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Dr. Emily McManus - Pregnancy, Baby & Family Chiropractor

@dremilymcmanus

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Supporting babies with latch, tension & head shape
For moms carrying a lot 🤍
Langley | Nervous system–aware care

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Save this one and share with parents to be 😊 🫶🏼

1. We have never owned a jolly jumper. Our kids enjoyed them a few times at other people’s houses, but we did not own one. Jolly jumpers promote lower limb muscle development ahead of core stability before they are able to support themselves upright. We were all about tummy time and supporting their muscles to develop as per natural order of things. If you do have a jolly jumper and want to be mindful of proper sequencing of muscle development, set a timer for no more than 10 minutes, ideally no more than once daily. It will be tempting to allow more time in these; babies love them!

2. We did not use a Bumbo chair, for more or less the same reasons as above. A far better option is @theupseat

3. We delayed solid foods until 7 months to give their digestive systems adequate time to develop, and ensure they were able to sit properly. Their first foods were egg yolk and liver.

• Do any of these surprise you?
• Did you do anything differently than the norm with your kiddos?
• Any questions? by @dremilymcmanus

Adjusting mamas and babies is the most adorable and rewarding “job”!

For real, I get to snuggle babies every day and support their moms! Just wow. It’s such a gift and an honour!

I believe all babies and pregnant women benefit significantly from chiropractic care because
- obviously the body changes so much in pregnancy
- it’s so important to manage stress in pregnancy
- leaving the womb and entering this world is a major transition and would be overwhelming for anyone!

Message me if you need help finding someone qualified to care for you in pregnancy or to check and adjust your baby ❤️ by @dremilymcmanus

Here are tummy time guidelines for each of the first 6 months 👇 ⁣
⁣
0-1 month⁣
▫️I like tummy time on mom/dad’s chest for the first 2-3 wks⁣
▫️Aim for short sessions totaling ~ 5 min/day, spread out over several sessions.⁣
▫️Start with 1-2 min sessions, gradually increasing duration as baby becomes more accustomed to being on their tummy.⁣
▫️Getting onto the floor so you’re face to face is great motivation! Or place them on your bed and squat so you’re eye to eye. ⁣
▫️Place a small cushion, rolled up towel or “Snuggle Me” under baby’s torso and chest to give them a leg up and give them room to move their arms around. ⁣
⁣
1-2 months old: ⁣
▫️Increase tummy time to around 10-15 min/day, across multiple sessions.⁣
▫️Aim for 3-5 min sessions, 2-3 times/day, gradually increasing duration as tolerated.⁣
▫️Encourage baby to lift their head and look around by placing toys or colorful objects within sight.⁣
⁣
2-3 months⁣
▫️Aim for 15-20 min of tummy time/day, spread over 3-5 sessions.⁣
▫️Gradually increase duration of each session to 5-10 min.⁣
▫️Encourage reaching and grasping during tummy time by placing toys slightly out of reach.⁣
⁣
3-4 months⁣
▫️Increase total to 20-30 min/day, divided into 4-6 sessions.⁣
▫️Sessions can range from 5-15 min each, depending on tolerance.⁣
▫️Continue to engage baby with toys; encourage them to push up onto their arms and explore surroundings.⁣
⁣
4-5 months⁣
▫️Aim for 30-45 min/day total, spread over 4-6 sessions.⁣
▫️Sessions should be 10-15 min each, focusing on building strength and coordination.⁣
▫️Introduce tummy time on different surfaces, (firm mattress or carpeted floor, for variety and challenge (if you haven’t already done this)⁣
▫️Encourage baby to roll from tummy to back and back to tummy during tummy time.⁣
⁣
5-6⁣
▫️Maintain 30-45 min/day total, focusing on strengthening core muscles and promoting motor development.⁣
▫️Use books, games, toys or kitchen utensils to keep baby engaged and motivated.
⁣
If your baby is unable to lift their head in or seems uncomfortable, it’s time to take a trip to the baby chiropractor 👶❤️

👉 Comment SIGNS for my free list of reasons your baby might benefit from baby bodywork. by @dremilymcmanus

october was a big one! 😮‍💨🍁🤍

endings, beginnings, full heart, beautiful new people, go-to village, full calendars, opportunities, noticing

how does so much happen in a month and it still goes by so fast?

#october2026 #expansive #reflectingonlife

this is mostly true 😮‍💨❤️

this will never get old

to be continued 💗

this one really got me 😭

cuddles puddles for life
(or at least a little longer 🙏)

this time of year = nostalgia

let this be your sign 🇲🇽

@namastaysweatyclub retreat was wonderful

I love so much that he loves creating in the kitchen 😍

@luxtalks.ca do you see it? 💖

it’s been a month! 😮‍💨
grateful for consistency in seasons of margin
so that I am strong in seasons of stretch

@drlonacook reminding us that we are responsible for the world outside of us with the possibilities we see in our mind. check yourself 🫶🏼

love where we live @cityofpoco 🇨🇦

found this picture on Facebook, messaged a stranger who commented on it, she sent me a voice note with stories of my Dad ❤️

thank goodness for good chats, good food, clothing exchanges and dancing

before kids some of my daydreaming of my future family was card games 💞

in this world there are many people you haven’t met yet who are kind, positive, magnetic, interesting people doing impactful things 💓

always bringing the playfulness

worth it though by @dremilymcmanus

messages like this make my day 🥹🤍

this sweet update came after just one gentle chiropractic adjustment.

one of my favourite things about caring for babies is watching them discover more freedom and ease in their little bodies.

the head turns a little further. the arms and legs start moving differently. a baby who seemed to have a strong preference for one side begins exploring the other.

and sometimes parents notice changes I haven’t even thought to ask about.

every baby is different, and responses to chiropractic care vary. but hearing that this little one was already moving her head more freely, showing changes in her posture, and stretching her legs out after her first visit was such a lovely update to receive.

so grateful for the families who trust me with their littlest people. 🤍

#pediatricchiropractic #babybodycare #langleybc by @dremilymcmanus

Y2K 2.0? 😉

have a look at your calendars Nov 1st and make sure it all makes sense :)

#daylightsavingstime #clocks #clocksgoback #clocksgoforward by @dremilymcmanus

I’m very committed to my evening routine. apparently even more committed when it tastes like chocolate. 😂🤎 mainly I’m committed because it helps me sleep better, and that makes every part of my life better.

