How Can Chiropractic Help During Pregnancy?

chiropractic and pregnancy

Are chiropractic adjustments safe during pregnancy To begin with, yes it is highly beneficial to get your spine checked while you are pregnant. As is clear to anyone with a set of eyes, your body is going through quite a lot of changes, and these changes will continue as the pregnancy progresses. One change that goes basically unnoticed is your body’s increased production of the hormone elastin. This hormone is designed to relax the tendons in the pelvis. This relaxation allows the pelvis more flexibility during the birthing process to make delivering the baby easier.

This process, despite the fact that its function is to assist the mother during labor, can create a lot of back pain in the months leading up to the birth. The elastin is being released in larger amounts as the months go on, which allows the pelvis to become increasingly more unstable. In combination with the increased size of the baby and uterus, and you have the recipe for severe low back pain. As an Oxnard Chiropractor, I currently have several pregnant patients coming into my office for symptoms associated with their pregnancy, but as a rule it is for their low back pain.

A bonus to seeing a chiropractor routinely during your pregnancy is that there is proof that it can actually decrease labor time. Why is that you ask? Simply put, if the pelvis is where it needs to be, the muscles contracting during the labor process are more efficient because they don’t have to fight past misaligned joints.

To answer the second question from the introductory paragraph, yes chiropractic care during your pregnancy is safe. Not only can chiropractic help you with your low back pain and other associated symptoms, such as heartburn, nausea, swelling, etc., but it is safe to both you and your baby. In addition, should the need arise, a trained chiropractor can assist a mother who has a breached baby. This is done by using the Webster Technique, a low force technique to manipulate the uterus and get the baby into the proper presentation for delivery. Additional information on the Webster Technique can easily be found online.

In summation, not only is chiropractic safe for pregnant women, it is also very beneficial in helping with the symptoms associated with their pregnancy. To any pregnant women out there reading this, please go to see your local chiropractor, or if you are close enough, look up your Oxnard Chiropractor. We can make you feel a lot more comfortable during your pregnancy, and we can even make the labor process easier.