Caring for your spine during pregnancy
During pregnancy, the body is adjusting to the new demands of nourishing and growing a tiny human. It is amazing what the body achieves in nine short (well, long for the expectant mother!) months. As a baby develops the mother’s weight and center of gravity are projected forward. These changes affect how the body and spine move, putting the spine at risk of injury. Here are a few top tips to help mums-to-be protect their spine during pregnancy;
Top tips to protect the pregnant mother’s spine;
- When sitting up from a lying position try to avoid using abdominal muscles. Instead, bend your knees, turn onto your side and push yourself up with your arms
- Unlock your knee when standing and refrain from wearing heels
- Avoid standing with your hands on your hips and pushing your tummy forward
- Let others lift heavy items for you
- Avoid carrying toddlers
- Avoid twisting your spine, instead try moving your whole body with your feet. For example, when getting out of the car turn your whole body towards the open door as you place your feet on the ground
- Avoid remaining in one position for too long
- Keep your pelvic floor strong
- Breathe deeply into your lower abdomen, especially when stressed
- Gently stretch your body daily
- And regular chiropractic care!
Maintaining and improving the function of your spine with chiropractic adjustments throughout pregnancy helps to clear your nerve system of interference. This allows the mother to be as healthy as possible and enables her body to easily adapt and cope with many of the physical hurdles of pregnancy. Having the spine checked by a chiropractor ensures that the pelvis is sitting correctly to allow optimum room for the baby to grow and move.
Recent research has shown that chiropractic care during pregnancy can benefit the pelvic floor and allow it to work to the best of it ability. The pelvic floor muscles have active roles in pregnancy and childbirth, as well as in spinal stabilization. Research has shown that adjusting pregnant women appears to relax the pelvic floor muscles at rest. For a woman in labour, the ability to relax pelvic floor muscles (as well as contract them) to allow the baby to move through the birth canal is incredibly important, especially as the baby crowns. This may mean that chiropractic care could be of benefit to pregnant women, as it may help them have a natural vaginal delivery. (Australian Spinal Research Foundation, 2016)
Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to be safe for mother and unborn baby, with regular adjustments resulting in a reduced stress during pregnancy and a quicker and less painful delivery, something that all mothers will embrace!
To learn more about pelvic floor health click here.
Resources:
Australian Spinal Research Foundation. (2016). Just Published, Ground-Breaking Results: Chiropractic And Pelvic Floor Contro. Retrieved from Australian Spinal Reseach Foundation: https://spinalresearch.com.au/just-published-ground-breaking-results-chiropractic-pelvic-floor-control/
Barham-Floreani, D. J. (2005). Well Adjusted Babies.
Barham-Floreani, D. J. (2013). Blog: For Chiropractors: Posture in Pregnancy. Retrieved from Well Adjusted: http://welladjusted.co/blog/2013/02/23/for-chiropractors-posture-in-pregnancy/