LONDONDERRY, NH – Healing Hands Chiropractic, A Family Wellness Center in Londonderry, NH announces a comprehensive childbirth class series for women in their third trimester and their birth partners.

Childbirth education at Healing Hands encourages all parents to select the type of birth that is best for their family, and offers unbiased, research-based information on all birthing options. These classes are not based on a specific birthing method (like Bradley or Lamaze), but teach relaxation, meditation, and mindfulness. Practitioners at Healing Hands proudly support home birth and low-intervention hospital birth. For parents considering a non-medicated (epidural-free or “natural”) birth, they are committed to providing the tools to achieve this responsibly and confidently.

Topics covered include:

• Nutrition for optimal health & complication prevention
• Choosing the right practitioners for you
• Physiology of normal birth
• Understanding medical interventions / Informed decision-making
• Coping methods for pain, both natural and medical
• Positions for labor and birth
• Newborn appearance, behavior and concerns
• Postpartum family life
• Breastfeeding & attachment parenting

Healing Hands Chiropractic offers some of the only classes in the greater Manchester and Nashua areas that are not affiliated with a specific hospital. This independence allows them to work for you, the parent, rather than an institution. While some hospital-sponsored birth classes may cost a bit less, parents can benefit significantly from the independent nature of these classes.

Upcoming class series dates are May 18th through June 22nd, and July 13th through August 17th. All classes are Tuesdays from 6 to 8 pm. For more information, please call 603-434-3456 or email Jenny Everett King at jenny@healinghandsnh.com.

Also available at Healing Hands Chiropractic are prenatal chiropractic care (including the renowned Webster Technique), prenatal yoga, and pregnancy massage. For more information on Healing Hands Chiropractic, please visit http://www.HealingHandsNH.com .

Healing Hands Chiropractic is a full-service, holistic family wellness center located in Londonderry, NH offering chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage therapy, reiki therapy, yoga and meditation classes and pregnancy & birth classes. Our practitioners specialize in prenatal care, pediatrics, women’s health and family wellness.

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CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION OFFERED IN LONDONDERRY, NH WELLNESS CENTER

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by Dr. Jessica Caruso – Prenatal and Family Chiropractor

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder resulting from the brain’s inability to integrate everyday sensory information received from the five senses: touch, vision, sound, smell, and taste.(1)

The five senses mentioned above are commonly known. However, there are 2 other senses, rarely known but extremely important: vestibular and proprioceptive systems.
The vestibular system is physiologically located in the cerebellum (base of brain), upper cervical spine (top of neck) and inner ear. The vestibular system is responsible for regulating all incoming sensory information and is considered the most important sensory system. The proprioceptive system is located throughout the spine and joints of the body. Disruption of this system may lead to problems with learning, motor skills, behavior, and social / emotional development. (1)

It is estimated that 1 in 20 children suffers from SPD. Children with SPD are often misdiagnosed as having ADD, ADHD, or other neurodevelopmental disorders. This misdiagnosis may be due to the fact that SPD often co-exists with ADD, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, OCD, anxiety disorder, traumatic brain injury, and learning disabilities. These children are usually misunderstood and labeled as aggressive, clumsy, inattentive, or difficult. (1)

Some signs your child may have SPD:

Touch: they may avoid or crave touch, get irritated by certain clothing (ex: tags, sock seams) and food textures (1)
Smell: may be susceptible to allergies, may need to excessively smell toys, items, people (1)
Taste: “picky eaters”, exhibit pica (eating non-edible items like chalk, crayons, dirt, etc.) (1)
Vision: difficulty going down stairs, poor hand-eye coordination, eye discomfort when required to perform visual work like reading, frequent headaches and stomach upset after school, may need to read out loud to keep place (1)
Auditory: may be upset with loud or unexpected noises, hum and sing to screen out unwanted noises, bothered by clock ticking, refrigerator humming, air conditioner on, cover ears a lot, speak loudly (1)
Proprioception: may need physical contact with another person, may exhibit hysteria over washing hair, pulling shirts over head, difficulty falling asleep, sleep walking, and are clumsy (1)

Chiropractic care is an essential treatment for these children. Properly functioning vestibular and proprioceptive sensory systems are key components in developing and maintaining a healthy sensory processing system. Because these two sensory systems are largely located in the spine, it is extremely important to remove any spinal misalignments with a chiropractic adjustment that may be causing nerve interference.

