique)
Acupuncture or Acupressure
Positive Attitude
Pelvic tilts
Turning position exercises on my favorite Website: spinningbabies.com
Water Walking for 30 minutes daily
External Version (last resort – very uncomfortable and not a very good success rate)

What is Webster Technique?

A technique that is performed by chiropractors to align the sacrum, the pelvis and a series of very specific muscles. The doctor’s in our office use their hands, a tool and muscle release to restore normal pelvic alignment so it allows the baby to turn when normal neuro-biomechanics are restored to mom’s body. Literature has shown that normal neuro-biomechanics allow for achieving optimal fetal-uterine position will reduce the likelihood of dystocia (difficult labor). The procedure usually takes 4 office visits to our Chiropractor. If baby isn’t turning by visit number 3, we add simultaneous acupuncture treatments. While most visits take usually 4 treatments, we have seen stubborn little ones take up to 8 visits; so please realize your baby and your body may not follow the typical guidelines. The success rate for Webster is fairly high and our doctor’s have a low fail rate. When Webster does fail it is usually due to cord position, and if baby were to turn – it would put their life in danger. So sometimes a procedure needs to fail so that we have a healthy happy baby and this is our primary goal.

How do I prevent a mal-positioned baby?

Literature does state that proper pelvic alignment throughout pregnancy does significantly correlate with a decrease in dystocia (difficult labor), mal-position and stress on the baby’s body. Women while pregnant have a greater chance of sacral mis-alignment and neuro-biomechanical issues due to the change in hormones, rapid weight gain and postural changes. Seeing a chiropractor periodically throughout a pregnancy is recommended for both mom’s and babies health. Massage can also be a tool used to maintain correct muscle movement and prevent undue stress on baby or mom. In our office, we recommend the following adjustment schedule broken down by week. This can by modified anytime if back or pelvic pain develops because they are signals that a neuro-biomechanical issue is occurring. We want to correct this before we have a stressed or mal-positioned baby. During pregnancy, exercise regularly, walking, swimming or yoga can all help maintain a healthy pelvis and help with labor as well as keeping baby in a good position while In utero.

Adjustments:

Week 10-14 (or sooner if pain develops)
Week 18-21
Week 23-26
Week 29-32
Week 38
Week 39
Week 40 a day after due date.
(And always schedule an appointment for Acupuncture a couple days after your due date so they can naturally start encouraging labor.)
Is chiropractic care safe for pregnant women?

Chiropractic care is safe for most pregnant women. Here is a list of the exceptions. If you are already under chiropractic care, please inform your Chiropractor immediately if:

Contraindications to adjusting may include vaginal bleeding, ruptured amniotic membranes, cramping, sudden onset of pelvic pain, premature labor, placenta previa (not always a contraindication), placenta abruption, ectopic pregnancy, and moderate to severe toxemia.

Below are some References:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2647084/

http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/chiropractic-care-during-pregnancy/

http://www.webmd.com/balance/alternative-therapies-in-pregnancy

7 Ways to Make your Workday Happier

14 Oct 2014 Tips & Tricks , , ,
  1. Find Meaning in what you do.
    Most jobs have a meaningful and helpful side to them. A story of three stone workers was told and one stated he was making a living, one said he was doing the best job he could and the third said he was building a Cathedral. There is a high purpose in all jobs so find yours.
  2. Personalize your workspace or environment.
    Most jobs have a desk where pictures and plants are allowed, but if you don’t have a desk maybe you have a locker you can personalize. Remember to not only have the picture of the family but a fun item that reminds you to do a good job, ex: a wizard hat to remind you to work wonders.
  3. If you are seated most of the day, take a walk.
    If you are at a desk, getting up at least one time an hour can have huge health benefits and if you get too absorbed in what you do, you should drink water constantly. This makes you have to go to the bathroom more. The bathroom is a great way to force you to take a break.
  4. Get to know your coworkers.
    By investing in other people, your work environment will not only be for work, but you will find a work family and home and not feel like a cog in the machine. Seeing real people at the job you do makes your job significantly more fulfilling.
  5. Make the most of your commute.
    75 percent of commuters travel alone for an average of 50 minutes a day. This can be a great time to call family or old friends you haven’t caught up with in awhile. By hearing about others and visiting, you will forget the work and commute stress. Audiobooks can be a great use of time making you smarter and more educated or just giving you a good laugh.
  6. Challenge yourself.
    You may not have the most important job, but if you feel bored or unappreciated, try setting goals for yourself and it will boost your performance. Measuring your own success is the most fulfilling thing.
  7. See the Light.
    If you work in a dark office or warehouse, bring a full spectrum bulb in and put it in a inexpensive desk lamp. Turning it on for just 1 hour a day can significantly boost your mood and production. Taking a walk at lunch or eating outside, even if it is cold can also get much needed mood boosting rays.

Mushroom and Pepper Mini Quiches (eggless)

14 Oct 2014 Recipes & Home Remedies , , ,

Makes 15 mini quiches

This recipe can be made in muffin tins as crustless or follow this pie crust recipe.

Pie Crust:

1 cup flour
½ cup Good Earth Buttery spread
4 T ice water

Quiche Mix:

2 tsp olive oil
1 pint fresh sliced mushrooms or 4 oz can
1 cup chopped red or green bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ tsp tahini
24 oz firm tofu rinsed drained and crumbled
1 tsp salt
1 T chicken-style seasoning or dry chicken broth
2 T nutritional yeast
1. PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees.
2. HEAT oil in medium skillet. Sauté mushrooms, peppers, onions and garlic for about 4 minutes. Add tahini and mix well.
3. COMBINE remaining ingredients in large bowl, then mix in cooked vegetables.
4. FILL each well of greased mini muffin tin with ¼ cup of mixture and press down to pack ingredients.
5. BAKE for 25 minutes until edges are golden brown.

Modified from a Vibrant Life magazine recipe.

Cold, Flu and Chinese Medicine

14 Oct 2014 Your Overall Health , , ,

Respiratory illness started early this season. Once school was back in session, many adults and kids alike had a fever, chills, body aches, extreme tiredness and coughing. For some, symptoms worsened and turned into pneumonia and bronchitis. Acupuncture and herbal medicine are very effective tools for faster recovery. They can accelerate the bodies healing process and boost its immune system.

The ideal time for treatment is as early as possible, when symptoms have just started. Some common signs include feeling off, nasal congestion, slight headache, or itchy throat.

We use acupuncture and herbal medicine to reduce fever and ease upper respiratory symptoms. When treating our younger patients who are scared of needles, herbal teas and massage are great alternatives to ease the symptoms. Cupping is also another great technique we use for coughing and chest congestion. If you have never had cupping before, it’s usually done on the person’s back along the spine. Depending on the condition of the body, you might get circle bruises that last for a few days.

Prevention is the key in Chinese Medicine. Many of our patients come in regularly for a tune up treatment to balance the body. The best time is to follow nature, with the changing of seasons, about 4 times a year. As a result, the body can adjust to daily stresses better and reduce the likeliness of getting sick. Even if your cold or flu has persisted for awhile, acupuncture and herbs can help and prevent the pathogen from going deeper into your lung and consuming your vital energy. Talk to us about our prevention protocol for cold and flu to keep you healthier and happier.

Search

+