Do you want to make your life so much easier as a new mom? Find out Dr. Savy’s top 10 must have’s. You can also check out her 10 videos of each item on our Facebook page.

Top 10 Mommy Must Have’s:

• Kiinde Bottle System: They are twist pouches that attach to most breast pumps and have a screw top that allows for easy, no leak storage. However, the best part is that this bottle system doesn’t require any clean-up afterwards! When you are ready to feed baby, just heat the pouch up and attach the nipple to the top of the pouch, and throw it away after you are done. I love a system that is effective and saves me from cleaning a bottle.
• Ubbi Diaper Pail: The Ubbi is wonderful because it does not smell up the house with dirty diaper smells, and you can use regular trash bags (without having to order a specific kind to fit the container).
• Easy Baby Wear: What new mom wants to wake up in the middle of the night and mess with a million snaps?!? If you can find PJ’s that have zippers or magnets (magnetic me), these will save you time and SLEEP!
• Muslin Blankets: You can’t have enough of these! These are great for swaddling baby, burp cloths, a mat for tummy time, to cover the stroller on a sunny day, or to use as a light blanket to cover your sleepy baby.
• A good nursing bra: Nordstrom’s has a wonderful collection of nursing bras to fit your new cup size. Nordstrom’s will also turn your current bra into a nursing bra for only $15.
• Jammy Jams: When your baby is fussy and won’t calm down, turn on Jammy Jams. This is a free Pandora station that turns popular songs into classical music that is sure to soothe and entertain your newborn.
• Rock N Play: The rock in play can act as your bassinet. It allows the baby sleep at an incline and has a vibrate option to help with colicky and fussy babies!
• Spectra (S1) Breast Pump: The spectra is a gentle breast pump that doesn’t hurt your nipples, allows you to get more milk out at a lower setting, and is portable with a long lasting rechargeable battery!
• My breast friend: This breastfeeding pillow will not only help position baby optimally for nursing, but is also ergonomically designed to help save mom’s back! This is definitely Chiropractor approved 🙂
• The Solly Wrap: This is a light-weight wrap perfectly designed for baby wearing! The best part- you have 2 free hands to take care of things, mama! Enjoy having your baby on your chest and being productive at the same time!

The nervous system is one of the most complex and important part of our body. It is the master control system of the body, consisting of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, which connects to all the organs. Since it is responsible for controlling the larger part of our vital functions (breathing, heartbeats, hunger, thirst, posture etc.) as well as for our emotions, it is important to strengthen it naturally to ensure a good quality of life.

“Everyday stressors” show up, well every day. Morning traffic, mounting to-do lists, and looming deadlines are all common occurrences that trigger our nervous system regularly. Stress like this may become so routine that it seems normal – but common does not equal to being normal! This internal strain can silently snowball, throwing you into the vicious stress-sleeplessness cycle, wearing on your physical health and mental well-being over time. Yes, stress is a part of life and some stress is healthy, but no, stress does not have to control your life.

We must recognize and positively manage our everyday stressors, so we can prepare to tackle larger, unexpected curveballs from life, helping us thrive as healthier and happier people.
We can reduce stress by learning how to cope with it in a healthy way, which starts with daily self-care. Many of us are so busy looking after others that we forget to take care of ourselves, but failure to put your own needs first can lead to mind and body “burnout,” which occurs when all of our energy has been invested in external factors, leaving us mental and physical exhausted. When we take care of ourselves, we can take better care of others.

Sustain the wellness of your mind and body with these nine daily self-care rituals for your nervous system:

1. Get adjusted.
Chiropractic adjustments can positively impact your nervous system function. They correct mechanical stress on the spine (subluxations) that creates irritation and interference to the flow of information across the complex and sensitive nerve system. When each vertebrae is in a healthy position and allowed to move properly, there is no stress being placed on the nervous system, which allows for proper regulation, healing, and the flow of vital information from your brain to your body.

2. Get a good night’s sleep.
You cannot function optimally if you are sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation lowers your resistance to illness and the ability to make decisions. Make it a priority each day and it will help increase your brain power, productivity, and resilience.

3. Eat well.
You have heard this before, but it’s true – You are what you eat. Avoid foods high in sugar, artificial flavors, and deep fried. Opt for calming foods like sunflower seeds, almonds and cashews, which contain magnesium to help keep cortisol levels low, and green tea, which reduces tension and makes beta waves. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with all the goodness and nutrition you need. Bee pollen is a superfood that equalizes the blood pH and nervous system function thanks to its B vitamins. Oatmeal is a nervous system stabilizer, as it calms irritable states and mild anxiety, relieves insomnia, and increases mental performance – it both relaxes and provides energy.

