Integrative Family Health Clinic in Bolton and the Greater Caledon Area
4-22 Simona Drive
Bolton, ON
(905)-951-7134
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Tag: family medicine

new parents with newborn

New Mom and New Family Must-Knows

Don’t pick up the baby too much because you will spoil them!

Make sure you lose all your pregnancy weight or it will never come off!

Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep with the baby in your bed!

All these and many more well-intentioned tips from family, friends, and TikTok can be helpful at times, but more often than not, they can increase the expectations of an already overwhelmed new family. 

Welcome, first-time parents, to the postpartum period!

Postpartum is a time of great change and vulnerability. It begins immediately at time of birth for up to 12 weeks. For many, the journey to becoming parents was stressful enough. From the time of conception, to the mental and physical demands of preserving life within the mother’s body, the journey to this point has not been easy, but it’s time to enjoy a life changing experience.

As a nurse practitioner but most importantly, as a mother myself, I know that the care that a woman and her family receives during the postpartum period may impact the rest of their lives.

Postpartum care is not straightforward, it is the merging of care that sees for the health and wellbeing of mother, newborn, and the family unit, all while considering social and cultural influences. Let’s discuss each of these individually.

Must-Know #1: Mother’s Health

This is a period of returning to normal, or better explained, adapting to the new normal. This is a time of great change, with an extensive list of health considerations for the woman. The mother’s health must consider the physical recovery from pregnancy and labor, to the mental and emotional wellness needs related to maternal-infant bonding and changes within the partner roles. The mother is learning and coping with a lot of change, this is a time that requires a lot of love, patience and compassion.

Must-Know #2: Newborn Health

Postpartum newborn care focuses on supporting the infant to adjust to their new world. For the months leading up to the time of birth, the babe had everything it needed to survive at their fingertips. Out of the womb, the newborn’s body is adjusting to a new environment full of harsh experiences. The baby is learning they must cry to communicate their needs, they are learning about feelings of hunger, cold, or need for skin-to-skin, feeling closeness and the need for love. Your new baby is doing a lot of learning and coping with change, this is a time that requires a lot of love, patience and compassion.

Must-Know #3: Husband/Partner (New Parent) and Family Health 

This is a time where families adapt physically, psychologically and socially to their newly established family unit. In immeasurable ways, the new family has forever changed. From sleepless nights, to mental and emotional stressor of uncertainty, confusion and role change, the husband/partner and those close to the new family are learning and coping with change, this is a time that requires a lot of love, patience and compassion.

In essence, the postpartum period is a time when mothers and their new family acquaint themselves with one another while adapting to their changing bodies, environment and roles. Although stressful, we were created for this! We must trust our ability to not only give birth, but to raise families. When considering how dynamic postpartum care is, it is crucial to leverage the support from those around you (the village). We must humbly accept their help, practice self-compassion, prioritize health, sleep and family bonding. Instead of struggling to meet the demands of social media, or a well intentioned loved one, trust that your maternal/paternal compass is working just fine and out of love, do what feels right for you and your family.  

Expanding the Village: How Nurse Practitioners Can Help

Postpartum care is not just the concern of the woman and child, but for the health of those who will play important roles in the care and wellbeing of the family. Nurse practitioners and your healthcare team can help during this period of change by helping:

Mothers
  1. Monitor physiological postpartum changes including breasts, vaginal, uterine, etc. 
  2. Support with breastfeeding
  3. Provide mental and emotional wellness screening and care
Newborns

Monitor physical health  milestones, including:

  • feeding
  • length
  • weight
  • reflexes
  • milestones
Families
  1. Assess and support families at addressing health concerns
  2. Provide anticipatory guidance

If you have postpartum or newborn health questions and would like to discuss them in an unhurried appointment please feel free to book a new family appointment with me. If you would like to learn more about how a nurse practitioner can support your family’s health please feel free to book a free 15 minute discovery call.

A healthful life starts here. Book an appointment with our primary care providers today.

Contact Us

Postpartum Support

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Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Postpartum

Ever wonder why pelvic floor physiotherapy has stirred up some great conversation topics amongst friends and family with little ones? After giving birth, a woman’s body, in particular her pelvic floor, has gone through an array of changes. Whether you’ve had a vaginal or cesarean birth, the pelvic floor and other soft tissue structures surrounding have been affected. Other determinants that can affect your pelvic floor structures include the size of your baby, the duration of labour, the delivery method used, and the number or pregnancies you’ve had.

Take a look at the statements below, do any of these sound familiar?

“I am peeing my pants when I laugh, cough, sneeze or jump!”

“I am noticing doming of my belly when lifting my child or rolling out of bed”

“I had a c-section and I can’t stand looking at my scar, it also hurts to touch.”

“It hurts to have intercourse.”

