Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy
Every pregnant mother notices physical and emotional changes during pregnancy. One of those changes is in your posture. It’s not a surprise that you find yourself sitting or standing differently to accommodate your growing belly. However, you may be surprised by the accompanying aches and pains.
In fact, one study found 75% of pregnant women experience back or pelvic pain related to their pregnancy.
Pregnancy Back Pain
Fortunately, chiropractic care during pregnancy can make a world of difference in the way you feel. Because the whole point of chiropractic care is to accommodate your body and realign your spine, it’s especially helpful for pregnant women.
For example, you know how you start standing differently when you’re pregnant? You probably support your lower back with your hands. That new posture affects your whole body and can lead to a slightly raised hip or tension in your shoulder. Pregnancy causes your pelvis to tilt too which causes other alignment issues in your body.
All of these changes can wreak havoc on your spinal column, create pressure on nerve endings (painful!), and block your body’s communication system.
Why Does Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy Make Such a Difference?
You probably know your nervous system is a collection of nerves and cells. The cells carry messages from one part of your body to another. Imagine a highway with smooth flowing traffic vs. a traffic jam. That’s what your body is like. When everything is going well, then your cells carry messages back and forth. But when the communication channels are blocked, then you can feel pain and inflammation.
As your body stretches and adjusts to accommodate your new baby, it likely is thrown out of alignment. This partial dislocation– called subluxation in the chiropractor world—is the reason why you’re having lower back pain. The misalignment can cause inflammation throughout your body.
Plus, this dislocation blocks communication coming and going from your central nervous system. This is a problem because your brain tells every part of your body what to do. If there’s a blockage, your reflexes may be slower, you’re more forgetful and you may not be able to plan as well.
In other words, your brain slows down.
That’s the “pregnancy brain” at work. Now, a pregnancy chiropractor may not be able to restore your normal brain functioning entirely, but it may help.
A prenatal chiropractor adjustment “puts everything back” the way it needs to be. Imagine your spine, neck, and pelvis in their proper alignment. You don’t have any pinched nerves and your brain and body are communicating well. This keeps your “control center” in good working order and reduces inflammation and stress. You may find your pregnancy back pain disappears.
Plus, chiropractic care during pregnancy can reduce symptoms of morning sickness, headaches, and other common elements of pregnancy.
Chiropractic care is all-natural so you don’t have to worry about drugs interfering with the growth of your child. While you always want to check with your doctor before seeing a prenatal chiropractor, for most pregnant women, it’s very safe. Your doctor may also be able to recommend some stretches to relieve pain too.
Prenatal Chiropractor Might Benefit Your Baby
Chances are, you’re taking prenatal vitamins, and reading up on various techniques to help you have a safe pregnancy.
You might be doing a little prenatal yoga or adapting other exercises to your changing body. A pregnancy chiropractor can add to your health regimen by keeping your body properly aligned. Most of all, regular adjustments can help your pelvis remain in the right position for giving birth.
When your pelvis is in the right position, your baby has room to grow and move into the birth canal in the best way possible. It can even help your labor to go smoothly and speedier.
If you’re pregnant, your body is going through many changes, help it adapt by considering chiropractic care during pregnancy. If you’re in Doylestown, PA, contact us for a consultation. Let us help you make your pregnancy more comfortable.
