There’s no better time to get a chiropractic adjustment than during pregnancy. Chiropractic care is a natural, gentle and non-invasive way to support a woman’s body in multiple ways.
4 ways that chiropractic can help women throughout their pregnancy and labor
- Improved nervous system function
- Optimized pelvis mechanics/alignment
- Helps set up the structure for an easier labor
- Relief of discomfort
Pregnancy is no easy task! As the baby grows, the mother’s body must change with it; their center of mass shifts anteriorly, the lower back curve increases and the round ligament becomes stretched and tight. These changes cause instability in the pelvis and may cause low back and pelvic girdle pain.
These biomechanical changes can also put pressure on the mother’s nervous system, decreasing or interrupting the flow of information from her body to her brain. This means the brain doesn’t have all the necessary information to properly assign tasks. This dysfunction can look like heartburn, sciatica, insomnia, constipation, and more!
Chiropractic adjustments intend to gently remove this nerve pressure, so that the woman’s body has full communication and connection. This allows her body to function with full power for both her and her child.
Chiropractic adjustments help the joints move properly as the body adjusts to the growing baby. This can keep the pelvis aligned so the baby has more room to move.
Specially trained chiropractors may utilize “The Webster Technique.” This technique helps release tight sacroiliac joints and round ligaments and has been found to help give breech babies more space without the restrictions of ligaments and bone so they can move into a better position.
We want to be sure that the baby is able to move through the birth canal without structural complications and obstructions from misalignments. This reduces risky interventions, longer and harder labor, and discomfort during pregnancy.
The Research on Prenatal Chiropractic Adjustments
There’s a growing amount of research on the benefits of chiropractic during pregnancy. Every year, more studies are released about how effective chiropractic is and the incredible benefits it provides for women and their babies. Below are several studies about pregnancy and birth when chiropractic has been involved.
One case study followed a woman who received no chiropractic care during her first pregnancy versus her second. During the patient’s second pregnancy, she received chiropractic care both before and after conception. The second birth experience was found to be both shorter and easier than the first one. This case report isn’t alone in demonstrating that chiropractic can affect both labor and delivery in a positive way; we have so many patients who will tell you the same thing!
Allow me to tell you one mother’s story. A 28-year-old first-time mother was experiencing neuro-musculoskeletal symptoms at 33-weeks into gestation.
She presented with tingling and numbness in her right hand which is aggravated by her work as a church organist. Her right leg was experiencing some swelling, and like so many mothers, she had low back pain.
Her chiropractic care started off with 2 visits per week for 4 weeks. She received adjustments on her thoracic spine, as well as on her upper and lower extremities. By the 4th visit, she reported less swelling, with her lower back pain improving progressively over the weeks of care. By the 9th visit, numbness and tingling in her right hand had resolved, and just one week later, she delivered a healthy baby boy.
Share this post with an expectant friend or family member! Call 416-967-4466 for an appointment at our midtown Toronto office, or schedule online here: https://bookedin.com/book/annex-family-chiropractic
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References:
- J Chiropr Med. 2007 Jun;6(2):70-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jcme.2007.04.004. Pregnancy and chiropractic: a narrative review of the literature https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19674697/
- Can Fam Physician. 2013 Aug;59(8):841-2. Optimizing pain relief during pregnancy using manual therapy https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23946024/
- Reduction of Labor and Delivery Time in a Pregnant Patient Undergoing Subluxation Centered Chiropractic Care Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health Chiropractic, Volume 2017 https://vertebralsubluxationresearch.com/2017/01/01/reduction-of-labor-and-delivery-time-in-a-pregnant-patient-undergoing-subluxation-centered-chiropractic-care/