“I’m nervous to have intercourse again, I don’t know what it’s like down there after the baby.”

“I feel like there’s a golf ball pushing out of my vagina.”

“I want to get back into the gym, but not sure what exercises to do and not do at this point.”

If any of these statements or thoughts have crossed your mind since having your baby, a visit to see the pelvic floor physiotherapist is a MUST!

Checklist

Here is a simple checklist that you can also use to see whether or not you should pick up the phone and make an appointment with your physiotherapist:

Ο   6 weeks after having a vaginal birth

Ο   8 weeks after having a cesarean section

Ο   Diagnosed with Diastasis Recti or “Mummy Tummy”

Ο   Experiencing urinary or fecal incontinence

Ο   Diagnosed with a POP (pelvic organ prolapse)

Ο   Pelvic pain with or without intercourse

Ο   Getting back to the gym, running, etc.

Ο   Lower back pain, hip pain, shoulder pain

Ο   Episiotomy performed during delivery

Ο   Any grade 1-4 tearing during labour and delivery

If, after having your six-week follow up with your doctor, OBGYN, and/or midwife, any of the above have been mentioned, seeing a pelvic floor physiotherapist can impact the healing and function of your pelvic structures after having your baby. The results of regular physiotherapy treatment for a minimum of an 8-week period have demonstrated positive tissue healing and a strong, functional pelvic floor regardless of complications with birth.

– Nabila Jutha, PT

[/bt_text][bt_hr top_spaced=”topSmallSpaced” bottom_spaced=”bottomSmallSpaced” transparent_border=”noBorder” el_class=”” el_style=”” responsive=””][/bt_hr][bt_row_inner][bt_column_inner width=”1/1″ align=”center” cell_padding=”default” vertical_align=”inherit” highlight=”no_highlight” background_color=”” opacity=”” el_class=”” el_style=””][bt_button text=”Postpartum Recovery Starts Here – Work with WHW!” icon=”” url=”https://wildflowerhw.janeapp.com/” target=”_self” style=”Outline” icon_position=”Inline” color=”Accent” size=”Medium” width=”Normal” el_class=”” el_style=”” responsive=””][/bt_button][/bt_column_inner][/bt_row_inner][bt_hr top_spaced=”topSmallSpaced” bottom_spaced=”bottomSemiSpaced” transparent_border=”noBorder” el_class=”” el_style=”” responsive=””][/bt_hr][bt_dropdown title=”References” dd_content=”Allen, R., Hosker, G., Smith, A. and Warrell, D. (1991). Pelvic Floor Damage and Childbirth. Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey, 46(4), pp.209-210.;#
Handa, V., Blomquist, J., McDermott, K., Friedman, S. and Muñoz, A. (2012). Pelvic Floor Disorders After Childbirth: Effect of Episiotomy, Perineal Laceration, and Operative Birth. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 119(2, Part 1), pp.233-239.;#
Morkved, S. and Bo, K. (2000). Effect of postpartum pelvic floor muscle training in prevention and treatment of urinary incontinence: a one-year follow up. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 107(8), pp.1022-1028.;#” el_class=”” el_style=”” responsive=””][/bt_dropdown][bt_hr top_spaced=”topSmallSpaced” bottom_spaced=”bottomSemiSpaced” transparent_border=”noBorder” el_class=”” el_style=”” responsive=””][/bt_hr][/bt_column][/bt_row][/bt_section]

Preparation for a Healthy Pregnancy: A Naturopathic Perspective

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When working with women at Wildflower Health and Wellness, many women, young and mature, inevitably ask about at the naturopathic perspective on what a healthy pregnancy looks like. Long before the sperm meets the egg, the underlying health of the woman’s body (and the man’s) determines the health of the pregnancy. Realistically, it’s never too early to start planning for pregnancy, as a healthy pregnancy relies on the optimal health of moms- and dads-to-be. It is also something to consider as half of all pregnancies are not planned and baseline health becomes quite important.

An astounding fact that women don’t realize is that once they are pregnant, they are not only carrying their son/daughter but they are also carrying their potential grandchild.

Every baby girl is born with the eggs for their lifetime.

Imagine the impact of your health choices as you are pregnant on what we call generational health.

A healthy pregnancy aims to prevent childhood illnesses such as asthma, allergies, eczema, and autoimmune disease by improving the health of mothers-to-be.

Laboratory Testing

At the very least the following should be tested:

  • Vitamin D – mother’s levels have been correlated with outcomes of many chronic diseases
  • Complete blood count – looks at the health of your red and white blood cells
  • HbA1c – looks at the your blood sugar levels over the past 3 months
  • Ferritin – looks at your iron storage reserves
  • Vitamin B12

These markers should be tested by either your medical doctor or naturopathic doctor. Obviously there are many other tests that are important, such as STI testing, Hepatitis B and C, etc. Not surprisingly, these are typical blood tests that are run at the doctor’s office when going for an annual check-up.

