Why Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy?
Written by Dr. Madolyn Linka | August 15, 2020
I don’t know any woman who wants a difficult and burdensome pregnancy, so comfort is the key to helping you feel good, move well and grow this little babe! The easiest way to address comfort is by looking at how the nervous system may affect moms and babies as you share the next 10 months in utero and the birthing experience.
Maintaining and improving the function of your spine with chiropractic adjustments throughout your pregnancy helps to clear your nervous system of any interference to it. This can include tight muscles, laxity in ligaments and changes in posture as your center of gravity shifts. Staying well adjusted allows you to be as healthy as possible and enables your body to easily combat many of the physical hurdles of pregnancy. Another factor is comfort for your baby; having your spine checked by your chiropractor helps to ensure that your pelvis is sitting correctly and allows for optimum room for your baby to grow and move.
There is ongoing research and evidence suggesting when pelvis and spine are well aligned throughout pregnancy, this may contribute to a more straightforward labour with less pain and trauma for mom and baby. With chiropractic adjustments, first-time moms averaged a 24% reduction in labour time, while experienced mothers had a 39% reduction when compared to other birthing mothers (Fallon, 1998).
Correct biomechanics of the spine and pelvis during birth allows your baby to apply even pressure onto your cervix with the head, which enables your body to dilate effectively, resulting in possibly shorter labour time.
As a pregnant woman, the pelvis is continually changing and altering its shape to accommodate baby as they grow. Most often, restrictions of the pelvis occur in the two sacroiliac joints at the rear of the pelvis, or the pubic symphysis joint in the front. Some reasons these restrictions occur in the these joints are:
Weight gain - which is a normal physiological process with hormonal and specific organ (uterine, breast tissue) changes which are responsible for this normal and healthy gain.
Hormonal changes - progesterone & estrogen directly affect the spine. Progesterone relaxes muscle, increases fat storage (helping in breast development) and increases the body’s core temperature. Estrogen increases the mobility of the joints, promotes growth of the uterus and breasts, increases water retention and decreases salt excretion.
Various types of pelvis - yes! We are all different shapes and sizes which means we can characterize the shape of the pelvis by the inlet which allows us to recognize how it will respond to the stress of pregnancy and childbirth.
Throughout pregnancy it’s important to create space and room for mom and baby. As chiropractors we use a technique system called Websters to take strain off of mom and the pelvis, allowing the baby to move freely within the uterus for optimal position for labour and birthing. It’s never too late in your pregnancy to start care, check in today to help yourself move through a comfortable pregnancy and prepare your body for what’s to come.
Fallon, J, DC. Chiropractic and Pregnancy. New York: New Rochelle; 1998. Information from: Well Adjusted Babies, Dr. Jennifer Barham-Floreani.
Dr. Madolyn Linka
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