Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy
March 06, 2014
Posted By: Shaunescy
Pregnancy is a wonderful time in a woman’s life. Growing and preparing for a new arrival is an awarding experience that can leave a woman feeling euphoric and glowing. There are however, aches and pains that can come along with this wonderful time in a woman’s life, not to mention the birthing process itself. Women undergo a lot of changes in their body, their minds and their spirits in the 9 months before they get to hold that precious little baby in their arms. The good news is women don’t have to suffer through the “normal” aches and pains of pregnancy, chiropractic care during pregnancy can help.
Doctors of chiropractic can alleviate the uncomfortable symptoms arising from muscular, ligamentous, and biomechanical stressors encountered during pregnancy. This is accomplished through the use of a number of highly specialized adjusting techniques. A gentle adjustive procedure of the spine is used in pregnancy, which is safe and effective. These adjustments assist in maintaining a spine free from vertebral misalignments and fixations. They keep the pelvis and spine in correct position/posture and assist in pain relief by reducing pain levels and reducing spinal and pelvic stresses which produce soft tissue pain. Adjustments also keep tissues and biomechanics functioning optimally minimize complications during birth.
Chiropractic care can help with many discomforts during pregnancy including but not limited to: low back pain, mid back pain, neck pain and headaches, sciatica and hip pain, groin pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, nausea, and much more.
During the first trimester of pregnancy the body is preparing for later stages by the hormone relaxin setting in and the joints become more relaxed which creates changes in daily movements. These changes affect the weight bearing joints in the the pelvis. By keeping theses joints moving, as a woman’s weight increases, her body can better adapt to the biomechanical changes as the pregnancy progresses. The first trimester also brings on morning sickness, headaches and other problems due to various hormones going through the body. Chiropractic can help with these by stimulating the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems and restoring balance to the nervous system.
The second and third trimester brings increased weight, expansion of the rib cage as the breasts continue to grow, fluid retention resulting in carpal tunnel, sciatica and groin pain. The chiropractic adjustment can again alleviate these discomforts by restoring motion to the joints and relaxing the muscles associated with the affected joints. A special technique called the Webster Technique can help alleviate intra-uterine constraint. Intra-uterine constraint can prevent the baby from comfortably assuming the best possible position for birth. Chiropractors who are certified in the Webster Technique can help with intra-uterine constraint.
Then the time arrives to have the baby. Studies show that chiropractic care during pregnancy significantly reduces the length of time a woman labors. Adjustments can also reduce the likelihood of experiencing back labor and chiropractic patients require less painkillers during delivery. Regular chiropractic adjustments can safely continue up until the time of birth.
Throughout pregnancy and the birthing process, a woman’s body has undergone many stressful events. To minimize these traumas, recovery/rehabilitation to reach pre-pregnancy state should be sought. Chiropractic adjustments quicken recovery time and assist in normalizing overall pelvic and spinal biomechanics. There is another aspect to think about after a woman gives birth...her child. The stress and trauma that an infant experiences during the birthing process has an impact on future health. As you have your child checked by your pediatrician, you should also have your child checked by your chiropractor for any spinal misalignments that may have occurred during the trauma of birth. Just as there is a gentle spinal adjustment for pregnant women, there is a soft gentle technique used to adjust the spinal vertebrae of an infant.
Dr. Ali Schweitzer practices at Thomas Family Chiropractic in Bozeman, MT. She is certified in pregnancy and pediatric care through the Academy of Family Practice and the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. She is also Webster Certified. She lives in Bozeman with her husband , Dr. Josh Prange and their 9 month old son, Brayden. She received chiropractic care during her pregnancy and highly recommends it for all pregnant women.
