I’m Pregnant. How Can a Chiropractor Help Me?

Being pregnant is one of the toughest, yet rewarding, stages in a woman’s life. Although there will inevitably be some hard times, the end result is a beautiful baby who loves you unconditionally.

As a doula, helping women throughout every stage of their pregnancy is one of my passions. My mission is to make pregnancy just a little bit easier for moms-to-be.

One of the best, natural ways I’ve found to ease any uncomfortable side effects of pregnancy is through chiropractic care. So in today’s article, I’ll be explaining how this form of chiropractic care can alleviate any discomfort you may be feeling.

How Pregnancy Affects the Body

It’s no surprise that pregnancy takes a huge toll on a woman’s body.

Over the course of nine months, it’s easy to see how much the body physically changes throughout this time. Most women gain an average of 25-35 pounds during their pregnancy.

As you can imagine, your center of gravity is thrown off as you progress towards the later stages of pregnancy. Now, this newly added weight is primarily in the front half of your body and your back half (posterior) is responsible for supporting this growing situation.

This leads to added stress on your joints and it causes your spine to curve a bit more than usual as it compensates for the added weight of your growing newborn.

Although your body is designed to handle this, it’s still no walk in the park.

How Can Chiropractic Care Help?

Before you even become pregnant, it’s a good idea to get checked out by a chiropractor. This simple step can ensure that your pelvis and spine are properly aligned so they can handle the upcoming stress on the body.

And while you’re pregnant, chiropractic care can help tremendously.

Essentially, your chiropractor will adjust things like your pelvis, hips, neck and spine to ensure your body is properly aligned.

When you are out of alignment, the weight of the baby is not evenly distributed causing tension throughout the body. Many women will experience symptoms such as nausea, joint pain, back pain, neck pain, muscle tension, headaches, shoulder pain and sciatica.

Several of my patients have reported that their adjustments have drastically reduced these common symptoms.

 

 

What’s great about this option is that expecting moms are able to reduce or completely replace their over the counter pain and nausea medications by simply going in for routine adjustments. So for women looking for a natural birthing plan, chiropractic care may be the right solution. It’s a safe and natural alternative to traditional treatment options.

A chiropractor can also adjust your hips and spine to alleviate any pressure on the abdomen. This not only helps with the pain but also helps reduce any possible complications during labor.

By aligning your pelvis, spine and hips, your body will be in a better position for delivery. When everything is in balance, the body is able to handle labor much more efficiently like it was designed to do.

Post Pregnancy Relief Too

Chiropractic care can also help after you give birth too.

Similar to nine months of pregnancy, labor is no easy feat and it takes a significant toll on your body once again.

It’s important that your body heals in its proper alignment, otherwise, you could experience symptoms such as muscle tension, backaches, shoulder aches, and headaches as a result.

Chiropractic care can also help mothers who choose to breastfeed and can alleviate any postpartum depression symptoms too. More than likely, these issues could be a result of a spine that’s out of alignment.

On top of that, newborns can also benefit from adjustments just like you can.

This natural process places a great deal of stress on their tiny spines. That’s why we also recommend adjustments for newborns as early as a few days old.

Newborn adjustments can help your baby sleep better, eat better and reduces the uncomfortable symptoms of colic.

Although chiropractic care may not have been your first thought during pregnancy, it’s clear to see that it’s a wonderful natural solution for any expecting mothers hoping to keep their pregnancy and delivery as drug-free as possible.

Even your newborn can benefit from these simple adjustments. Many of the new moms in my practice have reported that their babies are much more relaxed and less fussy after they’ve been adjusted.

To learn more, or to schedule a free consultation, please call 561-694-0708. We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have!