#thirdzy #sleepbetter #habitsofhealth by @dremilymcmanus

there’s a lot I’m noticing before I ever adjust you 🤍⁣
⁣
1. 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁⁣
how you walk in, get onto the table, turn, bend + shift. I’m noticing where movement comes easily and where your body seems to be protecting or working a little harder.⁣
⁣
2. 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻⁣
sometimes it’s obvious. sometimes it looks like bracing, gripping or holding your breath without even realizing you’re doing it. adults often have disconnection in the form of breath held and not moving into certain tissues, or postural muscles that are super tight and others that seem to hardly be working by comparison.⁣
⁣
3. 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗴𝗼⁣
I’m paying attention to more than whether something moved. I’m noticing your breathing, your movement, what softens and what changes as we work.⁣
⁣
and, as with babies, I’m listening to 𝘆𝗼𝘂: what’s been hurting, yes, but also how you’ve been sleeping, what life has looked like lately, what you’ve been doing more or less of, and what you actually want help with, your overall energy and demeanour.⁣
⁣
there’s always a whole person attached to the body on my table 🤍

#chiropractic #holistichealth #langleybc by @dremilymcmanus

life lately 💗☀️

life is a little full right now.

moving. living with my in-laws. a busy practice. speaking at @luxtalks.ca. lacrosse. coming home from a @namastaysweatyclub retreat in Tulum. getting more bodywork myself aka keeping charged up. trying to keep the actual priorities the priorities and keep room for joy and pleasure.

a capacity-stretch season, for sure.

but also a really, really good one.

#lifelately #intentionalliving #ordinarymagic

living out of boxes feels like disarray + clarity ⁣
𝘰𝘩 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘴

keeping going in a thick season requires stillness + support

said some things out loud that have been living in my head for a long time 🤍

practice is full and so is my heart 💗

lots of hours here. wouldn’t trade them. 🥍🤍

one last baking in our home of 9 years 🥹🤍

takes a village to move a village 😂🙏

going to miss these routes + roots so much. grateful for every one of them, and looking forward to finding new ones 🌲

working late + sending proof of life to my fam 😊🫶🏼

well loved while living under their roof.
thanksgiving dinner included 🥹🤍

season of change in a season of change

and somewhere in all of it, trying really hard to be here for my own life too 🤍 by @dremilymcmanus

I read something last night about perfectionism sometimes being a trauma response, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it (@adele_tevlin)

then today I had a conversation with a woman in practice about her healing journey.

and we talked about how sometimes, even in holistic health, healing can become another list of things to get right.

the right food.
the right supplements.
the right movement.
the right sleep.
the right mindset.
the right detox.

sometimes I wonder if holistic health accidentally becomes a little too much like the model it was trying to broaden: find the problem, find the thing that fixes it, follow the protocol perfectly.

except now the protocol is longer. 😂
just because something is non-invasive doesn’t mean it doesn’t jack our nervous system.

I love holistic health. I believe deeply in supporting our bodies and getting curious about what they might need.

but holistic should mean we consider the whole person.

their body, yes.

but also their capacity. their season. their relationships. their joy. their actual life.

because I don’t think our pursuit of health should become another place we’re afraid to get it wrong.

maybe healing doesn’t require us
to become perfect at healing
🤍

#holistichealth #intentionalliving #perfectionism by @dremilymcmanus

there’s a lot I’m noticing before I ever adjust your baby. 🤍

1. how they move on their own
I’m watching their spontaneous movement: how they turn their head, move their arms and legs, organize their body and whether they seem to have preferences from one side to the other.

2. where movement comes easily + where it doesn’t
I’m feeling for areas that move freely and places that seem more guarded, tense or restricted. I’m looking at symmetry. I’m interested in where their body might be working a little harder. I’m watching to see if they are comfortable and can move easily on their tummy and on their back.

3. how they respond to touch + movement
I’m paying attention to their breathing, facial expressions, body tension, sounds and how they respond as I move and touch different areas. babies give us a lot of information when we slow down enough to notice it.

and I’m listening to you, because the things you notice at home: feeding, tummy time, gas, head preferences, sleep, movement, what they love and what they absolutely do not, are part of the picture too.

little bodies tell us a lot before they have words. 🤍

cutest baby guy 👶: @chelseyherman

#pediatrichiropractic #infantdevelopment #langleybc by @dremilymcmanus

prioritizing health, healing and peace of mind are part of all my chapters :) this means prioritizing sleep

it’s been easier since I started taking @thirdzysleep
right now I’m loving a cozy cup of their chocolate flavour
(but took the strawberry lemonade to Tulum).

this stuff is like magnesium, but way better :)

EMILYMCZZZ for 15% off

#sleepbetter #prioritizepeace #sleephygiene by @dremilymcmanus