Weight gained during pregnancy and the effect it has on posture can lead to back pain, discomfort, and low energy. Many expectant mothers can be wary of turning to medication for pain and discomfort in case it affects their pregnancy. A chiropractor can provide safe, effective, and non-invasive solutions, helping you get through pregnancy as comfortably and healthily as possible. Below are a few ways chiropractic treatment can benefit you.

How Chiropractic Care Can Help During Pregnancy

1. Reduce Pain in Sensitive Areas

The shift in weight distribution on the legs, spine, and knee joints can cause pain in the sacroiliac joint, the sciatic nerve, the uterine tendons, and the lower lumbar. Chiropractic spinal manipulation can reduce back pain in pregnant women. Similarly, pain in the sacroiliac joint, often felt in the hips, can be effectively reduced with spinal manipulation. 

Spinal manipulation for pregnant women involves the woman lying on their side with hips and knees flexed and the arms crossed on the chest. The chiropractor will face the patient, place one hand on the crossed arms, apply gentle thrusting pressure to the base of the spine. This pressure helps realign the bones and return your spine to its optimal position.

2. Protect Your Baby’s Development

As the baby grows, the changes in position and size can misalign the pelvis. This can lead to a condition known as intrauterine constraint, which can reduce the amount of space a baby has to grow. A chiropractor may recommend treatments that help gently realign the sacrum—the bone at the back of the pelvis—to prevent negative side effects of this condition. 

As your baby grows, your center of gravity will shift, placing more pressure on the sacrum and disrupting your body's normal weight distribution by placing the sacrum in an uncomfortable position. With the patient lying face-down, the chiropractor will apply light, but firm, manual pressure to the hips and lower back,  gently pushing the pelvis back into its natural, comfortable position.

3. Make Delivery Easier

A misaligned pelvis or spine can place your baby at risk of a breech or posterior birth, emerging sideways or backward. This complicates the chances of a safe, successful birth, which is why having a well-adjusted spine and pelvis is crucial for ensuring a healthy delivery.

In a study, women who regularly saw a chiropractor throughout pregnancy experienced labor times 31% shorter than in women who didn’t see one at all. Considerate, professional treatment to ensure a comfortable, well-positioned lower back and pelvic region can help increase the chances of an uncomplicated, less painful birth.

 

 

If you’re interested in benefiting from chiropractic treatment during your pregnancy, contact the professionals at Stroud Chiropractic Clinic in Archdale, NC. Serving Guilford and Randolph Counties for over 30 years, these chiropractors are the area’s exclusive users of the ProAdjuster™ treatment and other state-of-the-art technologies and methods. They offer free consultations for new patients and same-day appointments. Call (336) 434-2107 or visit them online to learn more about their services.