There’s so much to look forward to when you are pregnant. You want a healthy baby, but you also want to come through your pregnancy fit and able to care for that new little life you are bringing into the world. Pregnancy, although a natural process, can be tough on a woman’s body. After all, your body is now supporting two lives—yours, and your baby’s. If you are carrying twins, that’s double the joy, but it is also double the impact on your health. The stress on your body starts the moment you conceive. Nature is designed to protect the fetus at all costs. That means you are responsible for making sure your own body is getting the necessary care it needs while you are pregnant.
As your baby grows inside you, your spine must adapt to the extra weight in your abdomen. Your spine must flex in a certain way so that you don’t fall forward as your belly grows. The inward curve of the spine sometimes referred to as the “lordotic curve,” becomes increasingly curved, which then affects the forward movement of the spine. The bones in your spine, the “vertebrae,” are no longer as flexible as they were before your pregnancy due to the changes in the lordotic curve. When you bend forward and then back, your spine is more extended. Think about how a woman comes back to standing position when she is in her last trimester. You can almost hear her achy groan because muscles of the abdomen are no longer strong enough to keep the spine stabilized. Weak abdominal muscles and a weak spine lead to the not-uncommon back pain of pregnancy.
Here’s 5 Reasons Why Seeing a Chiropractor is Highly Recommended During Pregnancy:
1. Your Spinal Cord
When we think of the spine, our focus is primarily on the vertebrae. There is so much more going on, however. Your spinal cord is what makes you a unique human being. The spinal cord carries messages from the brain to the rest of your body. Without it, you could not move, speak, or breathe. Protecting your spinal cord is one of the more significant reasons why you must pay attention to the health of your spine. If the vertebrae and joints of the spine are injured, they can cause physical, mental, and emotional issues. Spine care becomes particularly critical in pregnancy when the spine undergoes many changes.
2. You’ll move more freely.
A healthy spine during pregnancy means that you will be able to move more freely. When movement is free, you will be able to keep up with exercises that prevent you from gaining excess pounds. Free movement also means that your body will be flexible and able to take the strain of delivery.
3. You’ll have less back pain.
Back pain is particularly irritating during pregnancy, especially if you are dealing with other discomforts such as nausea and swollen feet. When the chiropractor adjusts your spine and relieves pressure, the adjustment benefits your entire body. You will also feel calmer and more able to handle some of the inconveniences that accompany a pregnancy.
4. Your delivery will be easier.
Pregnancy also affects the alignment of your pelvis. This misalignment can cause complications that may lead to a C-section. Why add abdominal surgery to your birth experience if you don’t have to?
5. Your baby will not be in breech position.
Ideally, babies are supposed to be born head first. If your pelvis is misaligned, however, as your baby prepares for birth, he or she may move into a breech position. Breech babies are often delivered by C-section because a breech position can prevent the baby from taking its first breath.
There are three types of breech positions, also called “presentations:”
- Frank breech: The baby’s buttocks are aimed at the birth canal with legs in front and straight up.
- Complete breech: The baby is “sitting” in the birth canal with folded legs.
- Footling breech: One foot or both feet present first.
Chiropractors use the Webster Technique to loosen and stretch the ligaments in the sacrum that can become misaligned. The purpose of the Webster Technique is to allow the baby to move on its own into the correct birthing position. The chiropractor will make about eight adjustments.
When you are pregnant, it’s important to speak to your chiropractor about the choices you are making for you and your baby. Also, speak to your OB/GYN about any important decisions. Many women want their pregnancy and birth to be as natural as possible. After all, women have been giving birth to babies since the beginning of time. During most of history, the journey from conception to birth was allowed to progress with little interference from doctors or medicines. Your chiropractor is a partner in ensuring that your baby comes into the world safely and naturally.