Even though a weak pelvic floor, sore shoulders, and aching back are considered “normal symptoms” of pregnancy, it doesn’t mean that you have to suffer through them for nine months. As the little one grows in your belly, your body undergoes several changes to accommodate the growing child. The shift in the mother’s center of gravity and weight gain adds stress to the pelvic joints, lower back, sacrum, vertebral joints, and hips. While regular exercise, massages, and Tylenol can alleviate pregnancy pain, prenatal chiropractic care ensures a pain-free, safe, and healthy pregnancy. Getting pregnant is a miraculous experience; as a mother, you have every right to enjoy the blessed months to the fullest. Prenatal chiropractic care allows you to move comfortably and confidently during all trimesters. Read on to learn more about chiropractic care for pregnancy.
Who Is a Prenatal Chiropractor?
Like a normal chiropractor, a prenatal chiropractor uses specialized techniques to ensure proper spine and pelvis alignment, reducing body pain and tension. The pregnancy chiropractor has the knowledge and special training required to treat pregnancy-related discomfort and pain. Thus, they focus more on the pelvis alignment to ensure sufficient space for the baby to grow and invert in the 3rd trimester.
The Benefits of Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy
Prenatal chiropractic care ensures a healthy pregnancy, less-painful labor, and safe birth. Listed below are the benefits of getting chiropractic care when pregnant:
1. Make More Space for Your Baby
One of the best ways to reduce discomfort during pregnancy is to give your baby more space to grow in. Prenatal chiropractic care can help loosen the circular ligaments that attach your uterus to the hip bone. The chiropractor will apply gentle pressure to these ligaments, maximizing space and decreasing pressure on the uterus.
2. Relief from Body Aches
More than 50% of pregnant women suffer from lower back pain throughout the nine months. The mother’s growing belly puts pressure on the lower back, causing pain and discomfort in performing daily activities like sitting, standing, washing dishes, and walking. A prenatal chiropractor will use chiropractic adjustment techniques and massage therapy to decrease pressure in the soft tissues and joints.
3. Reduces Belly Pressure
As your belly grows, the consistent force of gravity pulling it can be very uncomfortable. Belly-taping is a chiropractic technique used to take the pressure off the lower belly. The prenatal chiropractor will start by sticking strips of kinesiology tape below the belly and all around the lower back. The kinesiology tape is designed to lift the belly, distributing the pressure across the tape and providing instant pain relief.
4. Gets the Baby in the Right Position
Near the end of the third trimester, the baby normally turns into the head-down position. However, sometimes it doesn’t happen, resulting in a breech baby. As a result, the doctors have no choice but to either deliver the baby feet-first or perform a C-section, both of which are complicated medical procedures. Webster Manipulation is a prenatal chiropractic technique that is used to correct pelvic and sacral misalignment. The technique helps to facilitate health and safe labor by ensuring that the baby is in the vertex position (rear-facing and head down) during birth. It is recommended to get Webster Treatment in the 32nd week of pregnancy, especially if the doctor has confirmed a breech baby. According to the ICPA, pregnant women should get chiropractic care to achieve pelvic balance and minimize the risk of complications during labor.
How Can Chiropractic Care Help with Birth?
Prenatal chiropractic care is an effective and safe way to reduce discomfort and pain during pregnancy and also ensure smooth labor. The prenatal chiropractor will start by conducting a physical assessment in order to identify the dysfunction and areas of misalignment and gauge your mobility. The chiropractor will use these results and your medical history to create a personalized prenatal chiropractic care plan for your pregnancy.
The prenatal chiropractor will ask you to lay face down on a maternity cushion or special table. They will then use their hands and equipment to make gentle adjustments in the spine. Regular chiropractic adjustments ensure proper alignment of the pelvis joints, which allows easier contractions and keeps that baby in the right position at the time of labor. The prenatal chiropractor will also provide you with a nutrition plan and teach you postural exercises and stretching to improve the spinal subluxations.
Pro-Tip: After a prenatal chiropractic session, make sure to drink plenty of water as it improves blood flow, reduces swelling, and facilitates a healthier and happier pregnancy.
How Often Should I Visit the Prenatal Chiropractor?
According to the American Pregnancy Association, there is no reason for you not to get chiropractic care during pregnancy. While there’s no set schedule, we recommend visiting a prenatal chiropractor once every month to ensure proper alignment of the spine. However, if you have lower back pain or any other chronic condition, you might need to visit the chiropractor on a regular basis. In either case, discuss everything with your healthcare providers and ensure that it is safe for you to get chiropractic care.
Get the Best Prenatal Chiropractic Care at J & Co Chiropractic
Pregnancy is a life-changing experience. Chiropractic Care is safe and greatly beneficial during the nine months of pregnancy. Prenatal chiropractic care can be used to reduce pain and discomfort and ensure proper alignment of the spine.
At J & Co Chiropractic, we provide pregnant women with safe and natural chiropractic treatment to effectively alleviate and treat any pain without medication. Chiropractic care can promote your emotional and physical well-being, making you feel relaxed and ensuring a smooth, safe, and healthy pregnancy. Contact us to book an appointment with the prenatal chiropractor in Arlington Heights.