Family wellness chiropractors are also well versed in proper nutrition. It is important to avoid certain foods and add certain foods into the diet for treatment of SPD. Refined sugar, food preservatives, and food colorings should be avoided. Omega-3 fatty acids found in cold water fish (wild caught) such as salmon, tuna, and trout, and dark green leafy vegetables and flaxseed oil are considered good “brain food.” Dairy-free and gluten-free diets may also be helpful for these children (1). Keeping a food journal and reviewing it with your family chiropractor is advised.

Exercising your child’s brain is highly recommended. Today children spend more time in car seats, walkers, and other places that restrict movement and impair neurodevelopment. As children get older they are spending more time in front of a computer, playing video games, or texting, and not enough time running, jumping, skipping, climbing, swinging and crawling. Activities that involve using both sides of the body are necessary for proper development (1).

Other things to consider:

• Drink Water: Water comprises more of the brain than any other organ of the body. Having children drink water before and during class can help “grease the wheel.” Drinking water is very important before stressful situations like taking tests (2).
• Cross-Crawl Exercises: This exercise helps coordinate right and left brain by exercising the information flow between the two hemispheres. It is useful for spelling, writing, listening, reading and comprehension (2).
• Brain Buttons: This exercise helps improve blood flow to the brain to “switch on” the entire brain before a lesson begins. The increased blood flow helps improve concentration skills required for reading and writing (2).
• Hook Ups: This works well for nerves before a test or special event like making a speech. These help calm the mind and improve concentration (2).
• Listening to classical music such as Mozart may help improve the IQ (2).
• Using Colored Pens: Using colored pens helps the right brain remember patterns (2).

Finding a chiropractor familiar with Paul E. Dennison, Ph.D. and Gail E. Dennison’s work is recommended.

To find a family wellness chiropractor near you visit www.icpa4kids.com

References:

(1) Pathways to Family Wellness, Issue 19; What is Sensory Processing Disorder?, Monika Buerger, D.C.

(2) Brain Gym® Exercises, About.com, Kenneth Beare

Healing Hands Chiropractic is a full-service, holistic family wellness center located in Londonderry, NH offering chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage therapy, reiki therapy, yoga and meditation classes and pregnancy & birth classes. Our practitioners specialize in prenatal care, pediatrics, women’s health and family wellness.

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Sensory Processing Disorder and Chiropractic Care

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by Jenny Everett King- Childbirth Educator and Prenatal & Postpartum Yoga Teacher

Recently I asked a group of mom friends, “What do you wish you had known about parenting before your baby was born?” Here are just a few of their responses:

• That when your child is born, especially first children, the whole world shifts (it’s a bit like the way it shifts when someone dies – only the outcome is more positive) and it’s normal to feel like everything’s tilted, like in those V8 commercials, for awhile until you adjust to the HUGE change that just happened.

• You will scare yourself by how much you worry about your baby, and while you will continue to worry more now than you ever did before you were a parent, the scary-obsessive worrying will subside enough that you feel halfway normal again.

• I wish someone told me how crazy my hormones would make me! Everything made me cry the first few weeks. Commercials, cards in the mail, looking at my baby sleeping, being home alone with the baby for the first time.

A common thread runs through these responses as well as many others I received, namely, a feeling of being completely overwhelmed. Perhaps more than anything else, what characterizes the early weeks (and often months) of parenting is a feeling of being in WAY over your head!

I can remember taking my daughter home from the hospital, amazed that the staff would just let us walk out the door with such a tiny, vulnerable life. When I thought about the fact that my husband and I were the two people in the world ultimately responsible for her, I was terrified. I see this same fear reflected in the face of nearly every new mom I work with. It’s there regardless of age, income, or relationship status. It’s there in women who have had years of experience with small children. It’s there in the families who have spent years trying to conceive as well as those who were shocked to learn they were pregnant. To an outsider, this kind of fear in a new parent may be concerning. New parents often feel like they have no idea what they are doing! However, personal and professional experience alike have shown me that this feeling is a fundamental part of becoming a parent. Just like the intense sensations of childbirth, the majority of the time, the emotions of the early parenting weeks are normal, natural, and healthy.

