Find Your Circle: Choosing the Right Providers for Your Prenatal Team

Becoming a mother is one of the most transformative experiences in life, filled with excitement, anticipation, and a fair share of uncertainty. As you prepare to welcome your little one, the first crucial step is assembling the right prenatal team. The professionals you choose to support you through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum play a significant role in your health and well-being, as well as that of your baby. Here’s why finding the right providers is essential and how Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care can be a game-changer in your prenatal journey.

The Importance of a Supportive Prenatal Team

Your prenatal team is your support system, guiding you through the physical and emotional changes of preconception, pregnancy, birth, and beyond. Here are a few reasons why choosing the right providers is so important:

1. Personalized Care: Every pregnancy is unique, and having providers who understand and respect your individual needs and preferences is crucial. Personalized care ensures that you and your baby are receiving the best possible support tailored to your specific circumstances.

2. Emotional Support: Pregnancy and childbirth can be emotionally challenging. Surrounding yourself with a team that offers empathy, reassurance, and encouragement can significantly improve your experience.

3. Aligned Vision: It’s essential to have providers who support your vision for pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Whether you’re planning a home birth, VBAC, hospital delivery, or considering other options, having a team that respects and advocates for your choices is empowering and vital to have the birth of your dreams. 

If you are already a patient at Live Well family Chiropractic and have been to one of our Birth & Beyond Workshops, then you know how important having mom’s nervous system regulated is for baby’s development! Once our nervous systems are functioning and adapting the way they were designed to, it’s time to build our dream birth team! 

In a world that is full of intimidating diagnoses, politically-driven agendas, judgy mom groups, social media, trigger warnings left and right, and the Target checkout lady saying “sleep while you can,” it’s so hard to know where to turn to for advice when you find out that you’re pregnant. 

What if we started looking at the pregnancy journey and the motherhood transition a little differently than our society does? It starts with who and what we surround ourselves with. Today’s world is muddled with materials, opinions, and options when it comes to pregnancy, so who we choose to be in our circle is most important. Have you ever heard the saying, “You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with?” Who you choose to be around and listen to are the people who have the most influence in your life. And at a time when you are most vulnerable, keep your birth team and circle tight. Have a circle that supports, empowers, and encourages you in all your choices during your pregnancy. 

Building the right prenatal team is an investment in your well-being and that of your child. By choosing providers who respect and support your vision for birth and postpartum and by incorporating Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care into your plan, you’re setting the stage for a healthier, more empowered pregnancy journey.

Don’t Know If Your Nervous System Is Regulated For or During Pregnancy? Get a Neurological INSiGHT Scan ⬇️

To ensure that your nervous system is in the best possible shape during this critical time, consider getting a neurological INSiGHT scan at Live Well Family Chiropractic. This advanced technology provides a detailed look at how your nervous system is functioning and adapting to the changes of pregnancy OR when preparing for pregnancy, for both mom and dad. It’s a valuable tool for creating a personalized care plan that supports both your health and the health of your baby.

Schedule your neurological INSiGHT scan at Live Well Family Chiropractic today and take the first step towards a healthier pregnancy and beyond.

How do I know if my child struggles with Sensory Processing Disorder?

Summer is a time for fun, relaxation, and enjoying various events like going to the beach, attending parades and carnivals, and going on vacation. However, for children with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), this season can be full of stress and difficulties. Many families first recognize the signs of sensory issues in their children during this time, noticing that they are easily overwhelmed in large crowds, struggle with loud noises, have trouble with transitions, and find it challenging to stay calm and regulated in the heat.

Sensory Processing Disorder affects a staggering 1 in 6 children, with numbers continually rising. Despite this prevalence, SPD is frequently overlooked or misunderstood by healthcare providers. Children with SPD have a nervous system that struggles to filter and regulate normal input, leaving them in a constant state of sensory overload. Sadly, pediatricians often dismiss parents' concerns, saying, "It's just a phase." However, early intervention is crucial for children with SPD to thrive, and these interventions must address the root cause of the disorder, not just recommend temporary "workarounds."

