Prenatal Chiropractic Care FAQs

More and more mamas are realizing the health benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy. Mothers that receive care during pregnancy report improvements in overall health and general wellness throughout and even after their pregnancies. Many second or third time mamas that had not received care for their first delivery report an easier and faster birth under chiropractic care.

We're often asked by mamas in Toronto if chiropractic work can help during pregnancy and if so, how. The simple answer is YES! Find out how below.

Q. How can chiropractic help during pregnancy?

Pre-existing but often unnoticed imbalances in the spine become stressed during pregnancy. In addition, the weight of a growing uterus has a tendency to change a woman’s biomechanics, shifting the center of gravity and putting pressure on joints of the hips, pelvis and lower back.

Chiropractic care throughout pregnancy can relieve and even prevent the common discomforts experienced in pregnancy.  Specific adjustments (such as the Webster technique) eliminate the causes of stress in the spine.

Q. Is chiropractic safe during any stage of pregnancy? 

Chiropractic care is absolutely safe through all trimesters of pregnancy as early as the first month and does not harm the growing fetus in any way.

Using the Webster Technique of specific gentle chiropractic analysis and adjustments, we can help rebalance the pelvis reducing any nerve irritation to the spine and generally help the body feel more at ease overall.

Q. What exactly is the Webster Technique?

The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic adjustment designed to help ease the symptoms of an unbalanced pelvis and misaligned spine. The goal of the adjustment is to reduce the effects of sacral subluxation and SI Joint dysfunction. In so doing, the biomechanical function of the pelvis is improved.

Q. Can chiropractic help baby positioning?  (eg. Breech presentation)

As a baby develops, a woman’s uterus enlarges to accommodate the rapid growth. When the pelvis is in a balanced state, the ligaments connected to the uterus (specifically the round ligaments) maintain an equalized, supportive suspension for the uterus.

If the pelvis is out of balance or misaligned, these ligaments become twisted, causing a condition called “intrauterine constraint”. This constraint limits the space available for the developing baby to move.

If there is intrauterine constraint as birth approaches, the baby is prevented from getting into the best possible position for birth.  Even if the baby is in the desirable head down position, often intrauterine constraint prevents the baby’s head from moving into the ideal presentation for delivery. This may slow labor and add distress and pain to both mother and baby.

Using the Webster Technique, a chiropractor gently opens up the pelvis, allowing baby space or room to move into proper positioning. If the baby is in correct position, the technique also helps to maintain that ideal positioning leading up to delivery.

Reference
The Webster technique has been found to have an 82% success rate in clinical studies for breech babies. (JMPT July-Aug 2002)

Chiropractic care has been proven to reduce labor times and has been shown to reduce the need for pain medication and medical intervention during childbirth.