By : Dr. Erika Hempey
You might have noticed that more and more women are beginning to receive chiropractic care during their pregnancy. This is because women are realizing the benefits of chiropractic adjustments, not only for pain relief during pregnancy, but also to allow for a safer and easier birthing experience.
As the baby in utero grows bigger and bigger, the mother’s biomechanics change. Her center of gravity shifts, putting more stress on her upper and lower back. As hormone levels increase and the ligaments loosen to prepare for delivery, joints can become unstable, causing pain in the hips, spine and pelvis. Spinal and pelvic misalignments can occur, which cause many expectant mamas to experience low back pain, headaches, sciatica, pelvic pain, round ligament discomfort, and neck pain. When not corrected, the misalignments can also cause tension on the pelvic musculature and uterine ligaments, preventing the baby from being able to get into the right position for birth. This may lead to breech presentation, thus resulting in a lengthier and more complicated birth. The longer and more complicated a birth, the more likely one is to need obstetrical interventions. An increase in obstetrical interventions multiples the risk of having surgical delivery substantially.
Chiropractic adjustments help to fix the spinal and pelvic misalignments that can occur during pregnancy. By restoring proper biomechanical function, many mamas can significantly reduce the painful symptoms they may experience during pregnancy. Regular adjustments throughout pregnancy can help ensure the pelvis is in proper alignment so the baby can get into the proper position and the body is ready for labor and the birthing process. Many studies have shown that chiropractic care during pregnancy can significantly reduce the amount of time a woman spends in labor – up to 25% reduction in the first labor and 35% reduction on subsequent!!
I highly recommend getting regular adjustments after the baby is born as well. I know it is hard to imagine getting out of the house too much once your new little bundle of joy arrives, but it is important for you to take care of yourself as well. If you aren’t taken care of, it is a lot harder to take care of anyone else! The hormones that increased in your body throughout pregnancy remain in your system for approximately 9 months after. If you are nursing, you will continue to have hormonal changes even longer. It takes a while for your body to “go back to normal” after having a baby. Not only that, but you are carrying around a growing infant constantly, lugging car seats in and out of the car, and feeding your little one in positions that sometimes aren’t quite ideal! The sooner you can get adjusted after delivering your baby, the better. As your body transitions to its pre-pregnancy state, chiropractic adjustments will help it to transition easier and faster.
Though any chiropractor is trained to treat expectant moms, I recommend finding someone who is certified in the Webster Technique. These practitioners go through extra courses of study and are more fully trained to treat the prenatal population. So don’t put off feeling good! Get adjusted and see how good you can truly feel!
Dr. Erika and her practice are local to the Annapolis Area and specialize in treating pregnant woman, postpartum moms and newborns. We highly recommend you check them out!