For the mother, physical recovery from pregnancy and birth are a lengthy process. Her body must literally transition from “pregnant” to “parent.”  The uterus takes weeks to return to its non-pregnant size, the joints of the hips may take weeks to mend, the uterus bleeds daily as the placental site heals. In the meantime, her breasts go through dramatic and amazing changes to provide continued nourishment for her baby. All of these processes are generated by sharp changes in hormone levels, which affect the emotions as well as the body.

Partners also experience their share of strong emotions in the weeks following birth. Many have just witnessed the person they love most endure the difficult, ecstatic, life-changing journey that is birth. But more than the that, the profound responsibility of having a child can weigh heavily on fathers in particular. It is crucial to remember that partners go thought their own transition  to becoming a parent, and like any change, emotions may be mixed. Anatole France writes, “All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.” Many parents experience a sense of loss over their lives prior to having children, and why shouldn’t they? The days of sleeping late (or a full eight hours), of acting spontaneously, of leading a self-determined existence are long gone. If feelings of loss surface, it is important to acknowledge them personally, to have a support network of friends and family, and to speak with a professional counselor if the feelings become overwhelming.

What do new parents need to thrive during the major transition of the postpartum period? First, the basic needs must be met: adequate fluids, nutritious food, and as much sleep as possible. (Of course, it’s highly likely that no amount of sleep will feel sufficient!) In addition, the whole family needs support from other responsible, understanding adults, who can help with cooking, cleaning, and baby care on occasion. It is helpful if parents recognize in advance that the postpartum period is challenging for everyone, and that feeling overwhelmed or fearful does not mean you are a bad parent. A support group of other new parents can help normalize these feelings, as well as offer friendships with other mothers and fathers at the same life stage. And of course, help keep the whole family healthy with natural wellness care! Planning for the changes inherent in the postpartum period will help the whole family thrive during the amazing journey to parenthood.

Healing Hands Chiropractic offers many treatments to build health during pregnancy and postpartum, including Webster Technique chiropractic care, Mother Massage®, Mama Prenatal and Mama & Baby Postpartum yoga, and a free weekly support group, Mommy Connection. We partner with Elliot Hospital’s Postpartum Depression Task Force to raise awareness and offer emotional support to new families.

Healing Hands Chiropractic is a full-service, holistic family wellness center located in Londonderry, NH offering chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage therapy, reiki therapy, yoga and meditation classes and pregnancy & birth classes. Our practitioners specialize in prenatal care, pediatrics, women’s health and family wellness.

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Life After Baby: Thriving in the Journey to Parenthood

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By Dr. Jessica Caruso, Prenatal & Family Chiropractor and Reiki Practitioner

Colic is a disorder in which an infant has episodes of uncontrollable crying. It occurs in about 10-20% of infants less than 4 months of age. Colic is not only detrimental to the infant’s health but can create a tremendous amount of stress on the entire family unit.

The exact cause of colic is not known, but has been linked to gas in the intestine, dietary issues and birth trauma.

Research has shown that chiropractic care can help. A randomized clinical trial by Wiberg, et al. has concluded: “Spinal manipulation is effective in relieving infantile colic.” The research team enrolled infants diagnosed with infantile colic into two groups. For 2 weeks half the infants received chiropractic spinal manipulations (adjustments) , while the other half received the drug dimethicone.  At day five of the trial the group receiving spinal manipulations did significantly better than the group on the drug. Over the course of the entire trial, the infants receiving chiropractic care had a 67% reduction in crying noted, compared to only 38% reduction in the infants on dimethicone. (1)

There is a growing body of research that supports the efficacy of chiropractic care for children with colic.  In a prospective study of 316 children satisfactory improvement was noted within 2 weeks in 94% of the infantile colic cases being treated by a chiropractor. 51% of the infants in this study had previously unsuccessful results using drug therapy. (1, 2)

