Pregnancy Chiropractic Care
Pregnancy is an incredible time in a woman’s life. Her body is going though many changes mentally, emotionally, and physically. Chiropractic care can help balance the pelvis and decrease discomfort during pregnancy and in preparation for delivery. During pregnancy, the body produces the hormone relaxin, which loosen the ligaments to prepare the pelvis for delivery. More often than not, this laxity can lead to instability of the sacroiliac joints as well as any other joint in the body. These instabilities can cause discomfort and pain.
Chiropractic care during pregnancy can help with:
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Back, hip, neck, and other joint pain
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Fetal positioning
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Nausea symptoms
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Headache
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Pubic Symphysis pain
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Round Ligament pain
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Mid-back stiffness
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Feet and leg pain
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Maintaining an overall healthier pregnancy
During delivery, chiropractic care can:
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Reduce labor and delivery times
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Decrease birth interventions
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Prevent potential cesarean delivery
The Southern Mama's Chiropractic Difference
Up to Date
Utilizing Research
At Southern Mama's Chiropractic, we are always staying up to date on research and implementing tools and techniques to better serve our mamas. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality care and most appropriate recommendations.
Pregnancy Measurements
Umbilical Trochanter Angle
In 2015, a perinatal chiropractic researcher published an amazing paper discussing a new way of measuring and monitoring mama's and their growing bellies. This stemmed from his frustration of not knowing how or why some babies flip when breech and some don't. Also, why some birth outcomes are not as desired or have more interventions than others despite great chiropractic care and moms taking incredible care of themselves. What they found from the study was very interesting: they found that when moms had an angle of 30 or less, from the hip bone (trochanter) and their belly buttons (umbilicus), they had less interventions and more desirable outcomes. Whereas the 30 degrees or more group was linked to significantly higher interventions in birth. We have adopted this technique into our practice and starting at 35 weeks we monitor this angle in all our pregnant mamas!
Breech
Measuring for Confidence
​One thing we say over and over again in Webster based pregnancy chiropractic is that "we are not turning breech babies." Our intention with breech mamas is to assist in balancing her pelvis. When we measure the "Umbilical Trochanter Angle" in late pregnancy, it helps us provide confidence for our mamas. For example, if we have a 39-week breech presentation mama coming in and check her angle and its under 30, then there is a higher chance that the baby may flip. If in this scenario angle is over 30, then we can help mom understand that all life is intelligent and for whatever reason this baby may not turn. Either way, measuring this angle has given us assurance and predictability and therefore the ability to support moms and their growing babies' needs better.
FAQ
Is Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy Safe?
YES! There are no known contraindications to chiropractic care throughout pregnancy. All chiropractors are trained to work with women who are pregnant. Investing in the fertility and pregnancy wellness of women who are pregnant or trying to conceive is a routine care for most chiropractors.
Some chiropractors take a specific interest in prenatal and postnatal care and seek additional training. Below represents designations of chiropractors who have taken advanced steps in working with infertility and pregnancy wellness.
Chiropractors that have been trained to work with pregnant women may use tables that adjust for a pregnant woman’s body, and they will use techniques that avoid unneeded pressure on the abdomen.
A chiropractor who is trained in the needs of pregnant women will also provide them with exercises and stretches that are safe to use during pregnancy.
Why Should I Have Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy?
During pregnancy, there are several physiological and endocrinological changes that occur in preparation for creating the environment for the developing baby.
​The following changes could result in a misaligned spine or joints: protruding abdomen and increased back curve, pelvic changes, or postural adaptations
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Establishing pelvic balance and alignment is another reason to obtain chiropractic care during pregnancy. When the pelvis is misaligned, it may reduce the amount of room available for the developing baby. This restriction is called intrauterine constraint.
A misaligned pelvis may also make it difficult for the baby to get into the best possible position for delivery. This can affect the mother’s ability to have a natural, non-invasive birth. Breech and posterior positions can interfere with the natural ease of labor and lead to interventions such as c-sections.
The nervous system is the master communication system to all body systems including reproduction. Keeping the spine aligned and in motion helps the entire body work more effectively.
Chiropractors And Pregnancy:
Talk To Your Health Care Provider
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As more women are seeking the benefits of chiropractic care throughout pregnancy, more health care providers are seeking trained doctors of chiropractic in their communities to refer their pregnant patients to. Discuss these options with your health care provider. If they are not yet familiar with chiropractic care in pregnancy, ask them to find out more about its many benefits. Most importantly, seek options that support your body’s natural abilities to function and find a team of providers who are respectful of your choices.
-The American Pregnancy Association