Common Signs of Sensory Processing Disorder in Children

1. Oversensitivity to touch, clothing, sounds, smells, lights, and trying new foods: Children with SPD may experience discomfort with certain textures, avoid being touched, or become distressed when clothing feels too tight or itchy. They may also cover their ears in response to normal sounds or fear loud noises like vacuum cleaners, sirens, or alarms.

2. Seeking or avoiding sensory input: Some children with SPD may constantly touch objects, seek strong tactile sensations, or engage in rough play, while others may avoid activities that involve physical contact, such as hugging, or become distressed by activities like haircuts or teeth brushing.

3. Difficulty with fine and gross motor skills: Children with SPD may struggle with tasks such as buttoning clothes, using utensils, writing, running, jumping, or riding a bike.

4. Balance and coordination issues: Frequent tripping, falling, or appearing clumsy can be signs of SPD.

5. Poor body or spatial awareness: Children with SPD may have difficulty knowing where their body is in space, leading to bumping into objects or people.

6. Feeling overwhelmed in crowded places: Distress or anxiety in crowded environments like malls, parks, or parties is common among children with SPD.

7. Difficulty transitioning between activities: Meltdowns or anxiety may occur when changing from one activity to another or moving between different environments.

8. Emotional outbursts and difficulty self-calming: Children with SPD may have frequent tantrums or meltdowns in response to sensory overload or frustration and struggle to soothe themselves when upset, often needing external help to calm down.

9. Hyperactivity or inactivity: Depending on the sensory input they seek or avoid, children with SPD may be excessively active or lethargic.

10. Difficulty sleeping and poor attention span: Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep due to sensory sensitivities, and difficulty focusing on tasks are common among children with SPD.

11. Repetitive behaviors: Engaging in repetitive motions or actions as a way to self-soothe or manage sensory input can be a sign of SPD.

What's Really Happening with the Nervous System in SPD? 

Sensory processing is a three-part process:

1. Sensory input enters through the sensory nerves and the sensory aspect of the spinal cord, reading information from both internal (body) and external environments.

2. The brain and central nervous system process or interpret sensory information, determining what is important to pay attention to and react to and what should be filtered out or ignored.

3. The brain and nervous system send information and "actions" or "impulses" to various parts of the brain and body to react and respond to the incoming sensory input.

When the sensory nerve pathways into the brain and nervous system are altered and interfered with, the brain and nervous system receive "bad information." This leads to poor decision-making or interpretation and, ultimately, challenging actions and outputs. The root cause of SPD is a neurosensory communication and connection problem called subluxation or nervous system dysregulation.

The Perfect Storm: Factors Contributing to the Development of SPD

Several factors can contribute to the development of Sensory Processing Disorder, creating a "perfect storm" that leads to the onset of sensory issues. These factors may include:

1. High-stress pregnancy: Maternal stress during pregnancy can impact fetal brain development and increase the risk of sensory processing difficulties.

2. Birth interventions: Forceps, vacuum extraction, induction, and cesarean section can physically alter the function of the brainstem, the crucial area of the brain that processes and interprets sensory information.

3. Environmental factors: Exposure to toxins, pollutants, and other environmental stressors can impact neurodevelopment and contribute to sensory processing issues.

4. Genetic predisposition: Some children may have a genetic vulnerability to developing SPD, which can be triggered by environmental factors or other stressors.

Understanding these factors can help parents and healthcare providers better identify children at risk for SPD and intervene early to provide the necessary support and care.

The Path Forward: Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care 

While the root cause of Sensory Processing Disorder may not be found using common medical diagnostic testing, Neurological INSiGHT Scans are designed to find subluxation, nervous system dysregulation, and dysfunction. These scans can help you see exactly what's causing your child's frequent tantrums, meltdowns, and sensory difficulties.

If you feel like you've already tried months or even years of OT and made various sensory "workarounds" part of your everyday life, and you just want things to be easier and less "modified" for your child and family, it's time to learn more about how Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care works.

This specialized form of chiropractic care can do wonders for children struggling with sensory issues. By addressing the root cause of SPD, chiropractic care can help your child and entire family experience an easier, calmer, and more consistent quality of life.

Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic benefits children by addressing subluxations and nervous system dysregulation. This leads to improved sensory processing and responses to sensory input. As the nervous system begins functioning better, children may experience better emotional regulation, resulting in fewer emotional outbursts and easier self-regulation. Additionally, a balanced nervous system can help with focus and attention and improve sleep. 

If you suspect your child may have Sensory Processing Disorder, please reach out to Live Well Family Chiropractic today! Early intervention and the right care can make all the difference in your child's development and overall well-being.

Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care offers a drug-free, non-invasive approach to addressing the root cause of SPD. By understanding the signs, causes, and available care options, you can take the first steps toward supporting your child's sensory processing and creating a more pleasant family environment.

Here’s Why You’re Not Healing

As a parent, there's nothing more heartbreaking than watching your child suffer from chronic health issues. You've tried every diet change, supplement, and therapy out there, but nothing seems to provide a lasting solution. Your child struggles with inflammation, gut problems, sensory overload, and mood swings, and you feel like you're putting all the pieces together on your own. It's exhausting, frustrating, and emotionally draining.

But what if we told you that there's a crucial aspect of your child's health that may have been overlooked? What if we said that addressing this one factor could be the missing link in your child's healing journey? Enter nervous system regulation and vagus nerve function.

The Nervous System: Master Controller of the Body

The nervous system is the master controller of the body, coordinating every major system and keeping everything working in harmony. When the nervous system becomes dysregulated and out of balance, it can wreak havoc on your child's health, shutting down and altering gut function, gross motor coordination, immune system function, and inflammation. If your child struggles with sleep, digestion, sensory processing, and behavior issues, it's time to take a closer look at their nervous system.

Nervous system dysregulation refers to a malfunction or imbalance within the nervous system that affects its normal functioning and capacity to regulate responses to stimuli, control and coordinate various organ systems, and keep the body working well altogether. 

Common signs of nervous system dysregulation in kids include sleep disturbances, gut and stomach problems, frequent respiratory and immune challenges, gross and fine motor problems, sensory overload, and behavior problems such as tantrums and meltdowns.

While conventional pediatricians may blame genetics and natural health or integrative physicians may focus on gluten and dairy sensitivities or toxins, nervous system dysregulation and vagus nerve dysfunction are often overlooked root causes that can't be ignored. When every other form of traditional and integrative testing has failed to find the root cause of your child's challenges, it's almost guaranteed that nervous system dysregulation and subluxation are at play.

Identifying Nervous System Dysregulation and Vagus Nerve Dysfunction

So, how can you find out if your child has nervous system dysregulation and vagus nerve dysfunction? The first place to look is within the "basics" of neurophysiological function – sleeping, eating, digestion, staying healthy, regulating emotions, and sensory processing abilities. If your child struggles in any of these areas, it's a red flag that their nervous system may be out of balance.

The next step is to visit Live Well Family Chiropractic and have the Neurological INSiGHT Scans run. These scans provide a detailed look "inside" the nervous system, determining how well (or not well) it is functioning and regulated. With this information, we can then create a personalized plan to help your child's nervous system heal and function optimally.

The Power of Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care

Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care is a powerful tool in helping your child's nervous system regulate and function at its best. By addressing subluxations and restoring proper communication between the brain and the body, chiropractic care can help your child's body heal from the inside out. It may sound "too good to be true" that one thing can have so many various benefits, but that's simply how the nervous system works. When it's functioning optimally, the whole body can thrive.

As a parent, you are your child's greatest advocate. By educating yourself on the importance of nervous system regulation and vagus nerve function, you're taking a crucial step in helping your child heal. Don't give up hope, and know that you're not alone in this journey. With the right support and guidance, your child can experience the healing they deserve.

It's time to stop chasing symptoms and trying a new medication or supplement for each and every issue. Instead, let's address "everything at once" by getting your child's nervous system regulation and function back in order. By focusing on the root cause of your child's health challenges, you can help them truly heal from the inside out and get back on track.

Please reach out to Live Well Family Chiropractic to schedule a consultation with one of our doctors. If you are not local to us, please check out the PX Docs directory to find a local PX Doc near you. Your love and dedication to your child's well-being will make all the difference. Keep learning, keep advocating, and keep believing in your child's ability to heal!