Chiropractic is not designed to treat disease, but rather to remove spinal nerve stress from the body. Spinal nerve stress (AKA subluxation) is misalignment of the spinal column, cranium, hips and related structures that interferes with the proper function of the nervous system. The nervous system controls the function of the entire body. Therefore, subluxations can weaken internal organs,  organ systems and the immune system as well. (3)

Subluxation can be caused by physical, chemical and/or emotional stress. Physical stress may begin with the baby’s positioning in utero. It may also present during a difficult or traumatic birth which can cause stress to the baby’s skull, spinal column or pelvic structures. (3)

The chiropractic adjustment is designed to remove nerve interference, allowing the immune system to function more efficiently, increase resistance to disease and improve the overall functioning of the body.  Even though parents may bring their children to the chiropractor with a symptom and/or a disease, the chiropractor does not treating the symptom but rather frees the body of nerve interference. This allows  the body to access its innate ability to heal from within and function optimally. (3)

1. http://icpa4kids.org/Wellness-Research/colic-and-chiropractic.html
2. http://www.atypon-link.com/MCY/doi/abs/10.5555/pmfh.2009.2009.2.1a
3. http://www.hpakids.org/holistic-health/articles/32/1/Chriopractic-and-Children/print/32

Healing Hands Chiropractic is a full-service, holistic family wellness center located in Londonderry, NH offering chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage therapy, reiki therapy, yoga and meditation classes and pregnancy & birth classes. Our practitioners specialize in prenatal care, pediatrics, women’s health and family wellness.

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Colic and Chiropractic

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By Dr. Denise Ingrando, Family Chiropractor

If you’ve shopped lately for baby products like bottles or plastic toys, you’ve probably seen the label “BPA free.” While the advertisement itself is likely enough to pique your interest and perhaps keep you from buying products containing BPA, what exactly is BPA, and why is it important to avoid?

BPA (bisphenol A) is a petrochemical and contaminant found in plastic products such as water bottles, plastic containers and plastic wrap, as well as the lining of canned goods. It has been linked to a long list of serious chronic disorders including cancer, cognitive and behavioral impairments, endocrine system disruption, reproductive and cardiovascular system abnormalities, diabetes, altered immune function, asthma and obesity. It has been found to contribute to disease by mimicking the body’s hormones and causing disruption (3,5,7).

The disturbing part is, this toxic substance can affect your children even before they have the chance to drink from a bottle! According to recent research conducted by the Environmental Working Group, this substance, along with 231 other toxic chemicals, was found in nine out of ten random samples of cord blood taken from American infants (5, 6,7). This means that fetuses are not protected from the toxins their mothers are exposed to. “This can lead to chromosomal errors in the developing fetus, which can cause spontaneous miscarriages and genetic damage. And being exposed to just 0.23 parts per billion of BPA is enough to disrupt the effect of estrogen in a baby’s developing brain” (7). In fact, not only do infants and children have underdeveloped organ systems for detoxifying and excreting chemicals, they also have immature and porous blood-brain barriers, which increases the risk for brain exposure and neuro-developmental disorders (7). Women of childbearing age and those who are pregnant should consider the sources of BPA and diligently avoid them. Although the FDA declared BPA safe in 2008, they now have “some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children” and are becoming more aggressive in “re-evaluating the way they regulate BPA” (1,2,3).

Tips to help you steer clear of BPA include:

• Drink from glass bottles
• Buy fresh or frozen rather then canned food products
• Drink plenty of water to flush toxins from your system
• Receive regular chiropractic care

Regular chiropractic care is an important aspect in helping your body handle the wide variety of chemicals it is exposed to, as it can keep your system functioning optimally in spite of a potentially toxic load. As the nervous system is responsible for regulating endocrine (hormonal) function, as well as the function of every system in your body, chiropractic adjustments that remove nerve interference can help the body to function at 100%. Consider chiropractic care for yourself and your family today, especially if you are pregnant.

