Pregnancy Care
Is seeing a chiropractor safe during pregnancy?
Chiropractic care is the health maintenance of the spinal column and the adjustment of misaligned joints. It doesn’t involve drugs or surgery. Instead, it’s a kind of physical therapy to reduce spinal nerve stress and promote health throughout the body.
More than 1 million chiropractic adjustments are given every day, all over the world. Complications are rare. During pregnancy, chiropractic care is very safe and recommended.
While all licensed chiropractors receive training related to pregnancy, some chiropractors specialize in prenatal care. Dr. Ryan’s Pediatric specialty training also included a wide array of prenatal adjusting techniques.
To adjust pregnant women, chiropractors will use adjusting tables to accommodate their growing bellies with techniques designed to avoid pressure on the abdomen, along with effective stretches for relieving tension and easing discomfort.
How can chiropractic care help during 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 center of gravity shifts, and your posture adjusts accordingly.
These physical changes during your pregnancy can lead to a misaligned spine or joints.
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 labor
- adaptations to your posture
Regular visits to a chiropractor during your pregnancy can address these issues, and adjustments designed to re-establish balance and alignment to your pelvis and spine will do more than just make you feel better. Chiropractic care can be beneficial for your baby, too.
Is chiropractic care beneficial for your baby-to-be?
A pelvis that’s out of alignment can restrict the amount of space available to your developing baby. When an external force obstructs your growing baby’s normal movements, it’s known as intrauterine constraint. This can lead to birth defects.
Another complication 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, which is rear-facing, head down.
In some cases, this could affect a woman’s ability to have a natural and noninvasive birth. 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 nonoptimal birthing position, it can lead to a longer, more complicated delivery.
Other evidence points to improved outcomes in labor and delivery for women who’ve received chiropractic care during their pregnancy. In fact, it may help reduce the length of time you’re in labor.
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
- help to control symptoms of nausea
Next steps
If you’re experiencing back, hip, or joint pain in your pregnancy, and you’re considering chiropractic care, make an appointment to speak with Dr. Ryan about your concerns and ailments. Chiropractic care is a safe, effective practice during pregnancy. Not only can routine chiropractic care help manage pain in your back, hips, and joints, but it can also establish pelvic balance. That can provide your baby with as much space as possible over the course of your pregnancy. This may lead to a faster, easier labor and delivery.