Chiropractic Care and Pregnancy
With pregnancy comes an array of physiological changes that can lead to pain, discomfort, and other complications. These include but are not limited to muscle strains, spinal and pelvic misalignment, back and neck pain, ligament stretching, and breech fetal presentation. Many women seek out alternative therapies to manage these symptoms during pregnancy. Some may not realize, however, that the less obvious pregnancy symptoms such as heartburn, morning sickness, headaches, sciatica, pubic bone pain, swollen ankles, and constipation can all be alleviated with specific chiropractic adjustments. Having a balanced nervous system makes each week of pregnancy more comfortable! Maintaining proper spinal, hip, and pelvic alignment throughout pregnancy helps ensure optimal fetal positioning. Regular adjustments relieve pain and tension that radiate in these joints due to weight gain and the aforementioned physical changes. Regular chiropractic care can also provide a more comfortable delivery for both mother and baby. It stimulates the nervous system to enable proper functioning of your reproductive organs, thus supporting the needs of your baby throughout pregnancy and during delivery.
Perhaps the most important influence chiropractic has in this process in supporting the ligaments and muscles around the womb, to allow for the most optimal SHAPE of the actual space in the pelvis. When this is achieved, labor and delivery are so much easier!
Studies show an 84% decrease in pain levels in labor with consistent chiropractic care in pregnancy! Statistics also show that chiropractic reduces the need for pain medication in labor by 50%, and reduces overall labor time by 39%! In the event of a breech fetal position, chiropractic care can also offer a safe alternative to a cesarean delivery through a gentle adjustment called the Webster Technique. Learn more about the Webster Technique here.
Pre-Natal & Post-Partum Care at Sunu
Dr. Susan had known these statistics for some time, but it all finally came together in her personal experience. She planned a home-birth for her first baby in April of 2011. Weekly chiropractic and yoga had made her feel much better throughout her second and third trimester so she was hopeful that it would make delivery easier as well. Dr. Susan labored at home with her husband and Trillium Midwives for 7 hours. She delivered her son at home with absolutely no medication, epidural, or tearing! She gives all the credit to the wonderful art of chiropractic and prenatal yoga. Having a properly aligned pelvis made it possible to avoid all interventions, and also made an extremely speedy recovery post-partum! She highly recommends all pregnant women schedule a consultation to check the alignment of their pelvis. The results are truly amazing!
Whether you are early on in your pregnancy, approaching delivery, or postpartum, SuNu Wellness Center can provide the care you need. Whether that be through our team of skilled, caring, and experienced practitioners, or through our extensive list of trusted colleagues throughout the community; together we will find the right treatment plan for you and your family.
To receive pre-natal or post-partum chiropractic care at Linden Hills, book with Dr. Liz and Dr. Cait at Linden Hills, and at Minnetonka with Dr. Susan, Dr. Annie, or Dr. Courtney.