Your whole world is onyour shoulders.

Now that your little one has arrived, you’re learning what putting baby fi rst means for your body.Taking care of your health is important too. Let’s face it – lifting an infant several times a day is hard work that can damage your back if you’re not careful. With a baby in one arm and a diaper bag on the other, protecting your lower back is a tough balancing act. Luckily, a chiropractor can help you.

DID YOU KNOW?

A study in the Journal of Orthopaedics reported that:

50-90% of pregnant women will likely experience lower back pain.

Without proper care, this pain may persist after you give birth.

CONSULT A CHIROPRACTOR IF YOU:

• Feel tight muscles in your back, neck or shoulders

• Experience back pain when standing or sitting for a long period of time

• Experience pain in the back or neck

• Experience pain that shoots into your arms or legs

A CHIROPRACTOR’S EXPERTISE:

Your Back Pain & Beyond

KEEP YOUR BACK HEALTHY AT HOMEHere are some ways to reduce the risk of back and neck pain.

EXERCISES & STRETCHESto help alleviate your back pain at home

LIGHTEN YOUR LOADChoose a diaper bag that distributes weight evenly across your body to limit the stress of isolated muscles.

STRETCH YOUR BODYWhen your baby is old enough for tummy time, join them on the fl oor and do some exercises to stretch your neck and back.

FEED COMFORTABLYWhen nursing, avoid hunching and

keep your baby close to you. Choose a comfort-able, upright chair with a pillow.

KEEP YOUR BABY CLOSEDon’t stretch your arms out – bring your baby close to your chest before lifting. Consider wearing your baby on your front so you can alleviate the strain on your back.

KEEP TUB TROUBLE AT BAYAvoid reaching or twisting when bending over a tub. When kneeling, use a non-slip mat to protect your knees.

SHOULDER OPENER

• Breathing deeply and calmly, relax your stomach muscles

• Let your head hang loosely forward and gently roll from side to side (A)

• Bring your hands up to your neck and gently massage the back of your head and neck (B)

• Drop your arms to your sides, relax your shoulders & slowly roll them backward and forward for 15 seconds (C)

Visit WWW.CHIROPRACTIC.ON.CA to fi nd a chiropractor near you.

Your chiropractor is specifi cally trained in handling conditions related to your muscles, joints, bones, and nerves.

Not only can chiropractors help ease many of the pains that come with long work days, but they can also look at what’s causing these pains in the first place and provide treatment and management plans to help stop the pain from returning. Your chiropractor can provide manual therapies, therapeutic exercises, as well as nutritional and lifestyle counseling.

Chiropractors specialize in relieving your pain and improving your mobility. Chiropractors become licensed in Ontario after 7 years of rigorous aca-demic and practical education.

A chiropractor is part of your comprehensive health care team, there to get you back to doing the things you love to do.

CROSSOVER

• Standing with feet shoulder width apart, raise your hands (A)

• Bring your right elbow across your body while lifting your left knee (B)

• Touch elbow to knee, remaining upright and repeat alternating sides for 15 seconds