[1] “Understanding FDA food packaging regulations,” White-paper by Rohm and Haas,

[2] Kissinger M. “FDA says it’s unable to regulate BPA” (January 17, 2010) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

[3] “Update on bisphenol A for use in food contact applications: January 2010” U.S. Food and Drug Administration

[4] http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/02/04/fda-shifts-position-now-has-concerns-about-bpa-risks-.aspx

[5]www.mothering.com/toxic-chemicals-found-in-babies (12/09/09)

[6]www.ewg.org/minoritycordblood/fullreport

[7] Dr. Mercola -“232 Toxic Chemicals Found In Babies” (12/31/09) http://articles.mercola.com/sites/current.aspx

Healing Hands Chiropractic is a full-service, holistic family wellness center located in Londonderry, NH offering chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage therapy, reiki therapy, yoga and meditation classes and pregnancy & birth classes. Our practitioners specialize in prenatal care, pediatrics, women’s health and family wellness.

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What is BPA? (And how can it affect my unborn child?)

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By Dr. Denise Ingrando

Before I was pregnant my view of vaccines was quite lackadaisical. As a child, my parents immunized me and I succumbed to the medical theory, because I did not know otherwise. I figured it was par for the course to get immunized, expect to feel feverish and sick for a while and then get over everything and be immune! However, the minute I held my child and watched him develop and grow, my entire view of the world changed.

I questioned everything! Were vaccines really safe and the responses to them “normal”? What about an alternative approach to immunity? How could I protect him? I spent hours upon hours using my research skills acquired in graduate school to dig up any research I could find on the topic; both pro- and anti-vaccine. Personally, I found that the risks of vaccinating outweighed the benefits. As a graduate student at Palmer Chiropractic College in Florida, I attended many lectures regarding the Germ Theory- of the body’s ability to heal itself and that GERMS DON’T KILL; but rather it’s the body’s inability to respond to these germs properly due to nervous system interference that can cause symptoms and illness.

I absolutely believe in the body’s ability to heal itself and feel that injecting a potentially deadly or neurotoxic substance into the body unnecessary. In fact, research performed by a medical doctor at the New York Medical Institute concluded that people under regular chiropractic wellness care have immune systems that are 200-400% stronger than those not under regular chiropractic wellness care(1)!

Think about it- if the nervous system regulates immune system function, and  nervous system interference is removed  by way of the chiropractic adjustment, then the immune system is getting the message from the brain at 100% function and is able to perform optimally. This increase in immune system function is extremely important, especially knowing that the body may bring in the virus through  several lines of defense- the skin, the mucosa of the nasal passages, the acidity in the stomach as well as the beneficial microorganisms that line the intestines, mouth and upper respiratory tract. No matter how the body is exposed to an infection the immune system will be able to take care of the body if it is given the chance to be optimally functioning.

In children, the immune system is not mature until about the age of seven years old (2). This is why natural immunity stemming from the mother’s body passed on to the baby in utero via the placenta is key to immune system function as is any added immunity given through breast milk (2,3). This passive immunity, is wonderful but unfortunately short lived. Active immunity, on the other hand, is long lasting and is acquired through exposure of the various microorganisms we encounter day to day (2,3). Whether or not you develop symptoms of a particular organism depends on your body’s ability to handle what it has been exposed to.

Family Wellness Chiropractors like those at Healing Hands Chiropractic specialize in educating patients on the various lifestyle choices that may cause nervous system interference and work with each individual and family to eliminate those causes by giving advice regarding proper posture, good nutrition and stress management to name just a few.

Deciding to vaccinate is such a personal decision, but whatever your choice may be, why not give you and your family the chance to have your bodies working optimally and fighting off infection more efficiently through chiropractic care?

To learn more about how chiropractic can boost your family’s immune system, as well as additional information on vaccines, alternative solutions and/or immunization schedules please feel free to book an appointment with our doctors. Scheduling an appointment can be done by calling the office at 603-434-3456 or conveniently online.

Healing Hands Chiropractic- A Family Wellness Center also offers massage therapy, reiki therapy, acupuncture and Chinese herbs, yoga & meditation classes and pregnancy & birth classes. All of our practitioners are more than happy to help you and your family in exploring the many options to achieving health and wellness!

