Chiropractic and Pregnancy

So many moms I speak with raise an eyebrow when I suggest Chiropractic Care during their pregnancy even if they feel OK and are pain free. So the question is; why should it be essential for pregnant women to receive a chiropractic evaluation during their pregnancy?
 

The answer is very easy if you understand the heart of chiropractic. To be completely honest, I did not fully understand Chiropractic myself until I attended a prenatal chiropractic seminar.  Learning about the impact an adjustment can have on a pregnant mom and her child was truly amazing to me, and this is when I fell in love with chiropractic.  That being said, I would like to discuss the core of chiropractic. Chiropractic establishes balance in the spine and pelvis, reducing stress on your nervous system. Your nervous  system is your bodies information highway, orchestrating the coordination of information to every cell, tissue, organ, gland and muscle in the body. When nerve stress is removed through a chiropractic adjustment, it helps restore harmony to your body systems, providing greater health potential for both mom and child.
 

A balanced spine and pelvis will provide greater comfort for mom as her pregnant body undergoes numerous changes. These include a shift in mom's center of gravity forward instead of being balanced. As your belly increases in size, an increase in the lumbar curve will put more stress on spinal nerves.  Imbalances in mom's posture get reinforced and the hormones of pregnancy cause muscles, ligaments, cartilage and bones to soften, becoming more pliable.  This adds up to various spinal stress, with associated aches and pains in your body. Studies show that 84% of pregnant moms who received chiropractic adjustments throughout their pregnancy felt less aches, pain and discomfort than those who didn't.

As I mentioned earlier, a prenatal chiropractic adjustment can positively affect the baby as well. Its so important to highlight that your developing baby is nestled in the uterus, which is anchored to the pelvis by various ligaments. When the pelvis is aligned, it allows the baby optimum room for development and growth. Likewise, a pelvis that is out of alignment can put constraints on the uterus, creating a less than optimal environment and smaller growth area for your baby. Chiropractic adjustments help keep the pelvis in optimal alignment for the growth of your child.
 

Chiropractic care also provides a quicker, easier delivery for mom and baby, allowing baby to come into the world with less stress. Babies with proper room for growth also have optimal room to safely navigate their way down the birth canal. Studies show that manipulative therapy may shorten labor by 25% for first time moms and 39% for repeat mom's.  It also lessens medication required during birth by at least 50%. Greater comfort, safer birth - amazing for both mom and child!

A chiropractic evaluation is safe and sensible for any pregnant moms. Chiropractors like myself are trained to adjust pregnant women and have chiropractic tables that have special modifications for the pregnant figure. To find a chiropractor in your local neighborhood who specializes in prenatal care go to www.icpa4kids.org  and please make the time to have a chiropractic evaluation for the health of yourself and your child!