Pregnant and New Mums

Being pregnant is definitely a special time in anticipation of welcoming a new little person to the world. And there is something truly amazing about pregnancy as the body changes, stretches, and adapts to provide that perfect environment for the growing baby inside. It is definitely one of life’s little miracles.

But pregnancy can also have its challenges, and many pregnant women will find that they need some specialised help and support along the way to ensure that things stay comfortable, optimal, and well-balanced, for the benefit of both mum and baby.

At GB Chiropractic, we see a lot of expecting mums, and at all stages of pregnancy. It is one of our areas of specialisation and we are proud to play an active role in helping our pregnant patients to comfortably navigate the challenges of pregnancy while offering the guidance, support and treatment they need to have the best possible pregnancy and smoothest delivery.

Want to know more? Read on, or just give us a call to ask any questions.

How Chiropractic Helps during Pregnancy

Chiropractic care during pregnancy helps to ensure that the mother’s spine, pelvis and nervous system are all working optimally. This helps mum to feel well while also providing the best possible environment for the developing baby. As a rule, if mum feels well, then this will always be beneficial for the baby too.

Regular chiropractic adjustments throughout pregnancy are a great way for expecting mums to feel well and to adapt comfortably to the changes that occur in their bodies.

As expecting mums get bigger, the weight and strain can increase and this can lead to occasional difficulties that chiropractic can help to relieve and re-balance. Your chiropractor will use gentle techniques that remove restrictions, relieve stress and tension, and promote balanced movement and alignment. This helps our mums-to-be to feel and function better. This can also take the strain off of baby. It makes sense that healthy and relaxed mums are more likely to have healthy and relaxed babies, not to mention smoother deliveries.

Pregnancy Challenges

Pregnancy is a great example of where mother nature plays a few trade-offs, and sometimes the physical realities of being pregnant can create pain or problems in expecting mums, particularly in the middle to later stages as the “bump” gets bigger.

For some of the challenges we regularly help with, have a look at our page on Pain and Help during Pregnancy.

The most common types of issues we see are:

  • Lower back pain and sciatica

  • Sacroiliac pain and hip pain

  • Coccyx and tailbone pain

  • Symphysis pubis pain

  • Round ligament pain

  • Neck, shoulder, and upper back pain from changes in posture

ICPA-Trained Chiropractors

Our chiropractors all have training with the ICPA, the International Paediatric Chiropractic Association. ICPA-trained chiropractors have specialised training and expertise in the areas of pregnancy, perinatal care, and paediatrics. As such, they can help with most issues that pregnant mums might encounter as they go from small bump to big bump to delivery, and also post-natally when new mums or their babies may need further help. ICPA training provides assurance that you will receive top-notch care. The ICPA has a fantastic and informative website to help you discover the many benefits of chiropractic: https://icpa4kids.com/parent-portal. And they also have a monthly publication with great articles on chiropractic and pregnancy: https://pathwaystofamilywellness.org

Webster Technique for Pregnancy

Webster Technique is a gentle chiropractic method for assessing and treating the female pelvis during pregnancy. Where restrictions are found, they are gently corrected, and the method is also applied to promote optimal alignment, movement, and balance of the female pelvis. This is beneficial for mothers of course, but it also fosters the ideal internal environment for developing babies in utero.

The technique also has implications for baby position, in that an imbalanced, tightened or restricted pelvis may create a degree of constraint on the baby to be able to move freely within the uterus and pelvis. As such, the technique has sometimes been used to balance a pregnant woman’s pelvis with the secondary goal of assisting or stimulating a mal-positioned baby (breech or transverse) to turn into the correct position for natural delivery. Where this can reduce the chance of complications or the need for C-section, it is often desirable to concerned parents and thought to be well worth trying. Though still considered theory, Webster Technique has good anecdotal evidence of high success rates for helping babies to turn, and so it is often recommended by midwives and doulas who are aware of it. You can read more about this on our page about Webster Technique and Baby Position.

At GB Chiropractic, all of our chiropractors have training in Webster Technique for pregnancy, and many hold ICPA certifications in this valuable treatment method. 

Your chiropractor: A vital part of your pregnancy team!

As chiropractors, we know that we are just one part of your support system and pregnancy team. You have partners and family, obstetricians, nurses, hospital teams, midwives and doulas, just to name a few! We are honoured to be part of this amazing network of people, all of whom want to see you thrive and enjoy a smooth pregnancy. As such, we believe in working closely and collaboratively with all of these great people. 

As chiropractors, we often work closely with midwives to help their clients stay pain-free throughout pregnancy, while also focusing on the health and wellbeing of expecting mothers so they can have a smooth, comfortable, and stress-free pregnancy whenever possible. Many pregnant women will have a midwife and chiropractor as part of their perinatal team, to help with the journey through pregnancy, to nurture the health and wellbeing of both mum and baby, and to set the stage for the best possible delivery.