Postpartum Professionals in Kansas City
Compared to the number of prenatal appointments pregnant people attend, the number of visits planned for a postpartum person is laughable. In case you aren't aware - there is usually only one appointment. Sometimes there are two if a baby is born surgically.
And that appointment comes at six weeks postpartum to ensure the cervix has closed entirely and to discuss birth control methods moving forward.
The changes a person goes through after giving birth are intense: physical, emotional, and psychological. So it makes sense to meet with people who can help with your specific set of needs!
In an ideal world, it would be wonderful if the following professionals gave care to every person who has a baby. But they may not be people you have considered seeing! Let us share some valuable insight into planning for your postpartum recovery outside of your home.
5 Professionals I Wish Every New Parent Had Postpartum.
Chiropractor - Alignment is important. Not only can pregnancy and childbirth cause you to be out of alignment, but the work of being a parent will keep throwing you off. Common things cause a need for chiropractic care: holding your baby on the same side, babywearing, breastfeeding, resting in odd positions, lack of sleep, to name a few. Having an adjustment can improve the way your body feels, AND it can improve your outlook.
Physical Therapist who specializes in the pelvic floor - There are lots of jokes about new parents peeing their pants after giving birth. It's funny because it's true. Your pelvic floor is a complicated system of muscles, so just doing squats, or kegels, wont cut it. Finding out the kind of physical exercise your specific pelvic floor needs is valuable to keep you from doing undue harm.
Therapist - 1 in 7 women experience postpartum depression, and 1 in 5 women experience a PMAD (Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder). Having a skilled professional to help process the changes that happen early on is often an important way to prevent larger issues down the road. There are so many changes, feelings, and sometimes traumas that can come from birth that if you have not ever considered talk therapy before, having help at this point in your life is not a bad investment in your overall well being. Having a therapist who offers EMDR is my personal recommendation for supporting your mental health at any stage throughout your birth journey.
Massage Therapist - Many new parents complain about being "touched out," so this suggestion may seem ill-placed. But it's not. The kind of care a skilled massage therapist can offer an exhausted and touched out mom or dad is incredible. It is focused attention that reaches the depths of aches and can help unblock stress, headaches, and emotional blockages.
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant - If you are planning to breastfeed or not, consider seeing an IBCLC. Both your doula and your nurses are giving you a lot of hands-on information about how to care for your baby. Information like how to breastfeed! In those first days, it is tough to remember nuanced details, and there are typically lots of questions about breastfeeding. An IBCLC will help create a unique plan for you, your goals, and your baby.