“Women who received chiropractic adjustments in their third trimester were able to carry and deliver their child with much more comfort” – Irvin Henderson, MD
Are your aches and pains growing alongside your baby bump? Or maybe you worry about how your body will be able to withstand the rigours of labour.
Have you considered visiting a Chiropractor to support you through your pregnancy? A chiropractor can help press the reset button on your body, strengthening your nervous system, alleviating pain, and contributing to the overall health of you and your little one.
These benefits sound great, but some women have doubts about the efficacy and safety of chiropractic care during pregnancy. Read on to find out more about Chiropractic care and the role it can take during your pregnancy.
For most of our patients, chiropractic care is an important tool in combating regular every day stressors. Pregnancy, however, places additional and specific stressors on the body and it has been reported that 50% of all pregnant women experience back pain during pregnancy. Here are a few reasons why:
1. The pregnant belly displaces the abdomen, greatly increasing the stress on the sacroiliac joints.
2. As the belly is projected forward, the lumbar curve in increased, placing extra stress on the discs and joints between the vertebrae.
3. The position of the baby often causes changes in the proper movement of the pelvis.
4. As compensation for the shift in the low back, the neck is translated forward which can lead to muscle spasms and headaches.
5. Increase in circulating hormones, specifically during the third trimester, causes hyper mobility in the pelvis and decreases overall stability in the spine.
And that’s just to name a few of the changes placed on our bodies during pregnancy.
The goal of chiropractic care during pregnancy is to counteract these additional stressful forces. Maintaining proper motion and function in the body during pregnancy not only helps relieve discomfort, as well as allowing the tissues, organs, and cells associated with pregnancy to operate at their best potential by removing interference from the nervous system.
Finally, chiropractic care during pregnancy can actually lead to shorter labour times. Having a misaligned pelvis makes it difficult for the baby to get into the best position for delivery. Statistics have shown that women who seek chiropractic care throughout pregnancy have, on average, 25% shorter labour times during their first pregnancy and 31% shorter in subsequent pregnancies.
So, as you navigate the list of do’s and don’ts during pregnancy, you can be certain that chiropractic care is a definite do. A lifetime of wellness for you and your baby starts now!