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During pregnancy, your body increases production of a certain ligament and joint-loosening hormone called Relaxin. This hormone allows the body to change and prepare for the exit of the baby. (Without these hormones, your baby’s head would never be able to fit through your pelvis). These hormones combined with a growing belly can rapidly lower your center of gravity leaving you loose-limbed and swayed-back which allows the joints within the spine to move out of alignment.
All of this can do a number on your spine and this is where chiropractic care comes into play! Adjusting the spine and hips will realign the body (and the ligaments around it) to lessen the pain while promoting health throughout the body. It’s thought that chiropractic care may be able to undo some of this damage and realign your lower body for an easier birth.
Most pregnant momma’s have many questions running in their mind when it comes to something new such as chiropractic care! So here is a Q&A with chiropractor, Dr. Brittany Harrill to help ease your mind.
Q&A With Dr. Brittany
Q: WHY DO WOMEN GET PAIN WITH PREGNANCY?
A: There are multiple reasons why a person can get back pain especially with pregnancy. The weight of a growing uterus has a huge tendency to change a woman’s biomechanics which shifts her center of gravity. Once this center of gravity is shifted, it puts excess pressure on the joints of the hips, pelvis, and lower back. This can make everyday activities difficult for a pregnant woman. The shift of gravity will also cause an imbalance of the hips which will alter the pelvis bowl and can impact how the baby is born.
Q: What are the benefits of receiving chiropractic care during pregnancy?
A: The main benefit that people know is that chiropractic care can relieve and even prevent the common discomforts experienced in pregnancy such as pain, muscle weakness, numbness or tingling into the legs.
BUT check out some additional benefits that chiropractic care can have that you may not have known:
Allows a natural and holistic way to reduce pain
Can ease pregnancy symptoms such as nausea and vomiting
Aligns the pelvis and lumbar spine to allow optimal baby positioning and growth
Can reduce labor time
Often improves postpartum recovery
Q: WHAT TECHNIQUE IS USED WHEN ADJUSTING PREGNANT WOMEN?
A: From the ICPA, “the Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic sacral analysis and diversified adjustment. The goal of the adjustment is to reduce the effects of sacral subluxation/SI joint dysfunction.”
The pelvis can go into a biomechanical dysfunction with a sacral and or ilium fixations that creates abnormal joint function. This can lead to a muscular or ligament imbalance which can restrict the abdominal space that the baby has to grow and develop. This technique is used to adjust these areas of dysfunction and allows relaxation of the round ligament that is attached to the uterus.
Q: IS CHIROPRACTIC SAFE DURING PREGNANCY?
A: Chiropractic care is safe through all trimesters of pregnancy as early as the first month and does not harm the growing fetus. The type of care you receive will vary depending on your treatment plan, the chiropractor, and the stage of your pregnancy. Special pregnancy pillows are used during treatment to ensure you are comfortable and relaxed.
There are some special cases where chiropractic is not necessarily recommended such as placenta previa, placenta abruption, ectopic pregnancy, or severe toxemia. But don’t be alarmed, these are issues that the doctor will talk to you about on the first day during your consultation!
Q: WILL THE TREATMENT BE PAINFUL?
A: Not at all!
Chiropractic manipulation is a specific adjustment designed to heal and ease the symptoms of an unbalanced pelvis and misaligned spine. There are a variety of techniques on top of Webster that can be used and your chiropractor will do a thorough assessment to determine which is the best for you! In addition, time will be spent releasing tight muscles and ligaments in the areas of the body that are holding tension!
Q: I’M PREGNANT! WHEN CAN I START RECEIVING CHIROPRACTIC CARE?
A: You can start receiving care as soon as you would like! There is not a specific time that you should start but in my opinion, the earlier - the better! Including routine wellness chiropractic care will only help you continue to feel amazing throughout your pregnancy! Many mamas that are under care report significant improvements in their sleep, quality of life, and overall health!
Hopefully after reading this you feel more comfortable about seeing a chiropractor before, during, and after pregnancy! If you would like more information or have other questions, reach out to Dr. Brittany Harrill with Apex Chiropractic and Wellness at 704-821-5000. Apex Chiropractic and Wellness is located at 120 Unionville Indian Trail Rd. C-102 Indian Trail, NC 28079. We are always accepting new patients! To schedule, call 704-821-5000 or visit our website at www.apexchiropracticnc.com.