Many women experience back pain with their pregnancy. Chiropractic care can help with the pains associated with pregnancy. It is a great option for those of you that do not want to worry about taking any medications while pregnant. Chiropractic care has been proven safe and effective for expectant mothers.
Women typically complain of pain in one two areas when pregnant. The first and most common area is the lower back and pelvis in particular. The pain in the pelvis is usually associated with excess pressure being put on the pelvis. That pressure comes from the developing child and can cause pain on one side or both sides of the lower back. Often times, women will experience some sciatic pain. This occurs when the baby puts pressure on the sciatic nerve. Many women will get pain, numbness or tingling that radiates into the leg when this occurs. The second area of complaint is the mid back area, due to the expansion of the ribs to allow for the development of the child.
The development of the child will also cause more tension and torsion on the ligaments of the lower spine and pelvis. The ligaments that hold the uterus in place attach to the spine and pelvis, which can lead to misalignment. In addition, the release of the hormone, relaxin, relaxes the ligaments. This can be a good thing and a not so good thing. Good in the fact that it allows the ligaments to stretch and move easier, making the chiropractic adjustment easier to perform, while also assisting in the birth process. Unfortunately, it also allows the ligaments to move and cause misalignments easier as well. You can visit http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/chiropractic-care-during-pregnancy/ for more information about pregnancy and chiropractic care.
- Pelvic alignment and balance
- Decreased nausea
- Better sleep
- Less back labor
- Reduced need for pain medication
- Less back pain
- Shorter labor times
- More comfort while breastfeeding
- Greater production of breast milk
- Less incidence of postpartum depression
You don’t have to be experiencing any particular problem to visit a chiropractor during pregnancy. Chiropractic care in pregnancy is vital to the normal physiological function of both the mother and baby throughout pregnancy and birth. More women and birth providers are recognizing the many benefits associated with chiropractic care in pregnancy, especially through Webster Certification.
The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic sacral analysis and diversified adjustment. The goal of the adjustment is to reduce the effects of sacral subluxation/ SI joint dysfunction. In doing so, neuro-biomechanical function in the pelvis is facilitated. We do not turn babies, we work towards giving the growing in baby the space it needs to move around. Sacral subluxation may contribute to difficult labor for the mother (i.e., dystocia), caused by inadequate uterine function, pelvic contraction, and baby mal-presentation. Correction of sacral subluxation may positively affect these causes of dystocia.
Pregnancy can be a very stressful time for a woman’s body, and many experience pain associated with physical changes. Chiropractic Care is a safe and effective way reduce pain, stress, and discomfort throughout pregnancy and post partum. It may also help decrease the changes of birth complications and support the body's optimal positioning for delivery.