(2)http://www.whatreallyworks.co.uk/start/kidszone.asp?article_ID=559

(3)http://www.answers.com/topic/immune-system-development

(1)http://www.caryleadsgroup.com/article/Chiropractic_and_the_Immune_System#fn3 (and articles that follow)

Korr IM: “Andrew Taylor Still memorial lecture: Research and Practice a century later.” J Am Osteopathy Assoc 1974 73:362.

Murray DR, Irwin M, Reardon CA, et al. “Sympathetic and immune interactions during dynamic exercise. Mediation via a beta 2 adrenergic-dependent mechanism.” Circulation 1992 86(1): 203

Pero R. “Medical Researcher Excited By CBSRF Project Results.” The Chiropractic Journal, August 1989; 32.

Brennan P, Graham M, Triano J, Hondras M. “Enhanced phagocytic cell respiratory bursts induced by spinal manipulation: Potential Role of Substance P.” J Manip Physiolog Ther 1991; (14)7:399-400.

Selano JL, Hightower BC, Pfleger B, Feeley-Collins K, Grostic JD. “The Effects of Specific Upper Cervical Adjustments on the CD4 Counts of HIV Positive Patients.” The Chiro Research Journal; 3(1); 1994.

Felton DL, Felton SY, Belonged DL, et al. “Noradrenergic sympathetic neural interactions with the immune system: structure and function.” Immunol Rev. 1987 Dec;100:225-60.

Related articles: The Winsor Autopsies; The Story of Masha & Dasha

Healing Hands Chiropractic is a full-service, holistic family wellness center located in Londonderry, NH offering chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage therapy, reiki therapy, yoga and meditation classes and pregnancy & birth classes. Our practitioners specialize in prenatal care, pediatrics, women’s health and family wellness.

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To Vaccinate or Not To Vaccinate (or Maybe Something in Between?)

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When I found out I was pregnant for the first time, my mother’s ecstatic reaction was quickly followed by, “You have to get a baby sling.” At first, I didn’t see the point. I imagined that between a classic front pack, a car seat / stroller combination, a crib, and a bouncy seat, my daughter would have her choice of locations when my hands were occupied. I eventually agreed to the baby-wearing prospect, but mostly to appease the new grandma.

My daughter quickly revealed herself to be what many practitioners refer to as a “high-need baby.” She wanted to be held and cuddled almost constantly. She was not interested in spending her time in a vibrating bouncy seat, nor napping in her crib. (She did not enjoy riding in her car seat, either, but that particular issue was non-negotiable.)

Enter the baby sling, a piece of fabric I imagined sitting on a shelf next to the little-used blankets and newborn dress-up clothes. In her sling, my daughter was happy. In her sling, Delaney took in the world around her, she breastfed discreetly, and she napped at will. My husband and I became unexpected converts to the world of baby-wearing and attachment parenting.

After our son was born, we switched from the sling to the Moby Wrap, and discovered that, not only was baby-wearing beneficial for baby, but could be fun for parents as well. Many different carrier styles offer some of the benefits of baby-wearing: close contact and enhanced bonding, breastfeeding convenience, and an upright position for colicky babies, to name a few. But the Moby offers a host of additional benefits, including the following:

A variety of holds – With many carriers, parents are limited to just a few different positions for baby. Most babies have certain positions they prefer, and if you have a carrier with limited options, getting baby comfortable can be a daunting task. The Moby Wrap comes with instructions for a wide variety of baby positions, categorized for your baby’s age and development. You can experiment with a number of holds until you find your baby’s favorites (and yours!).

Works for newborns through preschoolers – The Moby Wrap is perfect for babies who are just days (or even hours) old, yet supports up to 35 pounds. That means one carrier for the first two or three years of your baby’s life. If you have two small children, one wrap can be used for either one. (My two kids, who are now 3 years and 16 months, respectively, took turns in it while we were shopping the other day.) Moby has specific instructions for wearing twins, too.

Skin-to-skin contact – One way to wear the Moby Wrap, the “Kangaroo Hold,” allows you to place baby directly against your skin. This skin-to-skin contact is strongly encouraged by proponents of attachment parenting, as a way to enhance bonding with either mommy or daddy. For mothers, skin-to-skin can also help to increase milk supply in the first months of breastfeeding.

