Desert Botanical Garden (and Other) Strolls With Baby

Navigating New Motherhood Without Postpartum Pain

Maybe you had this vision of motherhood. Peaceful strolls through the Desert Botanical Garden with your sleeping baby. Or perhaps meeting other moms at the Saturday market at Steele Indian School Park. Walking the Tempe Town Lake pathway while your little one naps in the stroller. Getting out of the house and feeling somewhat human again. Instead, you’re three months postpartum and everything hurts.

Your neck is killing you from nursing. Your shoulders are on fire from carrying the car seat. Your back aches constantly from the awkward positions you’ve been contorting yourself into while trying to soothe a fussy baby at 3 a.m.

So those garden walks? That lakeside pathway everyone raves about? They’re not happening. You can barely make it through a Target run without needing to lie down afterward.

Welcome to the postpartum period that nobody really prepares you for. The “fourth trimester” is when your body is trying to recover from growing and birthing a human while simultaneously taking on the most physically demanding job you’ve ever had. And if you’re like many Phoenix moms, you’re doing it without much family support nearby because you relocated here for work or lifestyle, and your village is scattered across other states.

Your Body Didn’t Snap Back

Despite what social media might suggest, your body doesn’t just bounce back after birth. Your ligaments are still loose from pregnancy hormones. Your core is weakened. Your pelvis may be misaligned from delivery (whether vaginal or cesarean). Your spine has been adapting to significant postural changes for nine months, and now it’s dealing with entirely new movement patterns.

Think about it. You’re spending hours every day hunched over while nursing or bottle feeding. You’re lifting and carrying your baby dozens of times per day, often on the same side because that’s the hip that feels most comfortable. You’re bending awkwardly to place your sleeping baby in the crib without waking them. You’re probably sleeping in weird positions because you’re either nursing side-lying or you’re finally getting some rest and your body just crashes in whatever position feels least painful.

Why Your Pain Isn’t Just “Normal”

“New mothers may hear that pain is just part of the experience, something you have to push through,” says Dr. Carla Freeman. “But postpartum pain isn’t something you should just accept. Gentle chiropractic care can help restore proper alignment, reduce tension, and support your body’s natural healing process so you can actually enjoy this precious time with your baby.”

When your spine is misaligned, it affects how your entire body functions. It can compress nerves, restrict movement, and force other muscles to compensate in ways they weren’t designed to. That’s why neck pain from nursing can lead to headaches. Why carrying your baby on one hip creates lower back pain on the opposite side. Why you feel exhausted all the time even when the baby is sleeping okay.

Your nervous system is working overtime trying to manage all these compensations while also dealing with sleep deprivation, hormonal changes, and the emotional intensity of new motherhood.

Gentle Support When You Need It Most

Postpartum chiropractic care uses light, gentle techniques specifically designed for bodies that are still healing from pregnancy and birth. These are not forceful adjustments or anything that would feel overwhelming to your already stressed system. Just careful, precise work that helps restore balance and reduce interference in your nervous system.

Many new moms notice improvements in their energy levels, sleep quality (when they can sleep), and overall comfort after starting care. When your body isn’t fighting against misalignments and tension all day, you have more capacity for everything else, including bonding with your baby and actually enjoying those morning walks you’d envisioned.