4. Breathe deeply.
When you’re stressed, you automatically start shallow breathing. Reset your stress levels with deep breathing by expanding and contracting your stomach and chest cavity – not by raising your shoulders or straining your neck. Deep breathes, in and out.

5. Embrace in “me time.”
The best way to change your psychology is to change your physiology. Pick an activity or hoppy for self-development, like exercising, meditation, connecting with friends, playing with your dog, reading a book, painting etc.

6. Look or Be outside.
Changing your perspective by changing your view can help. Step outside or find a window and for 60 seconds, watch clouds go by, look for birds, and see trees sway. Sometimes we forget how calming nature can be to our nervous system. In addition, sunlight is an excellent regulator for the nervous system and it also provides us with vitamin D.

7. Get physical.
Exercise produces “feel-good” chemicals in the brain. So, try to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. Go for a brisk walk around the block or do some light yoga moves when you feel tense and stressed.

8. Try creative visualizations.
Slow your breathing, close your eyes, and use all your senses to remember your last vacation or your favorite “happy place.” Hear it, see it, feel it, smell it, and taste it.

9. Harness the powers of natural medicine.
It’s important to recognize the interconnection between the mind and the body. Emotional symptoms, like those from stress, can actually lead to physical ailments. Natural stress relief products like essential oils and flower remedies are incredibly useful. Flower remedies are said to turn negative emotions such as fear, worry, or anger into their positive counterparts of courage, calm, and love – the focus is treating the person rather than the disease. Natural stress relief products can help keep you calm, cool, and collected throughout the day and put your repetitive thoughts to bed at night.

Mom life is incredible, amazing, and filled with so much love! It’s wonderful to see your little ones grow up to be happy, healthy and enjoying life! That’s what we all want for our kiddos, right?

Exhaustion from long days and lack of sleep, and stress from looming deadlines at work and life in general can come along with the many wonderful experiences of being a Mom!

Remind yourself that it is okay to slow down, and not feel bad for having to step back to take care of yourself, even if it just for a few minutes.

The key to living healthy while having a family is to keep it simple, not overcomplicate or overthink things.

And most importantly, know that taking care of yourself is not selfish. Think of it as if you don’t make the time to care for yourself, you are actually doing a disservice to your family who needs you to be there for them. If you don’t have energy, feel cranky, or just completely burnt out, you will be useless to anyone.

Taking care of ourselves does not have to be complicated. In fact, it can be as SIMPLE as this….

1. Hydrating first thing in the morning is one of the easiest things you can do to improve your health.

Drink 1 glass of filtered water, followed by a cup of warm water with fresh lemon before breakfast. This will hydrate you, help your body flush out toxins (did you know toxins are stored as fat?), fire up your metabolism, help alleviate heartburn and indigestion, and keep your skin clear. The lemon is great for its Vitamin C and helps with digestion.

2. Keep 5 simple recipes on your kitchen counter always.

Doing this will save you from downing a bag of chips or ordering takeout when you are starving and tired come to dinnertime. These recipes should be simple enough that you can whip them up in about 15-20 minutes with your eyes closed, and contain ingredients that you usually keep on hand.

Quinoa with roasted vegetables.
Vegetable soup
Vegetable stir fry
Curry Vegetable dish
Baked Fish with roasted vegetables
Stuffed mushrooms or zucchini
Lettuce Taco wraps

3. When you cook, batch cook.

You don’t have to cook every night to eat well and stay healthy. However, when you cook, always make extra. It doesn’t take any more time to make 2 cups of quinoa instead of 1 or to roast extra vegetables. Cooking ahead will set you up with healthy lunch or dinner options for the next day or two.

4. Make time for yourself.

Only you can make the time to take care of yourself. I recommend putting time on your calendar and honoring this time by not cancelling on yourself! Taking time out to rejuvenate is sometimes all we need to feel energized, and can allow you to gain a new perspective on things.

Take a bath or steamy shower, enjoy a walk around the block, stretch your body, sit in a comfy chair and practice deep breathing, or read a book for a few minutes… whatever you would like!

5. Indulge in key supplements.

Our body runs on required vitamins and nutrients, and our digestive system runs on required “good bacteria” to function properly. Take a high-quality soil-based organism probiotic, and a Vitamin D3 supplement. Our gut houses 70% of our immune system, and good digestion is crucial for overall health, so therefore a healthy digestive system is key to good health. Vitamin D3 plays a role in fighting disease, supports the immune system, brain, and whole nervous system, reduces depression, maintains the health of bones and teeth, improves lung function and cardiovascular health, and reduces the risk of diabetes.

During the holiday season, we tend to be more stressed and over eat. So, here I have for you my top five ways to stay healthy and feel your best during the holiday season.