Ergonomic, symmetrical design for parents– Many carriers distribute baby’s weight on the parent’s body unevenly, putting strain on one shoulder or pulling on the vulnerable muscles of the neck and upper back. The symmetrical wrap style of the Moby allows for even weight distribution, minimizing stress to the parent’s body.

Ergonomic design for baby – Many commercial baby carriers and front packs hold your baby with nearly all his or her weight on the tailbone, with legs dangling. This can cause stress and even damage to baby’s tiny spine. In the Moby Wrap, your baby sits with neck, spine, and legs supported comfortably and safely.

One size fits all – No need to buy a sized carrier for each caretaker. The Moby Wrap is designed to fit different body types and sizes, so you need just one wrap for mommy, daddy, grandparents, and babysitters.

Moby Wraps are available at our office, Healing Hands Chiropractic in Londonderry, or can be purchased directly from our website here. We welcome your questions about baby-wearing and attachment parenting. To meet other parents with similar interests, please join us for Mommy Connection on Mondays from 4 to 5 pm.

Healing Hands Chiropractic is a full-service, holistic family wellness center located in Londonderry, NH offering chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage therapy, reiki therapy, yoga and meditation classes and pregnancy & birth classes. Our practitioners specialize in prenatal care, pediatrics, women’s health and family wellness.

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Baby-Wearing: Why and How

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Now that school is back in session- sports have begun. In the last couple of weeks I have had several children ranging in age from 3-16 years old with some subjective complaint related to an injury sustained from such sports as  tee ball, football, tumbling, gymnastics, basketball and hockey.

I recently read a very informative article by Claudia Arnig, D.C. called Sports-Related Injuries in Children: What Parents Need to Know. In this article Dr. Arnig gave some very interesting numbers that I believe all parents should know. It is estimated that 3.5 million children under the age of 14 receive some form of medical treatment for sports injuries each year.  Also, the Institute for Preventative Sports Medicine estimates that each year close to 212 million school days are missed by students who have sustained a musculoskeletal injury vastly attributed to sports-related incidents.

The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 300, 000 children and adolescents suffer from sports-related concussions each year. Concussion symptoms range from memory loss, chronic headaches, difficulty with concentrations to depression. These symptoms can manifest for months, even years following a severe concussion. Some parents even reported abrupt personality changes following a serious sports-related head injury.

Repetitive stress injuries to children’s developing spine and extremities can also develop in children who play sports that require the child to move one arm or leg repetitively over long periods of time like baseball, golf, and tennis for example. If their sport leans toward asymmetrical movements, children should be taught how to properly warm up and cool down through symmetrical activities to balance the body and minimize repetitive strain injuries.

Childen should also be taught the concept of pain and its importance as a warning signal from the body that something is wrong and needs to be checked out. Taking pain medication or OTC pain relievers will simply mask the problem and act as a band aid instead of getting to the root cause of the problem.

Children benefit greatly from regular spinal and extremity check-ups with their chiropractor. Rather than waiting for an injury to occur, chiropractic care can help children practice practical prevention strategies and develop better overall stability.

At Healing Hands Chiropractic we have also found that not only do our child patients benefit greatly from regular chiropractic care; but have found our Kids’ Yoga Classes to be incredibly beneficial in introducing body awareness and core stability.

ref: Dynamic Chiropractic, August 26, 2009

Healing Hands Chiropractic is a full-service, holistic family wellness center located in Londonderry, NH offering chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage therapy, reiki therapy, yoga and meditation classes and pregnancy & birth classes. Our practitioners specialize in prenatal care, pediatrics, women’s health and family wellness.

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Chiropractic Care for Sports-Related Injuries in Children

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
September 16, 2009 Jeanne Ohm, DC info@icpa4kids.com

New Research Shows:
Chiropractic Care for Children is Safe and Effective
The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association’s (ICPA) ground breaking study, The Safety and Effectiveness of Pediatric Chiropractic: A Survey of Chiropractors and Parents in a Practice-Based Research Network, was published this month in the prestigious, biomedical journal, Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing. The objective of this study was to describe the practice of pediatric chiropractic, including its safety and effectiveness.

