What is a Prenatal Chiropractor?
Curious on seeing a chiropractor during pregnancy? Here is the 4-1-1 on getting adjusted while pregnant.
What is a Pregnancy Chiropractor?
A prenatal or pregnancy chiropractor is a chiropractor with specialized training in the pregnant body and pregnancy- related discomfort.
Prenatal chiropractic has a focus on the pelvis and surrounding structures, to help with proper pelvic alignment (which helps with labor and delivery) and to ensure that there is space for baby to move around and invert during the third trimester.
What are the Benefits of Getting Adjusted While Pregnant?
As discussed above, benefits of getting adjusted while pregnant include ensuring proper pelvic alignment and biomechanics, relief from pain in the low back, pelvis, pubic bone, and round ligament.
In addition to pain relief, chiropractic adjustments help with nervous system function, boosting the immune system, reducing inflammation, decreasing nausea, better sleep, and more.
With the body in balance, and nervous system at its best, it puts you in the best position to heal properly and bounce back quickly once baby is born.
What to Expect During Prenatal Treatment
Chiropractic treatments during pregnancy look a lot different than what you see with the typical Youtube or TikTok chiropractors. The hormone relaxin is elevated during pregnancy, making the ligaments more lax, causing the joints to need much less force to adjust.
For the adjustment, you will lay on your belly for part of it (WHAT??!). Chiropractors have special pillows with a hole for the baby bump to sit in, making sure you are stabilized and baby isn’t getting squished.
The adjustment consists of some light force on the sacrum and pubic bone, release of the sacrotuberus and round ligaments, as well as some muscle work on the piriformis and psoas muscle. The doctor may also look for restrictions (subluxations) along your spine and adjust accordingly.
Everything is very gentle and prioritizes the patient’s comfort.
How to Choose a Prenatal Chiropractor
If you are in Edmonds/ Lynnwood/ Shoreline, WA or surrounding areas, Dr. Maddie would be happy to help you at Journey Chiropractic. If you are not, she suggests looking for someone with training in Webster technique with the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA).
In conclusion, there are so many amazing benefits of seeing a chiropractor while pregnant. It is safe, gentle, and effective and most people report a more comfortable pregnancy, easier births, and a decrease in healing time postpartum.
