Many pregnant women are hesitant to see a chiropractor. They worry that the adjustment will harm their baby or that it might make them go into labor. Some people think that pregnancy is just another time when you have to put up with discomfort and pain without relief from your doctor. However, there are various reasons why pregnant women should see a chiropractor. These tips will help you make an informed decision about whether seeing a chiropractor is suitable for you during your pregnancy!
1. Chiropractic Care is Safe and Gentle
Chiropractic care is safe and gentle, so it should not be a cause for concern during pregnancy. A chiropractor will utilize their hands to gently move your spine, joints, or musculoskeletal system to alleviate pressure on the nerves, which can help alleviate pain caused by nerve interference. They adjust vertebrae out of alignment with each other, remove subluxations (a partial dislocation) and increase joint mobility. All these things happen without any discomfort because you're pregnant.
If you experience high levels of stress while pregnant, getting adjusted could also help minimize those symptoms. Chiropractic care is safe throughout pregnancy- even if there were complications with previous pregnancies or congenital disabilities that occurred.
2. Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy can Help with Morning Sickness
Pregnant women will tell you all day long about how much they love being pregnant, but most will admit to nausea and vomiting, which usually occur in the mornings - sometimes hours before breakfast. It can lead to many trips back and forth between bed and bathroom or even missed workdays due to staying homesick. Seeing a chiropractor helps reduce the symptoms by making your body more receptive to food, helps with morning sickness and indigestion, which can all help make pregnancy a better experience.
3. Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy can Take Away Sciatica Pain
Sciatic nerve compression is often seen in pregnant women due to increased weight on the pelvis and an increase of mobility because of their enlarged uterus pressing against it. Seeing a chiropractor after being diagnosed with this condition will reduce or eliminate symptoms that are bothersome like back pain, numbness/tingling down one leg, shooting pains through buttocks and legs and even difficulty walking. It's vital not to dismiss these signs if you're experiencing them.
4. Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy Will Help you Maintain a Healthy Weight Gain
Chiropractic care during pregnancy will help you maintain a healthy weight. A pregnant woman needs to gain between 25-35 pounds, but that doesn't mean it should all be in the stomach area. Weight gain is allocated evenly throughout your body, and an adjustment can help with this process by allowing your system to function properly.
5. Chiropractic Care Reduces the Risk of Developing Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that some pregnant women develop. This can lead to difficulties for you and your baby during birth and growth, so it's important to pay attention to the signs. Research has shown that regular chiropractic adjustments reduce gestational diabetes risk by 50%.
6. Chiropractic Care Helps With Pregnancy Constipation
Constipation happens when an individual suffers from difficulty in defecation or passing stools. It often involves irregularity of bowel movements as well as pain while trying to pass stool. Chiropractor treatment reduces this condition, which improves general health and wellness too.
7. Chiropractic Care Reduces the Need for Pain Medication While Pregnant
Pain medications like Tylenol or Ibuprofen are usually recommended as an option when experiencing back pain. Still, they should be strictly avoided in pregnancy because they can cause harm to develop fetuses. With a chiropractor, you will experience less discomfort with fewer side effects, making them a more viable option than drugs.
8. A Chiropractor is Trained to Provide Prenatal and Postnatal Adjustments
A chiropractor in Shelby Township, MI, is trained to diagnose and treat pregnant women, providing them with adjustments that are safe for the process of pregnancy. They are trained to give prenatal adjustments, which is an adjustment that relieves the mother and helps with muscle tightness in her pelvis. They also provide postnatal adjustments after birth, when new mothers' bodies need some help readjusting to life with their baby.
Why should pregnant women see a chiropractor? Pregnant women should seek out care from these specialists because they are trained to treat millions of female patients every year who have specific needs during pregnancy. Chiropractic care can benefit not only mom but dad too. It's an easy way for both partners to stay healthy as well.
9. Chiropractic Care Improves Circulation During Pregnancy
To maintain blood flow throughout the body while pregnant a woman's heart rate must increase by about 20 beats per minute instead of just 15 when not expecting a child. With regular adjustments from chiropractors, expectant moms will improve their circulations through these life-changing moments effortlessly. Pregnant ladies should see an expert before delivering so they can be prepared for the experience.
