How Chiropractic for Pregnancy Powers Your Birthing Journey

Nausea, exhaustion, soreness, discomfort … someone must be pregnant, right?  
But pregnancy doesn’t have to feel that way. Chiropractic for pregnancy has been clinically proven to manage pain and misalignment during those transformative nine months. With every month that your baby develops your body changes – and so does the way you move and carry your weight. Some discomfort is inevitable, but it can be managed and minimized. 

A survey published in the National Library of Medicine found that 75% of women who received chiropractic care felt relief about two to four days after each session.  Unless you have vaginal bleeding, preeclampsia, or are at risk of premature labor, the American Pregnancy Association recommends chiropractic for pregnancy to help maintain prenatal wellness and even prevent cesarean deliveries.

Read on to discover how your Doctor of Chiropractic can help make your birthing journey less burdensome and more beautiful. 

Managing Bodily Changes with Chiropractic for Pregnancy  

Your nervous system is the master control center for all your body systems, including your reproductive one, which releases the hormone relaxin to relax your joints and ligaments to ease your labor and delivery. But if those ligaments loosen up too much, they can become unstable and painful. 

Carrying an extra 25-30 pounds in a body that’s rapidly changing usually causes:  

• Protruding and weakened abdomen muscles 
• Accentuated lower back curve 
• Spine misalignment with sciatica 
• Pelvic misalignments 
• Postural adaptation that distributes your weight unevenly 
• Carpal tunnel syndrome   

Enjoying the Benefits of Chiropractic for Pregnancy

Pain has always been an anticipated part of childbirth. However, that pain does not need to last for the entire nine months leading up to your baby’s arrival.  
 
Chiropractic for pregnancy can help: 

Alleviate Pain and Discomfort 

By aligning your spine and relieving tension in your muscles, joints and ligaments a Doctor of Chiropractic can improve the function and stability of your pelvic region.   

The rapid changes your body goes through can cause inflammation and pressure on the spine which can lead to muscle tightness, spasms and cramping. Many women also experience sciatica or plantar fasciitis discomfort during pregnancy. This is the ideal time to improve your nervous system function. 

Ease Nausea 

Pregnant women under chiropractic care tend to experience less nausea because their immune systems and digestive systems function optimally, making the body’s natural changes less drastically felt. When your digestive system is functioning properly to tend to enjoy better nutrition, which also enhances your resilience to the disruptions of pregnancy.

Reduce Labor Time 

Could this be the best argument yet?

Women who receive regular chiropractic adjustments can potentially enjoy shorter deliveries because their bodies are less stressed, their muscles less tense and their nervous systems more in tune with the natural birthing process.  

According to Henry Ford Health, women who receive chiropractic care during pregnancy have 25% to 31% shorter labors because their pelvic alignment decreases intrauterine constraint, making it easier for the baby to pass through the labor canal. 

Relieve Postpartum Pain and Discomfort 

How quickly you’ll be able to fully enjoy being a new mom depends on how quickly you recover. Many DCs recommend an adjustment one day after delivery to calm down the body, promote healing and reduce pain and inflammation. 

Some women continue seeing their DC after the baby arrives to help ease middle back and neck pain that develops during sustained breastfeeding postures.  

How Chiropractic for Pregnancy Works

Chiropractic care helps rebalance and realign your pelvis and spine so your entire body can function more effectively. Specialized gentle pregnancy adjustments that align your spine enable your nervous system to work optimally as it controls your digestive system. Severe morning sickness can make expectant moms dehydrated and malnourished, so managing it is critical. 

When seeking chiropractic for pregnancy, ask the DCs you’re considering if they are certified in the Webster Technique. This specialized chiropractic analysis and adjustment technique rebalances a pregnant woman’s pelvis to reduce stress on her uterus and supporting ligaments. 
This balanced state in the pelvis has been clinically shown to allow for optimal fetal positioning.  

A PubMed survey found that 82% of doctors reported a high success rate using the Webster Technique to resolve intrauterine constraint.  

Although all chiropractors are trained to work with pregnant women, those who specialize in prenatal and postnatal care undergo additional training to earn a certification or diplomate status with the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). 

Exercises to Reinforce the Effects of Chiropractic for Pregnancy 

Research published in the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Journal shows that, compared to sedentary pregnant women, those who exercise during pregnancy have: 

• More energy 
• Less weight gain 
• Fewer mood swings 
• More effective stress management 
• More restorative sleep  

Here are a few exercises to try (at your own pace and time). 

Posture Articulation for First Trimester

• Grab a couple of light weights 
• Step one foot back behind you as if in mid-step 
• Lower your back heel down and keep your front knee slightly bent 
• Open and close your hips, rotating your pelvis while keeping your feet pointing straight forward 

Step Back Exercise for Second Trimester 

• Step one foot back and lower your back heel down 
• Leaning forward while your arms reach back behind you 
• Keep your back leg straight and lift your heel high 

• Squeeze your back glute and push through the ball of your foot while reaching your arms overhead 
• Feel the stretch in your hip flexor (which gets very tight from pregnancy) 

Fire Hydrant Exercise for Third Trimester

• Lean your upper body forward with a soft bend in your knees 
• Stagger one foot back behind you, interlacing your hands 
• Lift and lower the back leg out to the side 
• Squeeze your outer glute  
  (Hold onto something if you need to) 

If you feel any pain while doing these exercises, see your Doctor of Chiropractic who can prescribe exercises customized to your body and pregnancy stage. 

Ready to ease the pain, discomfort and nausea through chiropractic for pregnancy?

Check in with your nearest Chiro One doc at one of our welcoming open-plan clinics across the country. They’ll perform a thorough exam to investigate the root cause of your pain, then personalize your care plan — a combination of gentle chiropractic adjustments and active therapies to get you feeling better longer.  Find a Chiro One doctor near you.