Attention Mothers: Make Time for You

I have had the privilege of taking care of many mothers in our clinic and have noticed certain trends. One of the most obvious things I have noticed is that the rest of the family’s problems and health challenges tend to come before the mom’s. Albeit a natural instinct to take care and put priorities on the rest of the family’s health, it may lead to an accumulation of problems becoming progressively worse for the mom. I am often encouraging mothers to make time for them. I also encourage getting small problems taken care of before they become big and inconvenient.

It always amazes me how long people will put up with pain and dysfunction, especially when there are so many options available to help. I have had numerous mothers complaining of lower back pain since pregnancy and childbirth, some lasting as long as 20 years before having tried anything at all! Another common complaint that often goes too long is pain in the upper back from breast feeding and the resulting rounded shoulders and poor posture from spending numerous hours in a bent over position. It is not necessary to live with these types of aches and pains. In fact, many preventative measures can be taken to ensure that women do not end up with poor posture as they age. Getting regular spinal check-ups to ensure your body is in alignment is one major preventative step.

Childbirth and pregnancy add a whole new dimension of stress to a woman’s body. It is difficult to think of a more important time to have a woman’s spine and nervous system functioning optimally than during this crucial period. Many women under chiropractic care during pregnancy will not only have less aches and pains throughout their pregnancy but will also experience shorter labours and less difficult childbirth than they did prior to being under chiropractic care. This makes for a great start to not only the baby’s life, but can allow the mom to ease into motherhood with less fatigue and less stress on her body.

The other advice I find myself often giving mothers is finding time just for themselves to do whatever it is they are passionate about. For some people this is taking a new yoga or fitness class. For others, it’s a chance to do a hobby or meet up with some friends on a regular basis. Whatever the activity, it’s important to take the time to “recharge.” It’s important to schedule this time in because if you wait to see what’s left at the end of the day, there won’t be anything left at all.

I’ve heard too many times, “I don’t have the time to do . . .” What I am suggesting is that it’s important to keep the batteries charged to avoid “burnout.” It’s very hard to take care of other people when you are not healthy yourself. As the saying goes, “you can’t give what you don’t have.”

Why wait until Mother’s Day to treat yourself? Use this fall as an opportunity to take a new fitness class, start a walking program, find a new hobby and just take time “out” for you. Schedule a massage, pamper yourself, you’re worth it! Get those old nagging injuries taken care of before they become major inconveniences that take time away from your family. Think of your car: what would happen if you never took the time to maintain it? Would these problems that arise be easier or harder to take care of the longer they were left uncared for? Would they be cheaper or more expensive to fix? If you don’t have time for sickness, you better make time for wellness.