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PREGNANCY

Chiro & 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 centre of gravity shifts, and your posture adjusts accordingly. These physical changes during your pregnancy can lead to a misaligned spine or joints.

A pelvis that’s out of alignment can restrict the amount of space available to your developing baby. Complications that a misaligned pelvis may pose relates to delivery. When the pelvis is out of alignment, it can make it hard for your baby to move into the best position to be born. 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 non-optimal birthing position, it can lead to a longer, more complicated delivery.

Other uncomfortable changes during pregnancy might include:

  • a protruding abdomen resulting in an increased curve of your back
  • changes to your pelvis as your body begins to prepare for labour
  • adaptations to your posture.

In addition, regular chiropractic care while you’re pregnant can offer the following benefits:

  • help you maintain a healthier, more comfortable pregnancy
  • relieving pain in the back, neck, hips, and joints.

Chiro & postnatal care

Some women are able to give birth vaginally, others by caesarean, or with help from vacuum extraction, forceps, gas, pethidine and epidurals. All of these methods take a toll on the woman’s body, and the baby, and can cause the postnatal (time after having the baby) period to be less than comfortable. Uncomplicated pregnancies can end in emergency C-sections or even in a non-medicated natural birth, but both mother and infant have been under an immense amount of strain for the months leading up to the birth, and most definitely during the birth! The first concern with postnatal patients are the changes caused during the birthing process. Regardless of the delivery method, the pelvic bone will most likely be altered from labour and delivery. These changes can make it difficult to sleep, walk, bend, sit and nurse. Using a combination of gentle exercise movements, stretches and joint manipulation, balance can be restored to this area. It is best to start postnatal chiropractic care soon after the birth of your baby, while the joints are still relatively soft.

Pregnancy Chiro

During the first year, mother’s bodies continue to adapt to the demands of nursing and caring for a child. Mothers can create imbalances by preferring to hold babies on one shoulder over the other, for example. This might later transfer to the one-hip carry that can push hips out of alignment and create back pain. When you factor in carrying car seats and diaper bags slung over one shoulder, you can see a number of potential problems the recovering mother’s body might encounter.

Postnatal chiropractic care also assists with:

  • Hip alignment
  • Lower back pain
  • Birth recovery
  • Middle back pain
  • Sciatic joint problems
  • Postnatal aches and pains