Absolutely Essential Nutrients

For a healthy pregnancy these are the essential nutrients to consider:

  • Iron
  • Methylfolate (bioactive folate)
  • Methylcobalamin (bioactive vitamin B12)

It is also important that it have as many active forms of the nutrients as possible to give your body the best chance to absorb the vital nutrients.  

These nutrients protect the baby from neural tube defects, miscarriages, and ensures proper growth and development. They are also commonly found in good quantities in prenatal formulas..

Other Very Important Nutrients

From a naturopathic perspective, there some additional nutrients that is of great importance when it comes to maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Those being vitamin D, Omega-3 fats, probiotics and magnesium. The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) longer covers vitamin D testing for the average person. Research by Health Canada suggests that there is a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Canadians and that supplementation does improve levels. Health Canada has also fortified some of our foods such as milk and dairy products with vitamin D, however,  many women experience the ill-effects of dairy consumption either digestively or hormonally.

Omega-3 fats are another essential nutrient that is needed in preparation of pregnancy. Most people are not eating fatty fish three times weekly, and as such, supplementation becomes important. For vegetarians or vegans, there are good quality, plant-based Omega-3s available.

With the declining quality of our agricultural soil, our foods do not contain magnesium as they once did. As a result, even with eating a healthy diet it is common for the average Canadian to be magnesium deficient.

Probiotics have a growing role in our health as more and more studies come out. They are important when preventing childhood illnesses of asthma, allergies, eczema and autoimmune disease.

The reason I consider these additional nutrients is because it can be difficult to get an adequate amount from diet. Nonetheless, a balanced diet plays a large role in determining the health of mom and baby.

In the case of male infertility, the most important nutrients to consider are a group of nutrients called antioxidants. Nutritional antioxidants are zinc, CoQ10, lycopene (a form of vitamin A) and selenium.

Weight Management and Why it’s Important

It’s surprising the amount of women that say, “I’m going to become fat during the pregnancy anyway.” As mentioned previously, the health of the mother-to-be is very important in determining the health of the baby. Women who carry excess weight are more likely to develop gestational diabetes and have C-sections themselves. Their babies are also at a greater risk of conditions such as eczema, allergies, asthma and obesity.

Maintaining regular physical exercise prior to pregnancy and during the pregnancy can support a healthy metabolism, pelvic floor, blood flow and energy/mood.  

Recent studies have also shown that exercise and regular activity during pregnancy reduces complications at birth.

Overall, maintaining a healthy and balanced diet while supplementing with additional nutrients for baby is optimal in a healthy pregnancy. Don’t stray away from being active, either!

Please see your local ND for further support.

[/bt_text][bt_hr top_spaced=”topSmallSpaced” bottom_spaced=”bottomSmallSpaced” transparent_border=”noBorder” el_class=”” el_style=”” responsive=””][/bt_hr][bt_row_inner][bt_column_inner width=”1/1″ align=”center” cell_padding=”default” vertical_align=”inherit” highlight=”no_highlight” background_color=”” opacity=”” el_class=”” el_style=””][bt_button text=”Work with Wildflower Health & Wellness for your Healthy Pregnancy” icon=”” url=”https://wildflowerhw.janeapp.com/” target=”_self” style=”Outline” icon_position=”Inline” color=”Accent” size=”Medium” width=”Normal” el_class=”” el_style=”” responsive=””][/bt_button][/bt_column_inner][/bt_row_inner][bt_hr top_spaced=”topSmallSpaced” bottom_spaced=”bottomSemiSpaced” transparent_border=”noBorder” el_class=”” el_style=”” responsive=””][/bt_hr][bt_dropdown title=”References” dd_content=”https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/vitamins-minerals/vitamin-calcium-updated-dietary-reference-intakes-nutrition.html#a19;#
Langlois K, Greene-Finestone L, Little J, Hidiroglou N, Whiting S. Vitamin D status of Canadians as measured in the 2007 to 2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey. Health Reports, March 2010: Catalogue no 82-003-X;#
Whiting SJ, Langlois KA, Vatanparast H, Greene-Finestone LS. The vitamin D status of Canadians relative to the 2011 Dietary Reference Intakes: An examination in children and adults with and without supplement use. Am J Clin Nutr 2011 Jul:94(1): 128-35.;#” el_class=”” el_style=”” responsive=””][/bt_dropdown][bt_hr top_spaced=”topSmallSpaced” bottom_spaced=”bottomSemiSpaced” transparent_border=”noBorder” el_class=”” el_style=”” responsive=””][/bt_hr][/bt_column][/bt_row][/bt_section]