It is natural to be cautious of things you don’t normally think twice about when you are pregnant. After all, there are a plethora of things that you can do normally that are discouraged once you are pregnant. Maybe you enjoy a glass of wine with your dinner, or several cups of coffee during your workday, or riding your horse. These are things that are advised against during pregnancy, so it makes sense to wonder about the safety of other treatments, such as seeing a chiropractor during pregnancy.
Common Fears
Perhaps you might worry about the pressure on your stomach if you see a chiropractor during pregnancy. Or, if you are going into your third trimester, you may also worry about laying on your back. You might fear that going to a chiropractor during pregnancy will increase your risk for a miscarriage.
Is It Safe To See A Chiropractor During Pregnancy?
The American Pregnancy Association assures that there are no known risks to chiropractic care during pregnancy. So long as you see a licensed chiropractor who knows how to work with pregnant people, you should be just fine. In fact, seeing a chiropractor during pregnancy is even something you might have recommended to you.
Why See A Chiropractor While Pregnant?
Pregnancy places a lot of stress on your spine – an area of the body chiropractors are experts with. Your body undergoes a lot of changes in nine months, and they can result in a misaligned spine or joints if not monitored properly. Since your pelvis is changing, your posture, how much your abdomen protrudes and your back curves, these increase risk for lower back pain and pelvic girdle pain.
If your spine becomes misaligned, this affects the entirety of your central nervous system, which impacts how well your body works. Keeping your spine aligned both keeps your body working properly and prevents unnecessary pain. If your pelvis becomes misaligned, this causes pain and can affect your body’s abilities to have a natural birth. Even if you don’t plan on a natural birth, a misaligned pelvis can also affect how much room the fetus has to develop.
How Can A Chiropractor Help Pregnancy?
Ensuring your spine and pelvis are in alignment will prevent pain, keep your body working right, and help your pregnancy go smoother. Chiropractors can help keep you in alignment, reduce your pain levels, and assist you with keeping your pregnancy as free of complications as possible. Because of this, and because of the rapid changes pregnancy forces your body to go through, practitioners generally recommend monthly visits, to keep you aligned, though that may vary based on your specific needs.
Additional Benefits
Seeing a chiropractor during pregnancy has additional benefits besides prevention of lower back pain and pelvic girdle pain, too. Those two things help you have a healthier pregnancy, yes, but chiropractic care during pregnancy can also help control nausea, maintain a healthier pregnancy, reduce labor and delivery time, and prevent unwanted c-sections.
- Controlling Nausea.
Chiropractic care can do this through the realignment of your spine, which improves your overall nervous system, which means that your hormones can be more balanced. Ergo, reducing your morning sickness.
- Maintaining A Healthier Pregnancy.
This also ties into your nervous system. By keeping you aligned, your immune system is able to function better than if you did have obstructions to your central nervous system. This helps your overall pregnancy be healthier.
- Reduce Labor And Delivery Time.
If your spine and pelvis are in alignment and your central nervous system is unobstructed, this means that if you desire a natural birth, your body will have an easier time with contractions and delivery.
- Prevent Unwanted C-Sections
If you don’t want a c-section, chiropractic care can help you maintain pelvic balance, which means that there is less risk of the fetus being in the wrong position for a natural birth. Even if you do plan on a c-section, this maintaining pelvic balance helps ensure the fetus has enough room to grow.
How Chiropractors Work With Pregnant People
If you see a chiropractor while pregnant, there’s no need to worry about undue pressure on your stomach or back, so long as you see one who has experience with pregnant people. They can use an adjustable table to keep pressure off your stomach, and have you lie on your side, to avoid pressure on your back.
Are You Considering Chiropractic Care During Your Pregnancy?
Here at Ogden Chiropractic, our physicians are trained to work with pregnant people, meaning that you don’t have to worry about unnecessary pressure on your stomach or back when you work with us. We want to help you maintain a healthy, aligned system during your pregnancy. For any questions about prenatal chiropractic care or to schedule an appointment, please contact us at Ogden Chiropractic today!
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