Chiropractic care is a safe, effective practice during pregnancy.
There are many hormonal and physical changes you’ll experience during your pregnancy.
Some of these will have an impact on your posture and comfort. As your baby becomes heavier, your center of gravity shifts, and your posture adjusts accordingly. These physical changes during your pregnancy can lead to a misaligned spine or joints.
Some of these will have an impact on your posture and comfort. As your baby becomes heavier, your center of gravity shifts, and your posture adjusts accordingly. These physical changes during your pregnancy can lead to a misaligned spine or joints.
Common problems in pregnancy that chiropractic can help:
Regular visits to a chiropractor during your pregnancy can address these issues and relieve your discomfort.
- Lower back pain
- Sciatica
- Hip and leg pain
- Foot and ankle pain
- Mid-back pain due to changing center of gravity
- Numbness in hands
- Swelling in hands and ankles.
Regular visits to a chiropractor during your pregnancy can address these issues and relieve your discomfort.
Plus, adjustments designed to re-establish balance and alignment to your pelvis and spine will do more than just make you feel better.
Chiropractic care can be beneficial for your baby, too!
A pelvis that’s out of alignment can restrict the amount of space available to your developing baby.
When an external force obstructs your growing baby’s normal movements, it’s known as intrauterine constraint. This can lead to birth defects. In some cases, this could affect a woman’s ability to have a natural and noninvasive birth.
A balanced pelvis also means your baby has a lower chance of moving into a breech or posterior position. When your baby is in a nonoptimal birthing position, it can lead to a longer, more complicated delivery.
With a balanced pelvis, babies have a greater chance of moving into the correct position for birth.
"Heather was so helpful and friendly!! She did an awesome job adjusting my hips and giving me advice for helping to prepare for labor." -Mary K.
The Webster Technique: for Breech-Presenting Babies
Dr. Heather Hoefen is trained in a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment which enables chiropractors to establish balance in the pregnant woman’s pelvis, and reduce undue stress to her uterus and supporting ligaments, allowing for optimal fetal positioning. The technique is known as the Webster Technique.
The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics reported in the July/August 2002 issue an 82% success rate of babies turning out of the breech position when doctors of chiropractic used the Webster Technique.
The Webster Technique works best if administered as early as possible, as it typically takes more than one adjustment to allow the mother’s nervous system to adapt to this new posture. Having an adjustment at least 4 weeks before baby is due will increase the success of allowing the baby to turn into proper position. However, if the mother is in the final weeks, it is still a good idea to see a chiropractor for the Webster Technique for more frequent visits to try to create as much space as possible to allow for an easier labor and birth process.
The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics reported in the July/August 2002 issue an 82% success rate of babies turning out of the breech position when doctors of chiropractic used the Webster Technique.
The Webster Technique works best if administered as early as possible, as it typically takes more than one adjustment to allow the mother’s nervous system to adapt to this new posture. Having an adjustment at least 4 weeks before baby is due will increase the success of allowing the baby to turn into proper position. However, if the mother is in the final weeks, it is still a good idea to see a chiropractor for the Webster Technique for more frequent visits to try to create as much space as possible to allow for an easier labor and birth process.
Post-Natal Chiropractic Care
Giving birth is an intense experience in which the body pushes itself, causing stress and pains to the mother that can last well after the baby arrives. Even if no immediate pain is felt, there is still need for chiropractic care during the postpartum period. During the postpartum period, chiropractic adjustments speed recovery time, aid the body in normalizing pelvic and spinal positions, and help correct the posture.
Seeking chiropractic care within the first two weeks after giving birth may help to prevent:
I often explain to my patients that after having a baby, the body needs time and help to reach its full potential again. So many women complain about things "never being the same," or that back, hip, pelvic, or wrist pain intensifies instead of dissipating. Considering all the body has been through during pregnancy (the hips widening, additional weight being carried, a postural shift, hormonal changes, and other ailments), it is easy to understand that the body may be out of alignment.
Once the baby has arrived, a mother’s center of gravity is altered drastically, causing her to even walk differently. Her hormones rollercoaster, and her body works toward nourishing the baby. Holding this new baby can shift the posture and strain the wrist, neck, or back. Failure to restore normal biomechanics may result in permanent health problems in need of medical intervention.
The hormone relaxin is released during pregnancy, which relaxes all the ligaments in body to ready the body for the needs of the growing baby and delivery. This can cause the joints and bones to move around more when pregnant. This alone can cause misalignments to the spine and joints.
The jury is still out on exactly how long the hormone relaxin can affect the body postpartum. If it is still present, the ligaments of the body will not completely tighten. Research shows that the ligaments begin to re-tighten nearly 8 weeks after giving birth, but the process’ length can be different for each woman, taking up to a year or more. It is critical to work with a qualified chiropractor before ligaments begin to pull back, as it can cause long-term problems if the joints are not properly aligned.
Seeking chiropractic care within the first two weeks after giving birth may help to prevent:
- Headaches
- Shoulder problems
- Neck discomfort
- Muscle tension
- Lower back pain
- Sciatica
- Upper back pain
- Wrist and elbow pain
I often explain to my patients that after having a baby, the body needs time and help to reach its full potential again. So many women complain about things "never being the same," or that back, hip, pelvic, or wrist pain intensifies instead of dissipating. Considering all the body has been through during pregnancy (the hips widening, additional weight being carried, a postural shift, hormonal changes, and other ailments), it is easy to understand that the body may be out of alignment.
Once the baby has arrived, a mother’s center of gravity is altered drastically, causing her to even walk differently. Her hormones rollercoaster, and her body works toward nourishing the baby. Holding this new baby can shift the posture and strain the wrist, neck, or back. Failure to restore normal biomechanics may result in permanent health problems in need of medical intervention.
The hormone relaxin is released during pregnancy, which relaxes all the ligaments in body to ready the body for the needs of the growing baby and delivery. This can cause the joints and bones to move around more when pregnant. This alone can cause misalignments to the spine and joints.
The jury is still out on exactly how long the hormone relaxin can affect the body postpartum. If it is still present, the ligaments of the body will not completely tighten. Research shows that the ligaments begin to re-tighten nearly 8 weeks after giving birth, but the process’ length can be different for each woman, taking up to a year or more. It is critical to work with a qualified chiropractor before ligaments begin to pull back, as it can cause long-term problems if the joints are not properly aligned.