Pregnancy is a beautiful time in a woman’s life! But it can, no doubt, present challenges as well. Some of the most common pregnancy challenges women report include; morning sickness, back pain, muscle pain and spasms, headaches, pubic pain, carpal tunnel, heartburn, rib pain, and plantar fasciitis. The prevalence of low back pain during pregnancy can range from 42.5% (1) to 90% (2) of women depending on the sample studied, and almost 1/3 of women experience back pain already by week 12 (3)! As a chiropractor and expectant mother I was shocked at how many women didn’t know that chiropractic during pregnancy was helpful.

Most women experience 25-35 pounds of weight gain during pregnancy. Dramatic postural shifts occur to maintain balance which can result in greater stress on our spines. Silent subluxations may become symptomatic as our bodies change to the increasing demands of pregnancy. This makes it essential for a woman to utilize chiropractic before and throughout her pregnancy. Chiropractic during pregnancy focuses on maintaining the mother’s pelvic alignment and nervous system function, thereby helping manage and alleviate the most common pregnancy symptoms listed above.

Chiropractic adjustments help relieve tension in our muscles, ligaments and joints. Pelvic adjustments reduce tension on the suspensory and round ligaments. This reduces intrauterine constraint whereby allowing space for the baby to grow, making us more comfortable during pregnancy, labor and delivery. Studies show that first-time mothers who seek chiropractic care through pregnancy have, on average, a 25% shorter labor time and 31% shorter labor times in subsequent pregnancies (4) . The benefits of chiropractic during pregnancy include decreased low back pain, improved posture, optimal fetal positioning, decreased numbness and tingling in arms, hands, legs and feet, shorter labor and delivery time, reduced risk of cesarean section, and easier postpartum recovery! Sounds like a no-brainer!

I’m so grateful to have received chiropractic during pregnancy. I can say with great certainty that it made my journey much more enjoyable! I did not suffer from the majority of those most common pregnancy symptoms, and you do not have to either! I had a lot of prenatal chiropractic knowledge and training through the Gonstead seminars and Webster certification training but nothing beats firsthand experience. I’ve experienced beautiful highs and difficult lows of pregnancy firsthand. Through my personal experience I feel even better equipped to help women experience a beautiful pregnancy. I look forward to empowering many more women through this miraculous journey! All of our doctors at Prince Chiropractic Wellness Center have extensive training and experience with prenatal and postpartum chiropractic care. We help families feel and function at their very best! If you’re ready to see what chiropractic during pregnancy can do for you then call or click to schedule now. You deserve relief of pain and discomfort associated with pregnancy.

References

1. Diakow PRP, Gadsby TA, Gadsby JB, Gleddie JG, Leprich DJ, Scales AM. Back pain during pregnancy and labor. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1991;14:116-118.

2. Rungee JL. Low back pain during pregnancy. Orthopedics 1993;16:1339-44.

3. Fast A, Shapiro D, Ducommun EJ, et al. Low back pain in pregnancy. Spine 1987;12:368

4. J Chiropr Med. 2007 Spring; 6(2): 70–74.