A Must-Have As Part of Your Pregnancy Journey
Having a baby is one of the most special and intimate moments in woman’s life as well as her families. Chiropractic care is essential for the pregnant mama to be. Her body is now providing for two and it is important for mama to be functioning optimally for healthy baby development. As mom to three little kiddos and one on the way, I can attest to how important chiropractic care was for me and my body during pregnancy and beyond. Quite honestly, I don’t know how my body would have been had I not gotten adjusted regularly. I worked full time in practice while pregnant with my kids and chiropractic care helped tremendously with the daily stress of working, and when I felt better physically, emotionally I did better; which is so important when we are pregnant to keep our stress levels down. Don’t get me wrong life happens and things get crazy at times, but the more we can take care of our bodies throughout pregnancy and help our emotional state, the easier and more grounded we are. With that in mind, let’s dive in and see why chiropractic care is beneficial during pregnancy.
As baby starts to grow a woman’s center of gravity changes as her belly starts to push forward. This can lead to an increased back curve, postural changes and changes in pelvic orientation. Increasing circulating hormones throughout this time can also lead to instability within the joints and spine of the pregnant woman. Specifically, a woman’s spine and pelvis undergo many changes and adaptations to compensate for the growing baby. This can lead to a greater risk of interference to her nervous system. Chiropractic care during pregnancy works to enhance nervous system function providing better health potential for both mom and baby.
The Why
An important reason to seek chiropractic care during pregnancy is to establish balance throughout the pelvis of the mother. Because of a lifetime of stress and trauma to mom’s spine and pelvis, this may have caused misalignment to her pelvis resulting in a less optimal position or passage for baby. As chiropractors we define this as a spinal misalignment or subluxation primarily caused by the stress of trauma. Trauma can be not only physical trauma, but also from the food we eat, our environment and ultimately our mental and emotional state. Increased stress, anxiety and/or anger can create issues for mom to be and the developing baby. One can see trauma to one’s spine and nervous system can come in many forms. Chiropractic care can help especially during pregnancy to decrease the stress and trauma to an expectant mom and her developing baby.
Compensations to a pregnant woman’s spine and pelvis during pregnancy may also likely cause an imbalance to her pelvic ligaments and muscles. It is the woman’s pelvis that supports the growing uterus with specific ligaments. When our pelvic bones are balanced the uterus can grow symmetrical with the growing baby. If the bones of the pelvis are misaligned this can directly affect the way the uterus is supported. If these ligaments are uneven they can reduce the max amount of room needed for the developing baby. This is called intrauterine constraint.
There are some cases where this constraint may affect the baby’s position during pregnancy therefore directly affecting the baby’s developing spine and cranium. If these limitations persist they may prevent baby from getting into the best possible position for birth which is head down. This may lead to a more painful labor and possibly lead to increased medical intervention such as c-sections and both mom and baby miss the benefit of a natural vaginal birth.
Chiropractic care throughout pregnancy allows for a healthier overall function for both mom and baby. Chiropractors utilize techniques that are tailored to pregnancy moms to prevent intrauterine constraint and create a balance throughout the woman’s pelvic bones. This allows baby the ability to be in the best possible position for birth which may lead to an easier and safer labor and delivery for both mom and baby. Seeking chiropractic care throughout pregnancy is a safe and effective way to help with the natural processes of birth. If you are planning to become pregnant or are currently pregnant, I encourage you to seek chiropractic care as another tool that you can utilize as part of your pregnancy team to help you along this wonderful journey of motherhood and beyond.
Another great resource for more information on kids and chiropractic is to visit ICPA4kids.org.
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