Hi Everyone
I was very excited last night when I got an email from a patient so I thought I would share the story. You are probably wondering why? This mom was referred by a friend doula because the baby was in a transverse position. Most of you may not know but in chiropractic we have a technique that helps turn babies that are in the wrong position for delivery called the webster technique. We never force or touch the baby. The basic principle is to rebalance the pelvis of the mother trough a chiropractic adjustment and then release a ligament in the front of the uterus. This will usually allow the baby to have more room and if it is not restrained in the wrong position by anything anatomical it will decide to go head down. I was certified as a webster practitioner in 2005 but had been doing the technique for a while.
So I treated this patient 3 times last week and after the last few treatments she did notice a lot of motion which is usually a good sign. She then went for an ultrasound on monday and the verdict came in that the baby was head down. So mom is happy no c-section planned and she can have a vaginal birth. I am always pleased to help moms with that technique because it does change everything for them for the postpartum recovery. Of all the patients I have treated I have to say that the success rate is quite high.
If you would like to have more information on the webster technique I direct you to the ICPA website which is full of great information. http://icpa4kids.org/Wellness-Articles/the-webster-technique-a-technique-for-pregnant-women.html
This is always a good start to my week....
talk soon
valerie
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Latch is key!!!
Hi everyone
The week end is almost over and tomorrow I am heading to the breastfeeding clinic. I wanted to talk briefly about the subject of latch. So many issues stem from a bad latch. Some research actually says that 80% of problems in nursing are related to a bad latch. When I help moms, the first thing we always do is to look and correct the latch. Also remember that if you are experiencing pain during nursing there is something wrong. It should NOT HURT!!!. When nurses tell you the latch looks good but you are still in pain then you must do something. It is not normal. A few simple tricks to remember is to point the nipple towards the nose so that the baby has to reach up and open his mouth very wide. Remember that the baby's neck also needs to be in extension or looking up. It will be a lot easier for the baby to move his tongue down and swallow as well.
Another thing that we seem to have forgotten is that babies are programmed in their brain to nurse and to latch well. At the clinic and what I use a lot in my practice is called self latching. We place the baby in an upright position between the breasts of the mother and we do not touch the head or force the baby on the breast. The baby will then move around and find the breast by himself and attach in a much better position with a wide mouth. A great web site you can visit for more information on that is http://breastcrawl.org/ I encourage you guys to view that video and to see how amazing this little baby is.
Don't forget latch is key if you are still having problems call someone to help you so you can evaluate if there is a reason why the baby can't latch well.
talk soon
valerie
The week end is almost over and tomorrow I am heading to the breastfeeding clinic. I wanted to talk briefly about the subject of latch. So many issues stem from a bad latch. Some research actually says that 80% of problems in nursing are related to a bad latch. When I help moms, the first thing we always do is to look and correct the latch. Also remember that if you are experiencing pain during nursing there is something wrong. It should NOT HURT!!!. When nurses tell you the latch looks good but you are still in pain then you must do something. It is not normal. A few simple tricks to remember is to point the nipple towards the nose so that the baby has to reach up and open his mouth very wide. Remember that the baby's neck also needs to be in extension or looking up. It will be a lot easier for the baby to move his tongue down and swallow as well.
Another thing that we seem to have forgotten is that babies are programmed in their brain to nurse and to latch well. At the clinic and what I use a lot in my practice is called self latching. We place the baby in an upright position between the breasts of the mother and we do not touch the head or force the baby on the breast. The baby will then move around and find the breast by himself and attach in a much better position with a wide mouth. A great web site you can visit for more information on that is http://breastcrawl.org/ I encourage you guys to view that video and to see how amazing this little baby is.
Don't forget latch is key if you are still having problems call someone to help you so you can evaluate if there is a reason why the baby can't latch well.
talk soon
valerie
Friday, June 25, 2010
Why did I choose chiropractic?
Hi everyone
Many people are curious to know how I became interested in chiropractic. I always like to tell this story. Chiropractic has been a part of my whole life. My family used to go see a chiropractor regularly. It actually started with my father. When he was quite young, he had decided to jump off a barn and he ended up falling straight down on a fence. After he had all sorts of health issue. My grandmother finally heard about this doctor who had helped a lot of people and he was a chiropractor. So she took him in and he helped my father tremendously. After he always continued to see him and when my parents got married, he introduced chiropractic to my mother. When she had me the rumour was that I was very colicky so she decided to take me to see this doctor. She said she loved it because after the treatment I slept so well! We then continued to visit them whenever we were sick or not feeling well our whole life. When I was 14 years old, we saw a new chiropractor. She was a women and it just clicked for me. I realized that may be that would be a great job for me. I love helping people, there was science, you treated with your hands to help the patients. So there it is at 14 years old I said I was going to be a chiropractor and the rest is history. I did all the necessary pre-requisite to go to Toronto at the Canadian Chiropractic College. I graduated in 1998 and have loved every minute since then. It is so special to help people get out of pain with natural intervention and no drugs.
