Moms-The Greatest Superheroes Ever!

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In a world where there’s a different superhero for every year’s summer blockbuster movie, you may have overlooked the greatest superhero of all time!! No, it’s not Antman, Aquaman, or Thor. It’s not even Spiderman, Superman or Batman. In fact, it’s not a “man” at all. No, it’s not Wonder Woman either, although it is a kind of “wonder woman.” That’s right, it is MOM!!!

Moms around the world exhibit superhuman strength pretty much every day. They’re caring for families, getting kids up for school, packing lunches, going to work, being the chauffeur, kissing boo boos, and so much more day in and day out. But some of the most AMAZING things moms do happen before they even have a family. They actually house us, as little bitty beings, in their bodies until we are ready and able to be born and survive in the outside world!!!

The story of your life really started as two separate cells, one from your mom and one from your dad. Those two cells get together and grow into the incredible, AMAZING organism that is you. It is fascinating really to think that all of us… the prettiest, the smartest, the most famous… each one of us has spent about 90 minutes as a single cell. That single cell then divides and grows into AMAZING YOU!! However, while you are growing into amazing you, your mom’s body is doing some superhero feats of its own!

  • While your mom is growing you, her blood volume will increase an AMAZING 50%!! This increase in blood will support the tissue where the baby is growing, provide for the exchange of nutrients and other things, and is what gives most moms-to-be that beautiful glow.
  • Her body will begin to increase the production of a particular chemical (called relaxin) that will soften her ligaments, cartilage, and joints to prepare her to give birth. Her body will make up to 10 times the amount of relaxin that it typically makes!!
  • Your mom will also grow a whole new organ, called the placenta. AMAZING!! The placenta is only temporary but is needed to provide nutrients to the baby and to eliminate waste products as the baby grows. Once the baby is born, the placenta is no longer necessary and the mom’s body expels it.
  • Your mom’s breathing capacity will improve. Yes, as the baby grows there is less room for lung expansion. However, the mom’s body adapts and accommodates for this lack of room by actually increasing breathing capacity by 30 to 40 percent!!
  • Your mom’s sense of taste and smell will improve. While increased blood flow is partially responsible for this AMAZING change, it is also true that moms-to-be need heightened senses to avoid potential poisons or spoiled food while pregnant.

Yes, you are AMAZING, but your mom is a superhero!! However, all of this incredible organization requires clear communication between your brain and your body. That’s why chiropractic is an excellent choice for moms-to-be!! By connecting your brain to your body, your nerve system is not only able to communicate about what is going on in your body, but it is also able to provide the information required for your body to adapt and perform at its best. Your family chiropractor will check to ensure vertebral subluxations are not interfering with the nerve system so both mom and the baby inside her can grow into the AMAZING people they are meant to be. Thanks to moms everywhere for being superheroes. We would be lost without you!!!

—By Judy Nutz Campanale, DC, ACP