Pregnancy radically changes the body. It’s a blessing but also uncomfortable. Sciatica, joint pain, and backaches are just a few of the uncomfortable conditions pregnant women endure.
While a chiropractor can treat any of these conditions in someone who’s not expecting a baby, what about one who is?
Chiropractic can and does help pregnant woman too. Prenatal chiropractic care not only eases discomfort and pain for the mother-to-be; it also promotes an easier, healthier delivery.
Chiropractic care is safe and effective for all stages of pregnancy, so seek treatment at the first sign of discomfort. You may even begin sessions as soon as the pregnancy is confirmed.
How often should you see your chiropractor when pregnant?
Every pregnancy is different, so the specific needs of the mother-to-be and her baby may vary. It’s common to receive chiropractic adjustments about once a month in the first and second trimesters, then increase visits as the due date approaches. But complications in the pregnancy might affect how often you see your chiropractor. For the best care plan, consult your ob-gyn or healthcare practitioner.
Chiropractic care can include lifestyle and nutritional counseling in addition to pain relief. This holistic approach ensures that expectant mothers receive comprehensive care that supports overall health, potentially reducing the risk of complications and encouraging a smoother pregnancy journey.
Prenatal chiropractic techniques
Prenatal chiropractic care may employ a variety of techniques tailored specifically to the needs of pregnant women. These techniques are designed to relieve discomfort, improve function, and support the body's natural process of pregnancy and childbirth. Here are some common methods used:
- The Webster technique: This specific chiropractic sacral analysis and diversified adjustment aims to reduce the effects of sacral subluxation/SI joint dysfunction. In doing so, it helps facilitate neuro-biomechanical function in the pelvis, potentially reducing the discomfort of pregnancy and aiding in the delivery process. The Webster Technique is especially renowned for its role in helping to correct breech presentations by allowing the baby to assume the best possible position for birth.
- Gentle spinal adjustments: Chiropractors use gentle spinal adjustments to manage pain and improve spinal function. These adjustments are tailored to the pregnant body, considering the increased laxity in ligaments and other anatomical changes.
- Soft-tissue therapy: This involves the manipulation of soft tissues like muscles and ligaments to relieve pregnancy-related discomforts. Techniques may include therapeutic massage or stretching exercises that are safe for pregnant women.
- Pregnancy-specific adjustment tables: These tables adjust to accommodate a pregnant woman's body, ensuring comfort and safety during treatment. The design allows practitioners to perform adjustments without putting pressure on the abdomen.
- Pelvic-balance techniques: Chiropractors may employ techniques to ensure the pelvis is properly aligned. This can improve comfort during pregnancy and contribute to a smoother delivery by maximizing the amount of space available for the developing baby.
Benefits of Seeing a Chiropractor While Pregnant?
Prenatal chiropractic treatments can help you ease discomfort and improve stability and mobility amidst your changing body. As the baby grows, your center of gravity shifts and the curvature of the spine increases. This can affect your posture and balance and may also increase discomfort in the back as you carry additional weight from the baby. Hormones released to relax the pelvis and ligaments around the abdomen can cause hip and pelvic pain, instability, sacroiliac discomfort, and more. A qualified chiropractor can help keep proper spinal and joint alignment to ease aches and pains, relieve nerve discomfort and more.
Adjustment to the spine can also support the nervous system, helping to alleviate other prenatal conditions such as morning sickness, headaches, swelling, and sciatica. Promoting optimal function of the nervous system through spinal alignment can promote a healthier and more robust immune system and digestive system both for mother and baby. Gentle chiropractic adjustments while pregnant, along with stretching, heat and cold, and other alternative approaches can support an easier, healthier, and more enjoyable pregnancy.
Moreover, regular chiropractic care during pregnancy may reduce the need for interventions during childbirth. By maintaining optimal pelvic alignment, chiropractic adjustments can facilitate a quicker, more natural labor process.
Sciatica and Pregnancy
Sciatica is common during pregnancy, especially in later months. Pressure on the sciatic nerve from the growing baby can cause a sharp burning pain from your hip to your foot, weakness in the leg, tingling, and even numbness. This can make walking, sitting, and sleeping very uncomfortable. While some women may feel relief naturally as the body changes, most will benefit from the help of a chiropractor. Your chiro can develop a treatment plan that includes a series of adjustments and stretches to reduce pain and relieve pressure on the nerve.
