Changes During Pregnancy
When pregnant, a patient will undergo incredible physical and endocrinological change that puts their bodies under significant stress. A pregnant person’s center of gravity will change, ligaments will become lax, and all movement will change. Everything from the way they sit and stand, to how they walk, to the position they sleep in. Chiropractic care will alleviate postural discomfort while facilitating optimal health and wellness to realign the spine and restore pelvic balance. Through a series of gentle adjustments, chiropractic care can naturally and safely relieve many of the aches and pains that are common with pregnancy. While most pregnant people begin seeing a chiropractor to manage pain symptoms, chiropractic care can offer a variety of benefits during pregnancy:
Reduces time spent in labor and delivery (less labor pain and less pushing)
Helps with nausea and fatigue
Helps with proper birth presentation
Reduces lower back pain, neck pain, and joint pain
Helps reduce the risk of unnecessary medical interventions such as a C-section, induction, or episiotomy
Lowers your risk of preterm delivery
Reduces the need for pain medication during delivery and pregnancy
Faster recovery after birth
Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy
Depending on the stage of pregnancy, different techniques are utilized based on patient mobility, tolerance, and comfort. During the second trimester, pregnancy pillows are utilized to allow the mother to comfortably lay face down. Webster’s protocol is began during the second trimester as well. During third trimester, care focuses on increasing comfort and desired birth outcomes. We often discuss fears a mother may have and provide resources, education, and coping strategies for birth. We strongly advocate for our patients to receive the care they desire and refer to a variety of midwives and doulas.
Maximizing Space for the Baby: Webster’s Protocol
Dr. Larry Webster had invented the analysis in the 80’s and it has improved pregnancy outcomes since that time. Chiropractors with a Webster Certification have undergone advanced training in restoring pelvic balance during pregnancy to ensure the baby is in the optimal position for delivery. Webster’s protocol is not an adjusting technique, but an analysis that allows the practitioner to give more detailed care to a pregnant person. If a pregnant person does not have proper pelvic or lumbar stability before they are pregnant, they are more likely to have alignment issues during pregnancy. These patients are also prone to having new conditions develop during pregnancy such as tailbone pain, sciatica, pubic symphysis pain, round ligament pain, and coccygeal pain.
The Sphenoid and Pregnancy
Dr. Super uses a variety of gentle adjusting techniques during pregnancy. While studying under Dr. Jeannie Ohm, Dr. Super was instructed in cranial adjusting and realized how special the sphenoid adjustment could be for pregnant patients or patients trying to get pregnant. This is due to the sphenoids relationship with the pituitary gland. During pregnancy, the pituitary gland grows an average of 0.08 mm/wk and will peek at labor before slowly shrinking again postpartum. This little gland nestled into the sphenoid is responsible for the support of the fetus (volume support, nutritional and oxygen supply, clearance of fetal waste), protection of the fetus (from starvation, drugs, toxins), preparation of the uterus for labor, breastfeeding, and protection of the mother from potential cardiovascular injury at delivery. Dr. Jeanie Ohm also taught Dr. Super the importance of reducing round ligament tension to reduce round ligament pain and allow it to function during labor. This decreases tension to the round ligament which helps coordinate contractions during labor.
When to start?
Webster protocol for pregnancy differs depending on the pregnant mothers situation. Starting early and acting to prevent issues is always best! Most pregnant patients with breech presentation begin care around 28-34 weeks and care is delivered 1-2x/week until an ultrasound discovers the baby is head down. When women begin care after 34 weeks and they are trying to avoid an ECV or Cesarean, frequency of care is increased to 2-3x/wk.