So briefly this is how and why I became a chiropractor......
Valerie
Many people are curious to know how I became interested in chiropractic. I always like to tell this story. Chiropractic has been a part of my whole life. My family used to go see a chiropractor regularly. It actually started with my father. When he was quite young, he had decided to jump off a barn and he ended up falling straight down on a fence. After he had all sorts of health issue. My grandmother finally heard about this doctor who had helped a lot of people and he was a chiropractor. So she took him in and he helped my father tremendously. After he always continued to see him and when my parents got married, he introduced chiropractic to my mother. When she had me the rumour was that I was very colicky so she decided to take me to see this doctor. She said she loved it because after the treatment I slept so well! We then continued to visit them whenever we were sick or not feeling well our whole life. When I was 14 years old, we saw a new chiropractor. She was a women and it just clicked for me. I realized that may be that would be a great job for me. I love helping people, there was science, you treated with your hands to help the patients. So there it is at 14 years old I said I was going to be a chiropractor and the rest is history. I did all the necessary pre-requisite to go to Toronto at the Canadian Chiropractic College. I graduated in 1998 and have loved every minute since then. It is so special to help people get out of pain with natural intervention and no drugs.
So briefly this is how and why I became a chiropractor......
Valerie
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Sleep posture
Hi everyone
Today I wanted to talk about sleep posture. We spend so much time sleeping in our life that it can have a huge impact on how you feel. People always ask me which posture is best. The easiest thing to answer I find is to tell patient which one to avoid.
The worst position is stomach sleeping. Stomach sleeping as been associated with upper back pain and headaches. When I do my history, I always question which position people sleep in. If they have major headaches symptoms most of the time I can predict that they are stomach sleepers. When you are on your stomach it changes all the curves in your neck and upper back and affects all the muscles and joints in the neck.
So patient should either sleep on their side or back. If you are on your side make sure your pillow covers the distance between your shoulder and your neck when your neck stays straight. On your back the best thing is to bring your knees up if you are experiencing some low back pain and make sure In your neck your pillow gives you god support. You want to ensure your head is not lifted too high or too low. The basic principle is to keep your spine in a neutral position.
So next time you go to bed AVOID YOUR STOMACH. You can also get someone to look at your sleep posture and see if it is in a neutral position. If you have been a long time stomach sleeper you should consider care for your spine.
Talk soon
valerie
Today I wanted to talk about sleep posture. We spend so much time sleeping in our life that it can have a huge impact on how you feel. People always ask me which posture is best. The easiest thing to answer I find is to tell patient which one to avoid.
The worst position is stomach sleeping. Stomach sleeping as been associated with upper back pain and headaches. When I do my history, I always question which position people sleep in. If they have major headaches symptoms most of the time I can predict that they are stomach sleepers. When you are on your stomach it changes all the curves in your neck and upper back and affects all the muscles and joints in the neck.
So patient should either sleep on their side or back. If you are on your side make sure your pillow covers the distance between your shoulder and your neck when your neck stays straight. On your back the best thing is to bring your knees up if you are experiencing some low back pain and make sure In your neck your pillow gives you god support. You want to ensure your head is not lifted too high or too low. The basic principle is to keep your spine in a neutral position.
So next time you go to bed AVOID YOUR STOMACH. You can also get someone to look at your sleep posture and see if it is in a neutral position. If you have been a long time stomach sleeper you should consider care for your spine.
Talk soon
valerie
Friday, June 18, 2010
Ice or heat !!!
Hi everyone
Today I want to talk about when to put ice or heat !!!! This is a topic that comes up everyday in my clinic. Some people swear by heat and others by ice but what to put and when?
The basic principal to remember is that for acute injuries everywhere on the body ICE should be applied. Patients always know to put ice on a knee or a twisted ankle but when it comes to the back or neck for some reason people think of heat. I like to explain to patients that the principal is the same whether it is an ankle or the back. When you just injured yourself your body will have an immediate reaction which is called inflammation. The goal right away is to try and reduce that inflammation. Ice is the best natural anti-inflammatory you can find and the best thing is that it is cheap! You can use a bag of frozen peas and apply it for no more then 15 minutes or so at a time. You do not want to freeze the area because then your body will react oppositely and send more blood to the area and the inflammation will then increase. So the principal is 10-15 minutes on and 10-15 minutes off. Ice is definitely the best thing to reduce blood flow, swelling and PAIN to an injured area.
Heat can be applied to chronic injuries. You can use moist heat for 15-20 minutes. Some times a simple shower can help. Heat increases blood flow to the area and helps relaxing tight muscles or muscle spasms. Athletes will sometimes apply heat to a chronic injury prior to exercising or athletic event to relax their tight muscles.
Ice is definitely my best friend I always tell my patient when in doubt put ICE. You will at least reduce the swelling and start the healing process. So always keep ice in your freezer you never know when you will need it.
Until next time
Valerie
Today I want to talk about when to put ice or heat !!!! This is a topic that comes up everyday in my clinic. Some people swear by heat and others by ice but what to put and when?