Supporting the Baby-to-Be
In addition to easing discomfort for the mother-to-be, prenatal chiropractic care may also benefit the baby-to-be. If the pelvis is out of alignment, it can restrict the amount of space the baby has to grow and develop properly. It can also make it more difficult for the baby to get into the best position for delivery (rear-facing, head down). If the baby isn’t in the optimal position for delivery, it can lead to a more difficult labor or C-section delivery. Chiropractic techniques like the Webster Technique, can adjust for proper alignment of the pelvis, creating more space for the baby to grow and move into optimal positioning for delivery.
Risks of Prenatal Chiropractic Care
The American Pregnancy Association has deemed that there are no major concerns around seeing a chiropractor while pregnant. For many chiropractors, prenatal treatment is fairly common. Some are even trained specifically in applying specific prenatal treatments (like the Webster Technique). Nevertheless, it’s important to make sure your chiropractor is comfortable and educated in prenatal chiropractic care before seeking treatment. There are a few modifications and tools that your chiro may use to avoid putting undue pressure on the abdomen.
While risks are minimal in a healthy pregnancy, it is important to consult your ob-gyn or healthcare provider to get the go-ahead before treatment because some conditions may not benefit from chiropractic adjustments. For example, you shouldn’t see a chiropractor if you have placenta previa, vaginal bleeding, placental abruption, toxemia, or an ectopic pregnancy.
What to Expect From Pregnancy Chiropractic Visits?
Getting adjusted while pregnant is similar to receiving regular chiropractic
treatment, except the practitioner may take a few extra factors into account. Your initial intake, assessment, and protocol for creating your plan of care will be similar, but the techniques and methods used will differ.
During treatment, your chiropractor may use a special table or maternity pillow to allow for adjustments while avoiding unnecessary pressure on the abdomen. Prenatal adjustments are typically gentle. Additionally, specialized techniques and stretches may help promote proper alignment and alleviate tension withing the abdomen, hips, and back.
A monthly chiropractic visit is the norm for the first trimester. This can increase to biweekly or three times a month until the last month of pregnancy, when you may see your chiropractor weekly to encourage optimal positioning of the baby for delivery.
Postnatal chiropractic care
Postnatal care is just as important as prenatal care, aiding in the mother's recovery after childbirth. Postnatal chiropractic care focuses on helping new mothers recover from the stresses of pregnancy and delivery. Here are key aspects of postnatal chiropractic care:
- Realignment and posture correction: After childbirth, a woman's body undergoes rapid changes as it returns to its pre-pregnancy state. Chiropractic care can help realign the spine and correct posture issues that may arise from carrying and nursing a newborn.
- Pain relief: Childbirth can lead to back pain, neck pain, and other musculoskeletal issues. Chiropractic adjustments can help alleviate these pains, improving the mother's ability to care for her newborn.
- Restoring pelvic balance: The pelvis can remain out of alignment after childbirth, leading to discomfort and affecting pelvic floor recovery. Chiropractic techniques can help restore pelvic balance, improving comfort and function.
- Supporting overall wellness: Beyond addressing specific pain points, chiropractic care postpartum can enhance overall wellness. Adjustments can improve nervous system function, potentially improving sleep, reducing stress, and supporting overall recovery.
Both prenatal and postnatal chiropractic care offer a holistic approach to managing the physical changes associated with pregnancy and childbirth. By focusing on alignment, pain relief, and functional improvement, chiropractic care can significantly contribute to a more comfortable pregnancy and a smoother postnatal recovery. Pregnant and postnatal women should consult with their healthcare provider and a qualified chiropractor to develop a care plan tailored to their individual needs.
Prenatal Chiropractic Care at Debole Chiropractic
An expectant mother can benefit from chiropractic treatment at every stage of her pregnancy, but the best results can occur when you seek help at the first sign of discomfort. Early treatment can help alleviate pain and prevent complications down the road. At Debole Chiropractic, our caring staff specialize in prenatal care and would love to help you relax and enjoy your pregnancy. If your pregnant in the Victor, NY area, our chiropractic team can help support you though a happy, healthy pregnancy, delivery and postnatal recovery. To learn more about our pregnancy chiropractic care, give us a call at 585-433-5680 or contact us today to set up an appointment.
