Monthly Archives: November 2011

Chiropractic During Pregnancy and After

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Chiropractic is a bit of a mystery to me. I’m not completely sure how it works, but it does. It works without drugs and without surgery. When it comes to pregnancy and post-pregnancy, moms and moms-to-be don’t have time for either drugs or surgery, but we may still need a little help to keep running well.

During pregnancy, I sought out chiropractic for shooting pain in my lower back, right where the baby was throwing off my balance. I was a tiny bit nervous when asked to lay on a skinny little table and contort while listening to “pop pop pop”. My two year old daughter attended sessions with me, and she heard mommy’s “popcorn”. But the relief from the pressure in my back was nearly immediate. The treatment took a round of about ten visits before delivery. The fact that I was healthy was probably one of the reasons I was able to get through another natural childbirth experience.

My midwife recommended my chiropractor. I called around and verified that this chiropractor would care for pregnant women. It turns out she has a specialty I didn’t need, which is turning breech babies in the womb so the mother can deliver as planned and avoid a mandatory c-section. Amazing, but Dr. Brandie states she’s had high levels of success with these cases. If I were faced with a breech delivery, I would certainly give it a try.

Just today I returned to my chiropractor for help with my back, this time in the upper back area. Hmmm. The kids are two and four now. Do you think picking up 30 squirming pounds a day, contorting to get them in car seats and shopping carts, has any effect on my health? I’m looking forward to a good night’s sleep and a trip back to “my” chiropractor tomorrow morning to continue a short course of corrective care.

I’m still not sure how chiropractic works, but then again I’m not entirely sure how any pain reliever or medical treatment works. But I do know that when something works for people I trust or for me, I’m going to use if when needed.

If you are in the eastern PA area, you might want to know that Dr. Brandie Nemchenko can be reached at 610-337-7634 and www.KOPWellness.com. You might want to read Dr. Brandie’s story about her own pregnancy and how it led her to a career in chiropractic.  If you are in another part of the country, find out more about chiropractic and find a doctor at http://icpa4kids.com/index.php .

Breast Feeding Pumps: A Working Mom’s Best Friend Now Tax Deductible

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Taxes are boring and tedious, until you find something that pays you back money.  I have just the ticket for you.  A new tax provision allows you to deduct your breast feeding pump and supplies.  This is great news since a good pump can take a bite out of your new baby budget.  I spent roughly $300 on mine just a few years ago, and mine didn’t even come with a sporty knapsack like the newer ones do. 

 

Not everyone can deduct their pumps.  Section 502 of the tax code applies to those who are able to take the medical deduction on their Schedule A, which means you must have had more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI) in medical expenses.  But look over the list, because you might be closer than you think to meeting that threshold.  Payments to COBRA, insurance premiums you pay, and other big ticket items may apply.

If you don’t meet the AGI threshold but you have a Flex Spending Account (FSA) or medical savings account through your spouse’s employer, you may be able to purchase a pump with FSA funds.  FSA funds are generally pre-tax, so that offers you a bit of a savings.  But be sure to check with your plan, as the health laws are constantly changing.  Recently some or all FSA’s required previously covered over the counter (OTC) items to now require a doctor’s prescription.  So check with your doctor, and have her write you a script for your pump.  The extra paperwork might just save you a chunk of change.

As always, check with your CPA or financial advisor for specifics in your situation.

Book Review: Mom, Incorporated

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Left to right: Danielle Elliott Smith, me, Aliza Sherman

 

I just finished speed reading my copy if the brand new book, Mom, Incorporated, by Aliza Sherman and Danielle Elliott Smith.  I LOVED this book, and recommend that if you are a mom who wants to start a business, you click over to Amazon right now and buy a copy.  Or keep reading and let me convince you why you need this book.

There is very little about being a mom that is easy.  However, Mom, Incorporated makes it easy to understand the steps to getting started in your own business.  The actual work may or may not be easy, but having the roadmap all laid out for you is wonderful.

These gals don’t skip the obvious, as so many other business books do.  They start with a plea to find your passion because you’ll be energized if you work from that space.  But then they discuss the necessary, like the building your business team (p74) and how to calculate revenue potential (p94) for your business.

Forms.  Gotta love them.  When someone creates a form that saves you time, it’s worth the price paid for the book. The one form I wish I had included in The Pregnant Entrepreneur is on pages 22-25 of Mom, Incorporated.  The Weekly Calendar Template is a really useful grid, and Danielle’s schedule shows the crazy type of schedule many of us moms carry, toggling between home and work lives. If you are trying to get your business off the ground, my advice is to take the time to write in the book, and get some of the nuts and bolts of your business figured out before you have to learn about it the hard way.

The new social media is both an opportunity and a burden for some.  These gals both make their living in the blogger realm, and share their methods and knowledge, especially in chapter 2, Tapping the Power of the Internet, and throughout the book. If you are trying to figure out where to spend your time online, let this duo help you.

The book is easy to read and helpful in a big-sister kind of way.  Both Danielle and Aliza share their struggles with trading past paid positions to create a more sustainable and yet challenging professional identity as independent business women.  As children change the equation, relationships with the spouse change, and we may even have to remind ourselves and others that our small business is a real company and a real job. But there are benefits beyond a paycheck, and amazing opportunities for those who seek them.

Wish you had someone close by to chat about your small business musings?  Pick up a copy of Mom, Incoroprated, and get started building your business plan.

Disclosure:  I received a review copy of the book to facilitate the review, but I still really read and loved the book and meeting these women.

 

Women Entrepreneur Wanna-Be’s, invited to NYC

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I just ran across this amazing event and hope you’ll checkout the Women Entrepreneur’s Festival in January 2012 . It’s designed especially to encourage women to be change-makers, whether they are in business today or not. Check out the blog. Best quote of the day, “Margaret Mead said in a famous interview with James Baldwin decades ago, “Wouldn’t it be strange to hear a man say, ‘I want to be a doctor, unless I get married and have children’?”