Community Provider Spotlight – Charlottesville Osteopathic

Meet Dr. Andrea Loving, D.O., owner of Cville Osteopathic.  I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Loving and learning of her services.  Milk & Cradle strives to share valuable resources with the community that are going above and beyond for postpartum families.  Prenatal planning services with Milk & Cradle include resource sharing to aid in finding community resources ahead of time when you need them most.  In this blog you will learn what a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine is and how you may benefit from having a D.O. on your team.

Q: What is an Osteopathic Physician?
A: A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) is a fully licensed physician who can practice in all areas of medicine. In addition to normal medical training. D.O.s receive extensive training in the musculoskeletal system and the relationship between the body’s nerves, muscles, bones, and organs. D.O.s are trained to use their hands to recognize changes in the body’s structural makeup, and to assess whether these changes are altering function and contributing to illness. We are also trained to use hand-on techniques to correct these changes in order to aid the body’s ability to return to homeostasis.

Q: What brought you to this career and a specialization in Osteopathic Manual Medicine?
A: During high school, I lived in Asia and had the privilege of watching a number of Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors address their patients with methods that supported the body’s own healing capacity. When I decided to pursue medicine myself, I was very drawn to Osteopathic Medicine because it taught physicians to approach patients from a similar mindset. One of the basic tenets of Osteopathic Medicine is that the body is capable of self-healing, and that the primary job of the physician is to find and correct anything that is blocking its ability to self-heal. I decided to specialize in Osteopathic Manual Medicine because I felt that it gave me the greatest ability to help patients lay a really good foundation for health. When we optimize the structure of the body and allow things to move and flow the way they are supposed to, function improves too.    

Q: How is a D.O. different from a Primary Care Physician?
A: There are many D.O.s who are Primary Care Physicians. Others, like myself, choose to specialize. I specialize in Osteopathic Manual Medicine which means I use noninvasive, hands-on techniques to address my patients’ concerns. With these techniques I address many of the things people see a Primary Care Physician for- everything from chronic musculoskeletal pain, to common pediatric issues like ear infections and constipation, to infant feeding difficulties. Treating in this way takes time – I usually spend about an hour with each patient- so I choose not to do all of the routine and preventative care that a Primary Care Physician does. Because of this I always recommend my patients have a Primary Care Physician in addition to seeing me. 

Q: You offer the option of home visits for postpartum moms and babies within 6 weeks of delivery, why do you think this is important?
A: Early postpartum should be a time when moms prioritize rest and bonding with baby. So often, it is simply impossible for postpartum women to get good rest, especially if baby has any medical concerns or issues with things like feeding. It ends up being a time when mom is out and about, taking baby from one appointment to the next – lactation, pediatric visits, additional weight checks, body work etc. By offering home visits, I hope to take at least a little bit of weight off of moms’ shoulders during a time that can be overwhelming.

I also am so passionate about babies and moms getting bodywork early after delivery. Studies show that women have better birth outcomes and less pain after delivery when they receive Osteopathic Manual Medicine during pregnancy and postpartum. Studies show benefits to baby as well. When babies are treated early, they are able to work through any kinks caused by the birth process and have less issues with things like feeding, torticollis, plagiocephaly, and respiratory difficulties. They also tend to be calmer and more content (probably because they are more comfortable) which is a bonus for everyone as well!    

Q: When is the best time for an expectant or new mom to contact you if they wish to receive your services?
A: Women can benefit from Osteopathic Manual Medicine during all three trimesters of pregnancy. Treatment during pregnancy can be preventative against the aches and pains that tend to develop as pregnancy progresses. It can also aid in the normal progression of labor by aligning the pelvis, allowing for proper pelvic mechanics to occur, and helping baby find an optimal position in utero. By reducing tension and strain in other areas of the body, it can help to relieve other pregnancy related symptoms like edema and reflux as well. If everything is going well, I like to see women at least once in the first and second trimesters, and then about once a month in the third trimester. That being said, it is never too late to initiate treatment while pregnant or after delivery.

Q: Is there anything else that you would like to share, any service(s) you’d like to highlight?
A: The first year after baby is born is a time when I think women need SO much more support than our current model of care offers them. In addition to opening Cville Osteopathic, I just launched Sage Mother Co. – a company that provides educational resources and personalized support to women during early motherhood. I am working on this with a colleague of mine who is a pediatrician and also a mom of two. We hope that by providing women with more guidance through the massive shifts that happen during the first year after delivery, we can make early motherhood a time that is empowering and enjoyable, instead of overwhelming. You can find out more on our Instagram @sagemotherco

It was a delight speaking with Dr. Loving and learning how local clients can benefit from having her on their care team. If you found this information helpful, share it with a friend or family member!
Find Dr. Loving on Instagram @cvilleosteopathic.

Are you a community provider and wish to be featured on the Milk & Cradle Community Provider Spotlight? Email me at info@milkandcradle.com or complete a contact card.