Pregnancy and Chiropractic

I was able to SEE the wonders of chiropractic on a pregnant expectant mother,...as someone close to me was pregnant and I adjusted her all throughout her pregnancy....up until 7 hours prior to delivery.

Zachary Lucismael....the little man that was in the belly of the mom I adjusted regularly during pregnancy!

One of the biggest questions I will get is: Is chiropractic SAFE for a woman and child during pregnancy? ABSOLUTELY YES!

There are 3 trimesters during pregnancy.
First Trimester (Months 1-3)
Second Trimester (Months 4-6)
Third Trimester( Months 7-9)

During each trimester, the mothers body changes to prepare for baby. During the pregnancy the mother's musculature changes. It is important to have the body as ready as possible for a smooth delivery.
* Making certain the pelvis rotated so the pelvic inlet is as accessible for the baby to be born.
* Making the pregnancy as painless for the mother. Ligament laxity occurs in the mother which will allow a larger lumbar lordosis, but this often puts undue stress on the mothers back, often making the mother less mobile and sometimes even bed ridden.

It is important that the mother prepares her body, as best as she can prior to pregnancy. However, if the woman is already pregnant, then taking proper precautions to minimize the pain, increase chances of successful delivery should be her priority.

FIRST TRIMESTER:
The mother will often experience a lot of "tenderness", and fatigue, as the body is working overtime to prepare for the fetus. The ligaments in the body start to become more "lax"... therefore if the posture wasn't good to begin with,......this problem will lead a mother right into the path of : low back pain.

People are NOT usually going to change.........This is a problem we must deal with as chiropractors every single day. A person that doesn't do exercises prior to pregnancy, isn't going to wake up one morning and all of a sudden jump right into 30 minutes of exercise...........So, this step has to be slowly done.
1) Doctor must stress importance of exercise
2) Patient must recognize the importance of exercise and the ramifications of a lack of exercise
3) Doctor must educate the importance of chiropractic care.
4) Patient must recognize the importance of that chiropractic care for her body and the importance for the expectant baby. Patient must recognize that chiropractic care is completely safe and harmless to the fetus and mother.
5) Step by step direction into exercises. Walk the mother through it.
6) Postural correction is vital for success during pregnancy. The ligaments are loose and the musculature will act in accordance to what the body is told to do.


SECOND TRIMESTER:
Mothers often experience morning sickness, nausea, leg cramping, pain tingling and numbness in the fingers (a cervical radiculopathy), constipation, body aching all the time, sense of smell increases, incontinence, hemorrhoids, body swelling, general back pain, mood swings, general back pain, and body weight changes significantly.

Kegel Exercises are important during this time. It starts to build up the perineal floor....the muscles that support the bladder, uterus and her bowels.

Chiropractic care in conjunction of seeing the gynecologist, and Kegel coach or Yoga/Palates instructor for perineal floor strengthening exercises. (Swimming is highly recommended during the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. )

TO do Kegel exercises one must remember that this a a "contractile muscular exercise"........NOT difficult to do at all.

FIRST, the mother contracts her muscles as if she is trying to stop urine flow or from passing gas. Contract,...let go,....contract,....let go. Mother can perform these exercises while sitting or lying down. The muscles she will NOT want to contract will be the stomach or the buttocks. Once she can do that,...then she is properly strengthening the perineal floor. 2nd trimester : 5 times a day for about 3 minutes each. 

THIRD TRIMESTER:
More weight gain, low back pain, bed ridden mothers, cervical effacement and dilation, abdominal achiness, sometimes (as in my friend) morning sickness can continue, neck stiffness, leg pain, brest tenderness, and fatigue.

Chiropractic care at this time is critical. This is the time the doctor makes certain the pelvis is properly rotated for delivery. (This will take a great deal of patient participation by meeting regularly scheduled visits and performing all stretching and strengthening exercises. The doctor will not be able to rotate that pelvis all by him/herself).

In my clinic, I will give in clinic and at home strengthening exercises to perform. The patient will be able to get those exercises from me. The strength and time of the exercises will be determinant on these factors:
1) How pro-active is the patient?
2) What did her back look prior to pregnancy?
3) Signs/symptoms patient is experiencing during the pregnancy.
4) Ability to complete the assigned exercises without issue.

If you are pregnant, or have thought about getting pregnant,....no need to worry yourself during your pregnancy. Understand that "preparation" is the best medicine...not drugs.

Good Health.

Dr. G