Chiropractic Care in pregnancy
Congratulations!
Getting a positive pregnancy result is an exciting and emotional life event and I’m sure you’re already thinking about how best to look after yourself and your developing baby. Maybe you’re wondering how chiropractic care fits into the picture? If so, I hope you’ll find the following information helpful in making an informed decision.
As your baby grows, the curve in your spine increases, your uterus enlarges and your posture changes. As your body shape alters, the pressure on your spine, pelvis, hips and knees increases and a hormone called Relaxin is produced by your ovaries and the growing placenta; to soften your ligaments in preparation for dilation and birth.
There are some things you can change immediately to start helping yourself – swap high heels for flat shoes; carry your shopping in equally weighted bags to keep yourself centred and balanced; bend and lift from your knees rather than from your back; take advantage of opportunities to rest… and find yourself a good chiropractor!
Studies on chiropractic care in pregnancy have found that it is safe, relevant and beneficial at all stages of pregnancy from the day you find out at 4-6 weeks right through to your delivery. The treatment you’ll be offered is gentle and relaxing and the aim is to increase your comfort, avoid common pregnancy related complications and guide you towards an easier delivery.
Can Chiropractic care really lead to an easier delivery?
Yes! Regular treatment throughout your pregnancy will help to prevent and minimise misalignment of your body. Misalignment can not only leave you incredibly uncomfortable but can reduce the intrauterine space (room in your womb) and leave your baby’s movement restricted.
Babies are wonderful, instinctive little beings; they know how to position themselves for the optimal birth and given the right space to move around, the vast majority of them will do it naturally. There are a number of reasons why some women have breech or posterior presentations but misalignment is a common factor and can be avoided with the right chiropractic care.
When I trained to be a chiropractor I was determined to specialise in care for pregnant women and for babies. The treatment has such incredible health benefits I want to shout about it; to make sure that every pregnant woman is aware of it and can access it.
Come and visit me at Ivybridge Chiropractic Clinic. We’ll talk through your general health and previous pregnancies/births and devise a unique treatment plan. I’ll help you to feel more comfortable, to have significantly less back, neck or joint pain, to relieve the symptoms of heartburn and nausea and to give your baby the optimal space for healthy development. I’ll also advise you – if you want me to – on the best positions for labour and birth, the best exercise regime for you and your baby and about getting started with breastfeeding.
If you’d like to make an appointment or discuss your requirements further, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we can talk things through.
An introduction to chiropractic care in pregnancy
Did you know:
- more than 50% of pregnant women experience low back pain.
- Spinal manipulative therapy has been shown to relieve pain for approximately 7/10 women.
- You do not have to suffer low back pain or SPD (symphysis pubis dysfunction) because you are pregnant.
Treatment received at Ivybridge Chiropractic Clinic uses gentle techniques designed to stabilise the pelvis and alleviate the stress of pregnancy on the joints.
The aims are to decrease stress and improve comfort so intra uterine constraints may be reduced, benefiting both mother and baby. Long term aims are to stabilise the pelvis ready for labour and birth.
As well as a initial consultation, examination and report of findings, you will be given advice on optimal fetal positioning, this ensures a comfortable pregnancy, decreasing the biomechanical stress on the baby and makes it more likely to have an uncomplicated labour and birth with faster recovery time for both mother and baby.
SPD (symphysis pubis dysfunction)
SPD is a pain felt in the pubic bone, hormones called relaxin are produced when pregnant to help soften joints ready for birth, this can have a detrimental effect on some joints and make them unstable, add to this the extra weight gain which inevitably comes with pregnancy and it can cause some very nasty pain which can render a woman quite immobile, on crutches and in worst case bed bound. The treatment used at Mutley chiropractic clinic, is gentle, non invasive and safe, most importantly very effective, patients report very fast results.