Pregnancy

Chiropractic care can be quite helpful during all stages of pregnancy.
Many women report that they experience less discomfort if they’ve received chiropractic care. This period of rapid development, hormonal changes, the laxity of connective ligaments, and shifting of weight-bearing structures, may cause many pregnant women to experience low back pain. Chiropractic care can be quite helpful and helps maintain ligament flexibility and balance.

Benefits of Prenatal Chiropractic Care

Even before you become pregnant, your chiropractor can assist you. Your chiropractor will be able to properly assess your body and diagnose any already existing imbalances in your pelvis or elsewhere that may increase your discomfort during pregnancy. Additionally, pre-existing factors in your skeletal structure that may lead to problems after you give birth can also be detected.

Chiropractic care can:

• Correct vertebral misalignment and relieve pressure with gentle and effective adjustments.
• Help ensure that pelvic bones are properly aligned, facilitating a quicker, easier delivery.
• Re-establish the natural position and mobility of the joints.
• Provide freedom from interference of normal nerve energy, which is vital for the development of a healthy baby and mother.

Labor and Birth

During pregnancy and especially labor, a hormone called relaxin is released into your bloodstream; the purpose of relaxin is to relax your ligaments to allow your pelvic bones to expand during childbirth. This is great for childbirth but statistics show that often the pelvic bones do not return to their former positions, especially after back labor.
This causes pain, sometimes radiating to a leg, and weakness that is sometimes mistakenly blamed on the anesthetic injection. If this is a problem for you, see a chiropractor for a drugless approach to help relieve your pain and restore normal function.

After Birth

Besides helping to relieve the discomfort many expectant mothers experience, chiropractic care helps normalize nervous system function. This is an important component of overall good health. After your pregnancy, you chiropractor can treat you to help your stretched out joints and loosened ligaments get back into their proper positions. Chiropractic care may also help relieve headaches, shoulder problems and muscle and rib discomfort caused by your changing body.

Your Doctor of Chiropractic will take special precautions with you during your pregnancy. Modifications to the table or adjusting techniques are made during each stage of pregnancy. The additional weight and stress on the framework of the body during pregnancy can cause pain in almost any part of the body.
Because pregnant women are often reluctant to take any over-the-counter or prescription pain relievers, they often turn to chiropractic care to help alleviate pains associated with pregnancy. In addition, your chiropractor can also offer lifestyle (especially nutrition and exercise) advice specific to the expectant mother.

Is chiropractic care safe during pregnancy?

Chiropractic care during pregnancy is safe for both mother and baby. Spinal adjustments are especially gentle during pregnancy as far less force is required to correct subluxations. This is due to the increase in hormones causing significant muscle and ligamentous relaxation. Special “adjustive” positions are also used to provide comfort and safety for both mom and baby.

How often should I receive chiropractic care during my pregnancy?

The frequency of care varies for a number of different reasons. Typically, regular care during a non-complicated pregnancy will range from once per week to once per month.

What does my spine have to do with my baby?

Pregnancy may be one of the best times to receive chiropractic care! While it’s always good to have an optimally functioning nervous system, it’s especially helpful now. Both mother and baby can benefit. Adjusting methods are adapted to a mother’s size, weight and condition. During this period of weight gain and hormonal changes, many mothers seek chiropractic care. Some report shorter and easier births.