Chiropractic Care and Pregnancy? Is It Safe?Plus, 3 Benefits You Haven’t Considered.
Chiropractors have been caring for pregnant women for over 100 years. And all Chiropractors are trained on the care of pregnant women and of new-born babies. Complications from seeing a Chiropractor while pregnant are extremely rare and you do not need a doctor’s referral to consult with a Chiropractor.
But how will Chiropractic benefit a pregnant woman? And her baby?
There are many benefits, including reduced back pain, easier walking, and reduced sciatica, but here are three you may not have considered.
1. Easier delivery.
During pregnancy a hormone called Relaxin is secreted to relax the ligaments of the pelvis to allow it to flex open during delivery.
If the pelvis was misaligned before pregnancy, this increased flex in the pelvis will magnify that issue which leads to pain, difficulty walking, and during delivery asymmetric flexing of the pelvis which can prolong labour time and pain.
Pregnancy and delivery are significant TESTS of your body. They will expose areas of misalignment, imbalance, and weakness. And although pregnancy and delivery are perfectly natural for a woman’s body there are things you can do to help it be MORE prepared for a healthy delivery. The gentle, non-drug approach of chiropractic is perfect for that and it’s safe.
2. Healthier pregnancy.
Tension and inflammation in the lower back and pelvis during pregnancy are very demanding on your body and can divert resources. A spine that moves better allows more relaxed muscles, better nerve activity and better blood flow to the area that needs it most – your baby.
3. Better recovery.
Delivery is very difficult at the best of times. And recovery can be difficult when you have a new bundle of joy as the centre focus of your life.
Being in good physical condition before getting pregnant helps. So does a healthy diet.
Women who get adjusted through their pregnancy (particularly if they’ve had a prior pregnancy without chiropractic care) report less pain, quicker return to mobility, and an overall quicker recovery.
Having cared for hundreds of pregnant women over 25 years in practice, I have worked hard to ensure adjustments are comfortable and easy for a pregnant patient.
Those patients always have less pain and better mobility during their pregnancy and the vast majority of them have reported the above listed benefits and many more.
If you’re pregnant or thinking of getting pregnant and want to know more about chiropractic care during pregnancy, find a Chiropractor you’d like to meet (by online search and reading their reviews or by personal referral from a friend) and schedule a conversation (either in person or over the phone). A good Chiropractor will be happy to have this type of conversation, answer your questions, and give you an opportunity to be comfortable with your choice prior to scheduling an exam.
Thank you for being part of our mission.
As always. With love,
Dr. Colin