There is nothing that quite illustrates the amazing abilities and intelligence of the human body like the placenta does. This unique organ forms to nourish a growing embryo, and after serving its duty for 9 months, it self-expels after the baby is born. What exactly does this organ do and why is it so important to both the growing baby and mom?
• It is a filter, via the umbilical cord, allowing all the nutrients and good stuff from mom while also preventing all the bad stuff and toxins from reaching baby
• It is a sensor, determining what baby needs and regulates the absorption of everything from vitamins, amino acids, fats, and oxygen.
• It is a hormone factory, producing estrogen, progesterone and cortisol (just to name a few) for both baby and mom.
And even more interesting, the placenta and the fetal hypothalamus develop at the same time! The hypothalamus is a hormone-producing gland in your brain. Many of the hormones that the placenta produces are similar to the hormones produced by the mom’s brain. This means that once the placenta forms, the mother’s brain will start to become influenced by the baby’s placenta. This is the beginning of the ‘mommy software’ upgrade. The placenta hormones actually start to change the wiring of the mother’s brain so that she becomes more sensitive to and aware of the needs of her developing baby.
This communication is a 2-way street. The baby and mom communicate back and forth using their nervous systems and this hormonal pathway throughout the entire pregnancy. This communication system is vitally important to the health and proper development of the baby. Your nervous system controls every function of your body. In fact, 60% of the total nutrients that a mom consumes during her pregnancy will be directed to the growth of her baby’s brain and nervous system.1
This is one of the many reasons why expecting moms should take steps to maximize the function of their nervous systems before and during the pregnancy. Eating healthy, minimizing stress, reducing your toxic load and getting your spine and nervous system checked by a chiropractor throughout your pregnancy can all help to optimize the function of yours and your baby’s nervous systems. If you are expecting, or know someone who is, we would love to set up a time to evaluate the health of your nervous system and help you upgrade your mommy software to version 2.0.
1. The Postnatal Depletion Cure, by Dr. Oscar Serrallach