The basic principal to remember is that for acute injuries everywhere on the body ICE should be applied. Patients always know to put ice on a knee or a twisted ankle but when it comes to the back or neck for some reason people think of heat. I like to explain to patients that the principal is the same whether it is an ankle or the back. When you just injured yourself your body will have an immediate reaction which is called inflammation. The goal right away is to try and reduce that inflammation. Ice is the best natural anti-inflammatory you can find and the best thing is that it is cheap! You can use a bag of frozen peas and apply it for no more then 15 minutes or so at a time. You do not want to freeze the area because then your body will react oppositely and send more blood to the area and the inflammation will then increase. So the principal is 10-15 minutes on and 10-15 minutes off. Ice is definitely the best thing to reduce blood flow, swelling and PAIN to an injured area.
Heat can be applied to chronic injuries. You can use moist heat for 15-20 minutes. Some times a simple shower can help. Heat increases blood flow to the area and helps relaxing tight muscles or muscle spasms. Athletes will sometimes apply heat to a chronic injury prior to exercising or athletic event to relax their tight muscles.
Ice is definitely my best friend I always tell my patient when in doubt put ICE. You will at least reduce the swelling and start the healing process. So always keep ice in your freezer you never know when you will need it.
Until next time
Valerie
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Tongue-tie babies and breastfeeding
Hi everyone
I am very excited about launching this new blog. My goal is to inform you as much as possible. I love feedback and questions so feel free to write me back. I wanted to start talking about the lactation conference I attended last week. It is always refreshing to go and listen to great speaker. I always come out of these refreshed and ready to go back to the clinic and apply what I have learned. I had the pleasure of hearing Catherine Watson-Genna the tongue tie expert from New-York. So today the post will relate to breastfeeding. So what is a tongue tie. It is a little filament under the tongue that prevents it from moving well. For babies to breastfeed effectively they must be able to move their tongue well. They should be able to lift it all the way up to the roof of the mouth and move it side to side. If these motions are restricted then baby can not suck effectively and get milk. It may be quite sore to the mother as well. The best thing to do is to look under the tongue of your baby and if you see a little white line you may consider seeing a lactation consultant to determine if the tongue tie needs to be addressed. For certain moms it will save their breastfeeding!!! If in doubt call a lactation consultant for advice. You can find a list of lactation consultant on the website www.ibclc.qc.ca.
Hope this was informative until the next time
Valerie
I am very excited about launching this new blog. My goal is to inform you as much as possible. I love feedback and questions so feel free to write me back. I wanted to start talking about the lactation conference I attended last week. It is always refreshing to go and listen to great speaker. I always come out of these refreshed and ready to go back to the clinic and apply what I have learned. I had the pleasure of hearing Catherine Watson-Genna the tongue tie expert from New-York. So today the post will relate to breastfeeding. So what is a tongue tie. It is a little filament under the tongue that prevents it from moving well. For babies to breastfeed effectively they must be able to move their tongue well. They should be able to lift it all the way up to the roof of the mouth and move it side to side. If these motions are restricted then baby can not suck effectively and get milk. It may be quite sore to the mother as well. The best thing to do is to look under the tongue of your baby and if you see a little white line you may consider seeing a lactation consultant to determine if the tongue tie needs to be addressed. For certain moms it will save their breastfeeding!!! If in doubt call a lactation consultant for advice. You can find a list of lactation consultant on the website www.ibclc.qc.ca.
Hope this was informative until the next time
Valerie
Monday, June 14, 2010
My Office
Hi everyone!
I just wanted to post my new office information. Even though we've been located in Kirkland for over a year now, here's all of the information you need to come visit me ...
My office hours are:
Tuesday 9:00 am.- 6:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Clinique Chiro-Santé Kirkland
3608 Boul St-Charles suite 1A
Kirkland, Qc H9H 3C3
(514) 694-7111
map & directions
For breastfeeding consultation please contact me at
514-244-0100. Consultation is available at my office.
You may also e-mail me anytime at info@chirofamilial.com
At the Clinic Chiro-Santé Kirkland, our goal is to make each and every patient feel as comfortable and as relaxed as possible so that the healing process may begin. We are also equipped and organized to handle any CSST or SAAQ cases. Simply call to make an appointment.
I just wanted to post my new office information. Even though we've been located in Kirkland for over a year now, here's all of the information you need to come visit me ...
My office hours are:
Tuesday 9:00 am.- 6:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Clinique Chiro-Santé Kirkland
3608 Boul St-Charles suite 1A
Kirkland, Qc H9H 3C3
(514) 694-7111
map & directions
For breastfeeding consultation please contact me at
514-244-0100. Consultation is available at my office.
You may also e-mail me anytime at info@chirofamilial.com
At the Clinic Chiro-Santé Kirkland, our goal is to make each and every patient feel as comfortable and as relaxed as possible so that the healing process may begin. We are also equipped and organized to handle any CSST or SAAQ cases. Simply call to make an appointment.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)