Throughout your pregnancy, have you ever found yourself worrying about all the problems that could arise in those nine months? If so, you’re not alone. Many women worry about things like pain and discomfort, baby’s positioning, pre-eclampsia, swelling, etc.

Although there is no shortage of advice, opinions or articles on “Dr. Google”, there’s one thing that can be a real game changer during your pregnancy that is often overlooked…prenatal chiropractic care.

Now I know what you’re probably thinking…isn’t chiropractic what people use to help with neck pain and low back pain?

Yes it is…but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Women who receive chiropractic during pregnancy report benefits such as; an increase in overall comfort during their pregnancy, less headaches, less swelling, normalizing of blood pressure, decreased labor time, less need for intervention during labor and delivery, and an optimal head down position for baby.

How is it that chiropractic helps in pregnancy?

We know the brain controls all of the functions in the body. It tells your intestines how to digest and absorb food, it instructs your heart when to beat and your uterus how to grow that beautiful baby. In order for the brain to function properly, the spine needs to be in alignment and moving correctly.

Enter: Prenatal Chiropractic.

Chiropractic adjustments to the spine help the joints move better and improve the alignment of the body. This enhances the communication between the brain and the body. Which is why pregnant women see such huge benefits ranging from decreased rib pain to breech babies turning head down!

Another huge benefit of chiropractic care during your pregnancy is for baby’s positioning. Adjustments done to the pelvis help create plenty of room for baby to grow and move around. This also helps the baby to be in an optimal position when it comes time for delivery.

Webster’s technique is a specific technique used by prenatal chiropractors, especially if the baby is breech. This technique involves a gentle adjustment to the pelvis as well as soft tissue work to balance the pelvis. The improved balance and increased communication between the brain and body allows baby enough room to naturally move into an optimal position for delivery.

So ladies, the concerns about if you will feel better come delivery time, or if the results of your gestational diabetes test will be positive, etc. will lessen when you are informed, empowered and supported.

Women who are under prenatal chiropractic care feel that they are ensuring the best possible outcomes for their pregnancy, birth and baby. I hope this has shed some light on just how powerful and, potentially life-changing, prenatal chiropractic care can be for women.

Things you can do at home to support a healthy pregnancy

I often have women asking me if there are things they can do at home to help ensure a healthy pregnancy. Exercise and making sure your joints are getting proper movement is vital to your health, whether you’re pregnant or not.

With that being said, there are specific joints and muscles groups that you want to make sure are functioning properly during pregnancy.

Stretch Your Hamstrings

There are a variety of ways to stretch the hamstrings; I recommend using whichever stretch is most comfortable.

The simplest way this can be done is sitting on the ground with your legs straight in front while leaning forward.

Although the hamstrings are located on the back part of your leg, there is a very crucial connection between this large muscle group and the pelvis. Allowing the hamstrings to be loose and supple will lead to better overall alignment of the pelvis.

Get Upside Down

Ok, well maybe not completely upside down! This second exercise is called the forward leaning inversion.

For this exercise, you can simply kneel on the edge of a couch about 2 ft high. Carefully, lower your hands to the ground while keeping your knees on the couch. I recommend taking 2-3 deep breaths while inverted and then come back to the upright position. (Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider before doing this exercise.)

It’s a good idea to have someone help lower you down and bring you back upright.

Incorporating this exercise into your daily routine can help keep baby in the optimal head down position. It can also be helpful to get baby head down if he/she is currently presenting breech. The forward leaning inversion allows certain muscles and ligaments to release creating more room in the lower part of the uterus for baby to move into a great position for birth.

Sources
Spear, David, & Alcantara, Joel. “The Chiropractic Care of a Pregnant Patient Presenting with a Breech Pregnancy.” Journal of Pediatric, Maternal, & Family Health. 2016.1 (2016): 32-34.

Spear, David, & Alcantara, Joel. “Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) in a Pregnant Woman with Placenta Previa, Migraines, Neck & Back Pain Undergoing Subluxation Centered Chiropractic.” Journal of Pediatric, Maternal, & Family Health. 2016.1 (2016): 18-21.

Resources
International Chiropractic Pediatric Association
Dr. Heidi Haavik
Spinning Babies

This guest post was written by Dr. Lauren Pennetti. Dr. Lauren is deeply passionate about helping people live a well-balanced, healthy life. Her and her husband, Matt, created Prime Chiropractic because they wanted to give their Denver community hope without having to rely on drugs and medication. When she’s not at the office, Dr. Lauren is the “Olivia Pope” of the household and is constantly chasing around her 8-month-old son, Braxton, who she is absolutely obsessed with. Reach out to Dr. Lauren Pennetti at drlauren@primechiropracticdenver.com