For expecting mothers, being pregnant and giving birth to a child is an amazing journey. It can be a journey of profound personal growth, some degree of stress, and may contain a few fearful moments for the health and safety of the mother and child.
Many woman opt to utilize chiropractic care to optimize their health during this critical time, and to ensure that the birthing process is as comfortable and complication-free as possible. Chiropractic care is a significant advantage for many pregnant women as well as their unborn child.
The Physical Trauma of Pregnancy
Any mom will tell you that being pregnant is tough. As the unborn child grows and develops in the mother’s uterus there are a number of physiological changes that take place.
From our consultations with our practice members, the most significant changes are the increased weight bearing and the postural adaptations that the mother experiences.
The weight of the developing child extends forward, over and in front of the woman’s belly. This can lead to increased stress and tension in the mother’s lower back and more stress on the mother’s pelvic region. It is very common for a pregnant woman to have an increase in the curve of their lower back.
(Her upper back, neck, and shoulder region may be affected as well as her body attempts to compensate for the forward shift of her belly.)
Often, this type of spinal misalignment can lead to numbness and tingling into her thighs, knees, and possibly feet. It is very common for pregnant women to experience lower back and pelvic aches as well as leg cramps. The spinal distortion and stress can also affect how the woman walks, sits, and moves around in general.
Her upper back, neck, and shoulder region may be affected as well as her body attempts to compensate for the forward shift of her belly.
In general, being pregnant can be physically demanding!
Here are the first 3 of the Top 6 Benefits of Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy:
1. Chiropractic is a NATURAL Pain Relief
It is common knowledge that expecting mothers should not drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes. It is also critically important for pregnant women to limit their exposure to harmful drugs and other chemicals in general. These chemicals can have far-reaching, negative effects on the developing child.
That is one of the major reasons why natural, drug-free, chiropractic adjustments can be such a valuable tool to help pregnant women feel better and function better during this critical time. Adjustments are 100% natural.
Adjustments free up locked and misaligned spinal joints, improve flexibility, and can reduce inflammation. Many pregnant women feel an immediate sense of stress relief after being adjusted.
Chiropractic adjustments are extremely safe and effective for pregnant women.
Related Post: Adjustments Boost Your Immune System
2. Chiropractic Improves your Nerve System Function
Your nervous system is the master system of your body that coordinates and controls ALL of your body functions. It is doubly important for pregnant woman to have a balanced, high performing nervous system because the expecting mother’s nervous system transmits the life energy that guides the growth and development of her unborn child to the child.
Spinal misalignments, known as subluxations, stress and irritate a person’s nervous system. If an expecting mother has interference to her nervous system caused by a spinal problem, then they are less than 100% healthy. This cannot be good for the growth and development of the unborn child.
Chiropractic adjustments reduce this stress and optimize brain function, allowing moms to reach their full health potential. With the expecting mom at her full health potential, the unborn child will be able to grow and develop in a more optimal state.
It is for this reason alone, that all pregnant women should have their spines checked. An optimally functioning spine and nervous system equals optimal health.
3. Reduce Stress on the Uterus
The uterus is the structure in a woman’s body that serves and the “home” of the developing child. A woman’s uterus is anchored to the inside of her lower pelvis via ligaments and other support structures. If an expecting mother’s pelvis is distorted or misaligned in any way, this distortion can transmit stress and tension to the uterus that is anchored to it.
(If an expecting mother’s pelvis is distorted or misaligned in any way, this distortion can transmit stress and tension to the uterus that is anchored to it.)
There may be a structural pulling or tension effect on the uterus as a result of the distortion in the alignment. This physical stress on the uterus may affect the natural, wavelike mechanical contraction process that occurs during delivery.
Plainly stated, the uterus cannot function properly if it is being stressed or distorted by a misaligned pelvis or lumbar spine.
If a delivering mother cannot contract optimally, this may lead to excessive stress on the new born and may force the medical professionals to utilize more invasive techniques like forceps, vacuum extraction, or possibly caesarean.
These procedures, while potentially necessary in emergency situations, can cause injury to the new born baby’s spine—particularly the upper neck region. This is known as birth trauma and should be avoided at all costs.
Natural chiropractic adjustments can realign a woman’s low back and pelvis, reducing the mechanical stress on her uterus and minimizing the likelihood of birth trauma.
The end result: a less difficult delivery and healthier child!
Get Your Spine Checked!
The first step in determining if chiropractic is right for you is to schedule a comprehensive spinal check up with one of our qualified Doctors of Chiropractic.
In our next article we discuss three more of the Top 6 Benefits of Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy.
Here’s to your optimal health and vitality!
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