Photo via Hartshorn Portraiture
After the 12th week of my second pregnancy I finally started to tell my friends about the good news. They were genuinely happy for me and offered me their best advice:
Ginger pills for the nausea, naps when necessary, lots of fruits and veggies to keep healthy. They informed me about the best prenatal vitamins and where I could find the cheapest–and most supportive–belly bands. Friends and family with “old baby stuff” were throwing the items at our feet. Of course every bit was appreciated, but the best advice I received after I got pregnant was to see a chiropractor.
I had never been to the chiropractor. In fact, I was scared. They crack your neck–didn’t heroes do that to the bad guys in movies? Only it ended differently…
At the same time I received this advice, my husband blew out his back. He was searching for a chiropractor in our area to help. He went to one and felt annoyed and disappointed. He didn’t feel any better, and the people who worked there didn’t seem particularly interested in his well-being. Then, he found another one, and neither one of us has looked back.
Dr. Robert Coombs’s office in Point Pleasant Boro is right down the street from us, but even if it wasn’t, I would make the drive to his office every week for an adjustment. Upon arrival to the initial appointment, you are x-rayed (if you’re not pregnant, of course!), scanned, and educated. His staff walks you through every step of the process; from determining how your muscles and spine work in synergy to teaching you about the benefits of chiropractic care.
Now, I know there are nay-sayers out there who believe that chiropractic care doesn’t work. They say “once you go, you have to keep going.” And you know what…they’re right! That’s the point. You’re supposed to go often so you can keep your body in optimal condition. It’s just like massages or learning to play the piano. You have to keep revisiting the table in order to keep your muscles in working order, and you have to keep practicing the piano if you want to improve your skills. If you want to be healthy, you can’t just work out once–you have to keep it up. If something is a quick fix in this world, you can almost guarantee it won’t work for very long, or it’s not very good for you.
But back to Dr. Rob. He works with anyone and everyone, but he’s particularly special because he works with pregnant women in a safe and healthy way. One of my goals for my pregnancy was to have a vaginal birth. After telling several girlfriends about my desire, they recommended I see Dr. Rob. He evaluated me at my first appointment and began adjustments right away. At first I didn’t feel anything–my body felt tight and off-balance–and I was nervous about those neck cracks! But over time I started to feel better; more secure and my back pain was much more manageable. His staff also showed me various exercises I could do throughout my pregnancy in order to prepare for a more natural delivery and a better overall 9 months.
After seeing Dr. Rob for a few months, I found out that my baby had anencephaly. The whirlwind of doctor’s appointments and procedures came and went so quickly that I missed a few appointments. It was too difficult for me to call the office and let them know what happened, so I just stopped going. My husband eventually called to tell them the news, but they never hounded me, or asked me why I wasn’t coming in regularly. They just accepted that I couldn’t make it and let me know that they were there if and when I was ready to come back.
When I was started going regularly again, Dr. Rob and his team were so kind, understanding, empathetic, and comforting. Never once did they ask me to detail what happened to me for their own benefit. They allowed me to share my experiences in my own way on my own timeline. But the most amazing part of the experience for me were the conversations I had with Dr. Rob about what I was doing to help myself during this difficult time in my life. He allowed me to grieve, get mad, be upset, be sad, and feel frustrated and annoyed about my situation without judgment. But most importantly, he helped me focus on getting myself and my life back together after such a difficult tragedy. He counseled me about the emotional and physical side effects I would experience but never pushed me to do more–emotionally or physically–than I could.
Now that my husband and I are considering getting pregnant again, I talk with him about my excitement, sadness, and frustration. Some days I smile and some days I don’t, but the team always asks me how I am with genuine care and concern. They assure me that whatever will be will be, and they make it very clear that if we do get pregnant again–or not–that they will be there to help us through it, just like they were there to help us through the last one.
Ultimately, becoming a part of Dr. Rob’s practice has changed my life. I understand that I need to take care of myself in order to take care of others. I see that there is more to life than just getting through it. And, on top of all that, I feel great. You can’t ask for more. So if you’re considering chiropractic care, choose a doctor that not only cares about your physical well being, but about your emotional and mental health, too like Dr. Rob and his team do. Every appointment is worth it.
Coombs Chiropractic also offers seminars and classes pertaining to wellness, pregnancy, and mothering. They focus on natural remedies for health and wellness beyond chiropractic care including the use of essential oils to enhance immunity, and physical and emotional wellbeing. Dr. Rob works with newborns, infants, toddlers, children and adults. He is also certified in the Webster Technique which he uses to adjust babies in utero who are breech. If you haven’t tried chiropractic care for yourself and your family, take some time to research it–you can find great info on Dr. Rob’s website–and see for yourself! My advice? Try it out and give it time. Nothing worth having happens over night.
