Pregnancy is a time of incredible change for a woman’s body, bringing joy as well as challenges. Throughout your pregnancy, the body undergoes many physical changes to allow your baby to grow and develop. You’ll typically see postural changes, weight gain, and hormonal fluctuations that cause your joints/ligaments to loosen. In addition to the normal changes that occur with pregnancy, some people experience discomforts such as back pain, shortness of breath, and joint soreness, among others. Tylenol and massage are two of the more commonly recommended solutions to these issues, but unfortunately one of the best options is often overlooked. That’s chiropractic care, of course. Chiropractic care is safe, gentle, and the best thing about it, is that it is non-invasive. Let’s dig a little bit deeper into a few of the benefits it offers to expecting mothers.

Pain Relief

The first benefit (and probably the most obvious one) that we are going to discuss is pain relief. Lower back/joint pain is one of the primary complaints amongst pregnant women. A lot of time this pain is due to weight gain, altered posture, and hormonal changes that result in loosening of the ligaments. As these joints loosen, sometimes they can impinge the nerves as they exit the spine. Sciatica is a very common condition experienced by many women during their pregnancies, and it is a result of compression of the sciatic nerve (either at the nerve roots or by the piriformis muscle). The goal of the chiropractic adjustment is to realign the spine and reduce any unwanted pressure on the nerves/joints, thus alleviating any discomfort. Routine chiropractic care during pregnancy will help redistribute weight more evenly across the body, thus assisting in the relief of hip/knee pain. Chiropractic is one of the best ways to naturally manage pain during pregnancy, without having to rely on any medications.

Improved Pelvic Alignment

Proper pelvic alignment is important for everyone, but is crucial to a healthy pregnancy/delivery. If the pelvis is properly aligned, then there is enough room for the baby to grow and develop – eventually they will need to find their way to the correct position for a smooth delivery. If the pelvis is misaligned, this could restrict the baby’s natural movement, potentially leading to delivery complications such as a “breech position”, increasing the likelihood of surgical intervention (i.e. Cesarean delivery). In addition to regular adjusting techniques, chiropractors trained in Webster Technique can specifically address the alignment of the pelvis to restore balance and eliminate any unwanted ligamentous tension on the uterus. While chiropractic care cannot guarantee the avoidance of surgical intervention during delivery, it will play a supportive role in minimizing any structural factors that could contribute to the need for advanced intervention.

Management of Nausea Symptoms

Morning sickness (i.e. nausea) is a very common issue during pregnancy, usually during the 1^st trimester. It is estimated that between 70 – 80% of pregnant women experience it at some point throughout their pregnancy. Chiropractic can help manage these symptoms by ensuring proper nervous system function. Your nervous system is your body’s communication system, and your brain instructs your body on what to do via this system. Roughly 1/3 of your nervous system resides in your digestive tract, so it would make sense that by regulating nervous system tone, one’s digestive health can be improved. Chiropractic care may not completely eliminate morning sickness, but many pregnant women report feeling less nauseous when receiving regular chiropractic adjustments during the first trimester.

Improved Sleep Quality

Sleep disturbances are another common issue during pregnancy that could be aided through routine chiropractic care. These disturbances are often due to physical discomfort as it relates to the growing belly and increased stress/strain placed on the joints. By ensuring proper postural alignment and eliminating any misalignment that could be causing physical discomfort, pregnant patients may be better able to relax and experience a deeper, more restful sleep. Now if you have been following along on any of our previous blog posts, you know how I feel about sleep – our bodies grow, heal, and restore when we’re asleep. Good sleep is always important to one’s health, but it is imperative when you are carrying a developing baby.

Postural Alignment

As pregnancy progresses, one very obvious visible change is that the belly grows. With this added weight, your body’s center of gravity gradually shifts forward, and it could lead to poor posture. In addition to poor posture, this leads to added weight/strain on the muscles, ligaments, and joints, ultimately causing pain and fatigue. Chiropractic care can help restore your body’s posture so that it is better able to cope with your changing center of gravity.

Chiropractic can play a supportive role in preparing your body for labor by ensuring the optimal alignment of your pelvis and spine. I always say that normal structure results in normal function, and there is no time where “normal function” becomes more important than when you are with child. Chiropractic care for expecting mothers is safe, specific, and gentle. If you or someone you know is expecting and wants to learn more about how chiropractic care can help them have their healthiest pregnancy, get in touch with our office. A strong, well-aligned body is a body that is better-prepared for labor.

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