Pregnancy is as miraculous as it can be challenging – and, let’s face it, it’s pretty miraculous! The constant changes and adaptations of your growing baby and body can result in various discomforts such as back pain, headaches and joint pain. Fortunately, chiropractic care can help alleviate these symptoms and improve your overall well-being during pregnancy.
Let’s explore some of the benefits of working with a chiropractor during this very special time:
1) Decreases back and pelvic girdle pain:
One of the most common complaints during pregnancy is back and pelvic pain. The added weight of your growing baby and body, changes in posture and your center of gravity, and hormonal shifts can all contribute to pain in these areas. Chiropractic care can help reduce pain by correcting spinal misalignments and improving nerve function and muscular balance. Chiropractors also work to help improve your flexibility, range of motion and strength, making it easier to perform your daily activities and keep you moving during your pregnancy – we all know how important that is!
2) Improves pelvic alignment:
During your pregnancy, your pelvis undergoes significant changes to accommodate your growing baby. Misalignment or imbalance of the pelvis can lead to discomfort and can lead to difficulty during labor and delivery. Chiropractic care can help facilitate and maintain proper pelvic alignment, decreasing the risk of complications and interventions during delivery.
3) Reduces the need for pain medication:
Many pregnant women prefer to avoid taking medication during pregnancy. Chiropractic care provides a safe and effective alternative to pain medication by addressing the underlying causes of the pain and addressing them in safe, natural and effective ways.
4) Promotes overall wellness:
Chiropractic care is not just about treating specific symptoms – it focuses on improving your overall health and wellbeing. During pregnancy, chiropractic care can help keep you moving, reduce stress and anxiety, and promote a better night’s sleep.
5) Benefits baby’s positioning:
The Webster Technique, a chiropractic technique specific to pregnant patients, has been shown to improve fetal positioning by optimizing space and balance in the pelvis. The most current published research on the effectiveness of this technique for encouraging babies to move into a head-down, anterior position demonstrates an 82% success rate!
6) Shortens labor and delivery time:
Research has shown that regular chiropractic care during pregnancy can lead to shorter labor and delivery times. This is because chiropractic adjustments help prepare the body for delivery by improving pelvic alignment and reducing muscle tension patterns.
7) Improves postnatal recovery:
By improving your ability to move comfortably during your pregnancy and deliver with less intervention, it’s only natural that chiropractic care during your pregnancy will add value to your postnatal recovery period. Postnatal treatments can also help you with your recovery, as well as the new challenges you now face, such as the “new parent” posture, where everything is suddenly in front of and below you, causing you to lean forward and look down most of the day.
Chiropractic care and pregnancy go together like peanut butter and jelly, Ernie and Bert, Sonny and Cher. If you are pregnant, consult with a prenatally trained and experienced Chiropractor to see how chiropractic care can benefit you.
Sources:
1) Pistolese, R. A. (2002). The Webster Technique: a chiropractic technique with obstetric implications. Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics, 25(6), 1-9.
2) Borggren, C. L. (2007). Pregnancy and chiropractic: a narrative review of the literature. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, 6(2), 70-74.
Note: This post is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice or treatment from your healthcare provider. Always follow the advice of your primary care provider when making decisions about your health and well-being.
