During pregnancy several physical, chemical, and emotional changes occur within your body as you grow your sweet developing baby.
Physically, your center of gravity changes, your belly grows outward, and the curve in your low back increases, just to name a few. These changes alter the way weight is distributed throughout your spine and pelvis.
Chemically, you begin to produce loads of hormones, including one called Relaxin. Relaxin does just that- it relaxes your muscles, tendons, and ligaments to help your body adapt, grow, and prepare for birth.
All of these changes are necessary for your body to accommodate your growing baby, however these increases in stress can create subluxations within your body.
Subluxations decrease your body’s ability to properly communicate with your brain, and result in neurological compromise and suboptimal function of your nervous system.
Your nervous system controls every cell, organ, and system within your body; reproductive system included. Having a chiropractor (trained in prenatal care) make gentle neuro-structural adjustments to remove subluxations and increase neurological communication and proper function within your body and uterus, where your baby is developing, is important.
When your pelvis is misaligned (aka subluxated) it can cause tension on the ligaments attached to your uterus. This affects its position and potentially reduces the amount of room for your baby to grow. You can think of this similarity to tension that’d be created if someone where to sit on top of your covers while you were trying to move around freely in bed- possible maybe, but with restriction.
Consistent prenatal chiropractic care can improve the balance and alignment of your growing body, and greatly contribute to a more comfortable pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum experience.
More women and birth providers are discovering the many benefits associated with prenatal chiropractic care and recognize this area of expertise through the Webster Technique.
The Webster Technique
A very well known technique, called the Webster technique, specifically checks for and corrects these misalignments.
The Webster Technique is a specific technique used to analyze and adjust the sacrum. Sacral misalignments and subluxations may contribute to difficult labor for the mother (dystocia), caused by inadequate uterine function, pelvic contraction, and baby mal-presentation. Correction of sacral subluxation may have a positive effect on all of these concerns.
Research shows that prenatal chiropractic care contributes to more smooth and straightforward labors resulting in less pain and trauma for both mom and baby.
During pregnancy, our goal with neuro-structural care is to re-establish proper positioning, reduce the tension on your ligaments, and provide optimal space for your baby to grow and move into their best possible position for birth. This also ensures that your pelvic outlet (the space baby is expected to pass through during birth) is as large and open as possible. An alteration in this space can make birth more difficult, longer, and/or require interventions.
Contraindications
There are no known contraindications to chiropractic care during pregnancy.
However, it is important that you seek care from a prenatal chiropractor as they have additional training and education in caring for the special needs of pregnant mamas.
Find a prenatal chiropractor near you
You can use this link to find a qualified prenatal and pediatric chiropractor near you, or click here to schedule an appointment with me at Be Well Barn.
Prenatal care in my practice is very specific and gentle using only an adjusting tool, gentle pressure, and/or a small drop in my table. We have special pregnancy pillows for you to use, sized for each trimester, which will allow you to lie comfortably face down on the table during your adjustment.
Prenatal chiropractic care is vital to the normal physiological function of both mama and baby throughout pregnancy and birth.
ICPA
Pregnancy is a beautiful and natural season and you’re perfectly designed to conceive, grow and birth precious new life. It’s my honor to serve mamas like you during this special time and I’m more than ready to support you on your journey.
