Is Chiropractic Care Safe For Pregnant Moms?
Pregnancy can be an exciting time, especially for soon-to-be first time mothers! During child development, your body undergoes many changes that includes secreting hormones to soften and loosen your joints. This helps prepare your baby for growth and delivery, but it can put major stress on your body and lead to aches and pains all over. While carrying your child inside your womb, it’s understandable to seek out the best care practices to enhance you and your baby’s health. If you’re looking for a safe, gentle, and effective way to remove pain and be in optimal health while you prepare yourself for a healthy pregnancy, read on!
Did you know that one of the safest and powerful ways of optimizing your prenatal health is through chiropractic care?
By now, you’ve probably read about the many ways to improve your health during pregnancy, including eating well, light exercises, and abstaining from all drugs and alcohol. It can be frustrating to cut out your favorite foods for nine months, especially when you’re battling with hormonal changes and pain as your child develops!
But did you know that one of the safest and powerful ways of optimizing your prenatal health is through chiropractic care? In fact, The American Pregnancy Association recommends prenatal chiropractic care for expecting mothers! In 2007, a large systematic review of over 33 studies on pregnancy and chiropractic care was concluded to be “considered safe and effective” by Cara Borggren, D.C.
If you’ve ever gone to a chiropractor before, then you’re familiar with the process an adjustment and the controlled spinal manipulation that occurs. You might be thinking, “Why would I let a chiropractor forcefully readjust my spine when I’m pregnant? There’s no way that can be safe or gentle.” This is valid reason to be concerned, but the chiropractic care that expecting mothers receive is different from a typical appointment.
The Webster Technique and Webster Certification
Although many regular chiropractors have training related to pregnancy, there are many that have specializations with prenatal care. These specialists are Webster Certified, meaning that they have been properly trained from the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, or ICPA, to provide care for pregnant moms. They also use special adjustment tables and pregnancy pillows so pregnant mothers don’t need to worry about lying on their stomach and putting pressure on their baby. These are the only chiropractors that an expecting mother should see as they are well versed with the requirements for providing gentle, yet effective treatment.
One of the techniques that these experts use is called the Webster Technique, which does not involve any twisting, popping, or cracking of the joints. Instead, it is defined by the ICPA as “a specific chiropractic sacral analysis and diversified adjustment. The goal of the adjustment is to reduce the effects of sacral subluxation / SI joint dysfunction. In doing so, neuro-biomechanical function in the pelvis is facilitated.” “Sacral subluxation may contribute to difficult labor for the mother (i.e., dystocia), caused by inadequate uterine function, pelvic contraction, and baby mal-presentation. Correction of sacral subluxation may have a positive effect on all of these causes of dystocia.”
In other words, this is a gentle technique that fixes irregular movement of the joints in the bottom of the spine that connects the sacrum to the pelvis. By realigning the pelvis, this method also helps open up room for your baby to grow properly. This in turn may help prevent breech positioning and increase a baby’s chances of being in the best position for delivery.
Chiropractic care can actually help mothers maintain a healthier pregnancy, reduce the time spent in labor.
Benefits of Prenatal Chiropractic Care
Regular chiropractic care for expecting mothers and birth providers can help alleviate many of the negative symptoms that happen during pregnancy. Some of the benefits include relieving back, neck, or joint pain, and reducing nausea symptoms. But that’s not all! Chiropractic care can actually help mothers maintain a healthier pregnancy, reduce the time spent in labor, and prevent potential c-section deliveries by helping their child move into an optimal position.
When one’s spine is properly aligned, it is able to effectively communicate between the major functions of the body. Regular alignments are a great way to help your body’s systems function more efficiently so your baby can develop to their highest potential. On top of this, you’ll be able to have a more comfortable experience as well!
Is Chiropractic Care Safe For Pregnant Moms? The Answer is Yes!
The bottom line is that chiropractic care during pregnancy is safe and non-intrusive as it doesn’t require drugs or surgery. Not only are prenatal chiropractic adjustments gentle and effective themselves, but it helps promote an overall healthier and safer pregnancy too! If you’ve been considering chiropractic care during your pregnancy, you can be rest assured knowing it’s a natural way to optimize your health so you can have the pregnancy and birth you desire!