Confidence with Chiropractic

Barbara’s Story

Mom guilt is real and is something as a prenatal chiropractor I see in my office frequently. While I am glad to live in a time where medical interventions are available when necessary, I hear moms often being disappointed by their birth experience. I hold that all birth- vaginal, medicated, C-section, etc. is transformative and can be empowering. But when choices are made for you and you aren’t able to birth the way you choose, one can be left with guilt and disappointment. 

When Barbara Dee came in to my office for the first time, she was carrying mom guilt and shame. Eight months prior, she had given birth to her first son via C-section after transferring from the birth center to the hospital. Barbara Dee recalls her experience. 

“Meeting my firstborn child was everything I expected— joyous, earth shaking, life changing—but the birth itself left me feeling robbed. Robbed of the natural birth I had wanted, robbed of my dignity and robbed of my confidence. Worse yet—in addition to feeling a victim, I also felt at blame. What could I have done differently? Why wasn’t I strong enough? One of the worst feelings I have come to know was the feeling that I wasn’t woman enough to push a baby out of my vagina and the violation I felt at having him cut out of me instead. 

Fast forward to my first chiropractic adjustment, eight months later. Dr. Jen Santos found my pelvis to be terribly misaligned. “It’s no wonder a baby couldn’t make its way through here!” 

I cried my eyes out. I felt so validated. I finally had a ‘why’ and it was not my fault. I continued to see Jen through the following years preparing my body for another pregnancy and VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). 

During my second pregnancy, I saw Dr. Jen at least weekly, and when I sent for her during my labor, she came to my home and adjusted me. I had been in labor for about 14 hours at that point, and after the adjustment, Dr. Jen told me and my midwife that this was the best my pelvis had ever looked. The adjustment moved the labor along quickly and hearing that my pelvis was good gave me a lot of confidence. My baby was born not long after, a whopping 8lbs. 12oz. came out of my vagina in the comfort of my home. 

My dignity restored, my confidence soaring—in great part due to chiropractic care. Thank you, Dr. Jen!”