Chiropractic & Pregnancy: 3 Most Common Questions & Concerns
I know what you’re thinking.
Chiropractic? Why not natural medicine, physical therapy, or even a perinatal physical therapist– you know, a career that sounds a lot less “scary” than what the internet has made the chiropractic profession out to be.
Trust me, we get that a lot.
In short, I fell in love with chiropractic care because its purpose is not the treatment of conditions or disease; in fact, it is based on the restoration of normal body function.
The job of a holistic doctor is to see the human body as a whole, not just parts that function separately from one another. Everything is connected; everything affects the whole body’s function. If you went to 4th grade you probably remember that the brain is the most important organ in the body. It’s the structure on which your whole body’s function depends. It tells your body what to do, and in turn, your body tells your brain it’s listening. Without adequate brain-body communication, your nervous system is just one big information highway with endless detours and traffic jams.
“The job of a holistic practitioner is to see the human body as a whole”
Holistic chiropractors address the nervous system via the skeletal system with gentle spinal adjustments. By reducing stress-related interference to the nervous system, overall body functions level UP.
Naturally, with the populations I see, I get a lot of questions as to why chiropractic is essential throughout pregnancy, the postpartum period, and especially in childhood. Hopefully, this gives you a clearer picture as to why having a pediatric and perinatal certified chiropractor is essential for all families.
Alright, let’s dive in!
Q #1: Why do I need a prenatal chiropractor (before birth)?
It is important to get prenatal chiropractic from a doctor who is certified in Webster Technique through the ICPA. This technique addresses neuro-biomechanical tension of the uterus and pelvis, allowing for the pelvis and birth canal to expand through pregnancy, labor, and birth.
Translation: When there is tension on the uterus it can restrict the movement of the baby (and we all know how much babies prefer to move and wiggle!). Imagine trying to get into a bed when all the sheets are tucked in. If we can release uterine tension and balance the pelvis, it’s as if we are ‘untucking the sheets’ and allowing more room to move so the baby can find optimal positioning. Some pregnant women even report feeling their baby move more after receiving Webster Technique (this is primarily due to less tension in the pelvic cavity post-adjustment).
Q #2: Is it safe to be adjusted while pregnant?
Yes! Chiropractic, in general, is very safe. With advanced education in perinatal care, perinatal chiropractors understand pregnancy and the special needs that come with this exciting time of life. We use special tables and specifically designed pregnancy pillows to ensure mama is both safe and comfortable during adjustments.
Q #3: Do I have to keep coming in after birth (postpartum/ postnatal)?
Immediately following a woman’s birth, the body immediately begins working to tighten the ligaments and realign organs and bones, but it is a process that takes time (up to a year in fact!). And while this is happening, you are altering your body by holding your new baby, learning to breastfeed, and surviving in a state of exhaustion. A new mother’s body is not in its peak performance state. Seeing a chiropractor immediately after birth grants you the ability to jump-start your body’s healing process– though I don’t typically recommend any sort of body work until atleast one month after birth to allow you minimal stress of traveling to the office, more time with baby, and less intrusion into your most crucial healing window. Once the appropriate time comes, chiropractic care can ensure proper blood flow to recovering Mama’s tightening ligaments, aligns the spine to allow proper communication within your nervous system (the way the brain and body communicate), and as an added bonus can alleviate aches, pains, and other symptoms.
BONUS QUESTION ANSWERED:
Why would a baby or child need to see a chiropractor?
The lasting effects birth has on the health of infants and children is not something that is addressed in conventional healthcare. Some things that can cause trauma during birth include:
Very long labor
Pain medications
Restricted birthing positions
Pulling or twisting on baby’s head during delivery
Cesarean
The biggest amount of brain development happens in the ages of 0-5, with an emphasis on the first year of life. If a baby underwent a traumatic entrance into the world (or even in utero), it is very likely their spines suffered some degree of trauma. When this trauma is left uncorrected it can often cause neurological dysfunction and kick a child’s nervous system into fight-or-flight mode, causing many health challenges that could have been prevented. Nursing difficulties, sleep disturbances, inability to be soothed, colic, constipation, and reflux are examples and signs of how spinal nerve stress can impact infants.
DO YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL GENERAL QUESTIONS NOT ANSWERED HERE?
Don’t be shy! Ask away. I will get back to you within 24-48 hours ♡
