If you’ve been reading along with my blog for a while you may remember this post about Reagan’s colic as a baby and how I cured it by changing my diet. Well before I figured out why she was in so much pain, we went through a slew of doctor ordered tests, scans, x-rays, and examinations trying to find out what the problem was. As a first time mom, working in the medical field, married to a medical professional, I put all of my trust in modern medicine and relying on tests to diagnose my baby. Reagan was 4 weeks old when she was injected with dye and scanned for colon abnormalities. It broke my heart to watch that happen and I decided I needed to look for other healing approaches.
As it turned out, eliminating dairy from my diet was the only thing that helped Reagan’s tummy troubles. My mom was the first to suggest trying that, and after telling her she was crazy I decided to try it as a last ditch effort. It totally worked.
Fast forward two years and I’m in the hospital after delivering Elliott. You may remember this blog post about the struggles we had with the attending pediatrician and how we stood up for ourselves and our newborn. Since then, I’ve committed to trying alternative therapies and using holistic healing to keep my kids safe and healthy.
Just recently, I started taking the girls to see a pediatric chiropractor here in town and I cannot say enough good things! While they’re receiving preventative treatment, I’m learning all about the different ways to promote health and wellness in our lives. There are so many benefits to healing from within and using the resources our bodies already have to function at our highest capacity.
I wish I had known about these methods of healing when Reagan was struggling as a newborn–pediatric chiropractic care is known for helping little ones stay regular with bowel movements, ease reflux symptoms, and learn gross motor functions earlier (rolling, sitting, crawling). You can actually take your newborn baby in for an initial evaluation within days of birth to observe cranial molding and TMJ alignment, which is a major cause for difficulty with nursing! The more I learn from research about chiropractic care and the more my kids are treated, the more I realize how much we missed out on with Reagan and how this can really impact all facets of their health.
I’m also learning about the numerous benefits of seeing a chiropractor while pregnant. I’ve had lots of friends say they loved getting adjusted when they were pregnant and I kind of wish I had paid more attention to them because I feel like I missed out on a lot! I had a lot of back pain this last pregnancy, and I decided to treat it by seeing a physical therapist (which I LOVED and really helped alleviate that pain) but I think I could have avoided the pain altogether if I had used preventative treatment instead of waiting until I was in pain. The Webster technique is used on prenatal patients to help with shorter and easier deliveries, and focuses specifically on pelvic biomechanical function. I already have pretty quick labors and I’m trying to avoid the whole car-birth thing, but easier labor always sounds like a good idea to me!
The more I learn about alternative and preventative therapies the more I think this is the route I want for my family. I will still vaccinate my kids, and I’m obviously not going to try to fix a broken arm by rubbing some essential oils on it, but the idea that I can do certain things to keep them from getting sick and requiring drug intervention is very appealing to me. If you are in the same boat, or have been wanting more information on how you can do this for your kids, drop a comment below or connect with me on Instagram! I’m just starting this journey and there is so much information out there that it can be confusing. Having a friend to go through it with you makes starting so much easier.
If you’re in the San Antonio area, here is the doctor we are seeing! She is amazing with kids and has been such a good resource of information for me. She’s patient and accommodating and makes sure you are comfortable with the treatment plan. I highly highly recommend Dr. Ashtiani!