1. Eat a Green Breakfast
Drink a green smoothie. This is an excellent way to start your day off strong and get a ton of your essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Kimberly Snyder, a nutritionist I have followed over the past several years promotes a Glowing Green Smoothie which is absolutely delicious and incorporates a tremendous amounts of greens into your diet.
Check out her recipe: https://kimberlysnyder.com/blog/ggs/

2. Take Probiotics
Take a daily probiotic supplement to get your gut functioning at its best with good bacteria, and to continuously cleanse your body. 70% of our immune system is housed in your gut, so your gut health is extremely important for your overall health.

3. Promote Good Digestion
Digestive enzymes help break down larger molecules so they are more easily absorbed in the body like difficult to digest proteins, sugars, gluten, casein and lactose. Also, digestive enzymes can help heal leaky gut, improve symptoms of acid reflux, enhance nutrition absorption and prevent nutritional deficiency. Be sure to choose a whole foods, plant and fruit sourced supplement. Drinking herbal teas like peppermint, dandelion, and ginger 30 minutes after meals will also help support digestion. Try not to drink so much so close to a big meal to help promote better digestion.

4. Sleep Well
Try to get an adequate amount of sleep each night, which is about 7-8 hours. A good night sleep will do wonders for your overall health by boosting your immune system and energy, help destress, improve your concentration and focus, and so much more. Sleeping recharges your whole system, especially your brain. When you are sleeping, your brain has a very unique system of filing and filtering the important and unimportant things. Therefore, when you do not sleep well, or sleep very little, you are not giving your brain the ability rest, cleanse, file and delete.

5. Walk after Eating
Walking after eating will help promote better digestion, improve blood sugar levels, improve blood circulation, reduce stomach issues like acid reflux and heartburn, provide better sleep because your stomach isn’t on override trying to digest your food all night, and help with weight loss. This is a great way to move your body and destress. 15-30 minutes of walking is all you need to naturally improve various functions of your body.

As a Chiropractor who specializes in prenatal care, I have always been an advocate of women taking care of themselves through pregnancy. However, now that I am 27 weeks pregnant myself, I realize the importance of this now more than ever! So many of my patients are asking me, “how are you feeling now that you are so far along?” I always answer that I feel fantastic! I have been taking great care of myself through this pregnancy, and have a wonderful healthcare team on my side. For those mommas who are wondering how to take care of themselves and have the best pregnancy possible, I will tell you the top 5 things that I recommend:

1) Regular Chiropractic Care: I have been under regular chiropractic care for over 10 years, however, pregnancy is a crucial time to continue regular adjustments for several reasons:
a. Chiropractic adjustments allow our master control system, our nervous system, to function properly. Since mom shares a nervous system with baby, this is imperative for mom to be healthy, and for proper growth and development of your little one!
b. Chiropractic adjustments (utilizing the Webster technique) allow for the hips and soft tissue structures to balance so that the baby receives proper nerve flow, and so baby can naturally go into the best position possible for birth. This also leads to a shorter, less painful, and more straightforward delivery both for mom and baby! Who doesn’t want that??
c. Mom’s body is constantly changing throughout pregnancy and chiropractic care allows mom to adapt to these changes. This leads to a MUCH more comfortable and pain free pregnancy!

2) Massage: My career as a chiropractor is extremely physical and I have to keep up with its demands (in addition to the increased physical demands of pregnancy). In order to keep my body functioning optimally and reduce overall stress, I get 2 prenatal massages each month. This not only promotes overall wellness but helps to improve circulation, reduce muscle tension, and relieves physical stress placed on various joints.

3) Acupuncture: Acupuncture helps to regulate hormones which can not only help with infertility (prior to conception), but can also minimize typical pregnancy symptoms including heartburn, nausea, or overall stress. In addition, towards the end of pregnancy, different acupuncture points can be used to promote labor and get things moving! I get acupuncture treatments every 4 weeks to keep my hormones in check.

4) Proper Nutrition: In addition to eating clean whole foods, I take a daily whole food based prenatal vitamin. There are several that are wonderful choices, however, I personally use Innate Choice Baby and Me Prenatal vitamin. A whole food based prenatal is able to be absorbed and readily used by the body for nutrients.

Furthermore, I would suggest having blood work done throughout the pregnancy so that you can see if you deficient in any nutrients or vitamins and find a high quality supplement to help with those deficiencies.

5) Regular Movement: Whether this is a prenatal yoga class, a long walk on the beach, or a swim, movement is key to keeping your body in optimal shape during pregnancy. Stay away from high intensity workouts and find a low impact exercise that you enjoy doing to keep your body moving! I do some sort of exercise/movement each day to keep my body in shape!