The results of the study determined that “ the indicated primary reason for chiropractic care of children was “wellness care.” With respect to condition-based presentations, musculoskeletal conditions were the most common, in addition to nonmusculoskeletal conditions of childhood. Treatment-associated complications were not indicated by the chiropractic and parent responders. Chiropractor responders indicated three adverse events per 5,438 office visits from the treatment of 577 children. The parent responders indicated two adverse events from 1,735 office visits involving the care of 239 children. Both sets of responders indicated a high rate of improvement with respect to the children’s presenting complaints, in addition to salutary effects unrelated to the children’s initial clinical presentations.”

Dr. Joel Alcantara, ICPA Research Director and presenting author said, “ This paper shows the preliminary results of the ICPA’s Children’s PBRN – Phase One. Phase two is well under way and we have initiated similar research pertinent to pregnancy. We are pleased that a major CAM Journal respects the importance of chiropractic care for children and we foresee greater collaboration with the CAM community on the importance of chiropractic care for children.”

Dr. Jessica L. Caruso of Healing Hands Chiropractic in Londonderry, NH, family chiropractor and member of the ICPA says, ” I am pleased to be affiliated with an organization dedicated to chiropractic family wellness research. It is wonderful to see research substantiating the safety of chiropractic care for children and the overwhelming satisfaction of parents with children under care.”

The ICPA is the oldest and largest pediatric organization in the chiropractic profession. Their mission is Research, Training and Public Education on behalf of family wellness. To find our more about chiropractic and children or to locate a doctor who cares for children visit www.icpa4kids.org

Visit the ICPA practitioner website to view the abstract. www.icpa4kids.com

Copyright © 2009 International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) all rights reserved. All or part of this message may be retransmitted for information purposes, but may not be used for any communal purpose, posted on a website, or used in any non-ICPA publication (other than that of an ICPA affiliate) without the permission of the ICPA.

Healing Hands Chiropractic is a full-service, holistic family wellness center located in Londonderry, NH offering chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage therapy, reiki therapy, yoga and meditation classes and pregnancy & birth classes. Our practitioners specialize in prenatal care, pediatrics, women’s health and family wellness.

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New Research Shows: Chiropractic Care for Children is Safe and Effective

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Infant Massage Class

For parents & caregivers

By Shalon Da~Nai, LMT

Massaging your baby can be of great benefit to their health and development. Many new babies are

coming home with digestive sensitivities causing gas or acid reflux. Some are prescribed Prilosec and

take it daily through their infancy and into the toddler years. Massage is a tool that empowers parents

to help their child through these painful issues. Performing infant massage on a daily basis will help to

alleviate these symptoms without the side affects involved with meds.

Benefits of Infant Massage

~improves circulation

~enhances sleep

~soothes digestion

~reduces stress

~assists development of the nervous system

~secures a stronger bond between parent and child

Not only does massage sooth and comfort your child, it creates an intimate space to really connect and

bond with them. You will become more aware of the subtle cues your baby uses to communicate, such

as sounds, facial expressions and body language. This makes you able to identify their needs easier

and reduces frustration for both of you.

Infant massage is wonderful for fathers to learn as well. A Mother already has the bond of carrying the

baby and the further bonding of breastfeeding. Regular touch allows fathers the time to form those

physical bonds and a deeper connection to their child.

Healing Hands offers small, intimate classes in a comfortable setting. This is a 2 hour, hands on class

for expecting parents or parents with infants 3 weeks to crawling. Other caregivers are also welcome.

For Class you will need to bring…

~Your baby, or a doll

~2 Body towels

~extra Diapers

~toys

Schedule & Rates

$60 per child/couple

Saturday August 22nd 1pm-3pm

Saturday October 3rd 1pm-3pm

Please call the office at (603) 434-3456 to register.

Healing Hands Chiropractic is a full-service, holistic family wellness center located in Londonderry, NH offering chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage therapy, reiki therapy, yoga and meditation classes and pregnancy & birth classes. Our practitioners specialize in prenatal care, pediatrics, women’s health and family wellness.

Post from: Healing Hands Chiropractic NH Blog

Infant Massage Class in Londonderry, NH

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