10. The Spinal Column and Pelvis are Areas That Should be Checked Often During Pregnancy
On average, a woman's body weight increases by about 12% during pregnancy. This means that the extra pounds put pressure on her pelvis and spine, leading to backaches and other discomforts if not monitored closely enough.
Many expecting mothers find relief from their aches after just one adjustment, so there is no reason why they should go without seeing an expert before the delivery date. Moms-to-be should see a chiropractor at least once per month to make sure everything is going smoothly.
11. Optimal Baby Positioning
The optimal position of a baby for birth will not stress the mother's spine or pelvis. Since chiropractors can help get babies into an ideal position, it is vital that expecting mothers see a chiropractor before and during pregnancy to make sure they have all their bases covered. Research has shown that pregnant women treated by a chiropractor increase their chances of going into labor naturally without complications and having less pain during childbirth because of properly aligned joints.
12. Healthier Overall Pregnancy
Chiropractic care does not just focus on relieving pain. It also focuses on the health of mom and baby during pregnancy by keeping them healthy, active, and free from stress. Including chiropractic care in a pregnant woman's prenatal routine is essential to ensure that she can enjoy her nine months and live healthier for years afterward.
13. Lower Likelihood of Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression is a serious condition that can lead to other adverse effects on the mother's health, such as weight gain or loss, apnea during sleep (a common symptom of maternal stress), difficulty caring for her child, and mood swings. Pregnant women who visit a chiropractor are more likely to have a healthy pregnancy, and they also end up less prone to postpartum depression. And it's not just because the spinal adjustments make them feel better. It's due to the long-term changes in their body.
14. Chiropractic Leads to Healthier Babies
Research shows that newborns of mothers with arthritis or back pain from labor tend to show scoliosis at birth and suffer from other health problems later on in life such as asthma, allergies, obesity, etc. But when infants come out of pregnant moms' bodies after doctor visits of Chiropractic Medicine (DC), they don't seem to be affected by these ailments like children whose mothers didn't see an adjustment specialist.
15. Better Sleep
Pregnant women who see chiropractors have reported better sleep quality during their pregnancies because they felt less pain thanks to relief from misalignments in the spine. When you're not experiencing discomfort for long periods, it's easier to fall asleep naturally without needing pharmaceutical help. And as we've already discussed, an improved night's rest has been linked to healthy outcomes for mom and baby alike.
16. Chiropractors are Experts in Treating Pregnant Women
They can spot trouble early and help alleviate the pain for mothers-to-be. The nerves in a woman's spinal column should be checked during pregnancy, as this will potentially make her more sensitive to pressure points or touch, which could lead to discomfort or even miscarriage. Chiropractors are experts at teasing out these issues BEFORE they become problems.
Chiropractor Drs. Ed and Sandie McCuiston has experience treating pregnant women with high success rates of helping them through their pregnancies without any complications arising from nervous system interference, which is essential when carrying a baby. Dr. Sandie knows how easy it is for pregnant moms-to-be to get misaligned due to hormones, weight gain, and fluctuations in posture, so she offers chiropractic care customized to pregnant women's needs.
Conclusion
As you get ready to have a baby, your body must be as healthy and strong as possible. Regular chiropractic care can help make sure the spine remains intact during pregnancy while also improving muscle tone in preparation for labor. Our team of experts at Touch of Life Chiropractic in Shelby Township, MI can answer any questions or concerns about our offer, so don't hesitate to reach out. The next time you ask yourself the question: should pregnant women see a chiropractor, you may consult with Drs. McCuistion.If you need more information on how chiropractic care can benefit pregnant women, please contact us today!
References:
https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/chiropractor-while-pregnant#Next-steps
https://www.webmd.com/baby/features/chiropractic-during-pregnancy#1
https://www.wral.com/oh-baby-chiropractic-may-help-ease-pregnancy-postpartum-pains/18267910/