Preparing for Childbirth

Preparing for childbirth should include a visit to your chiropractor.

Pregnancy is a time for enormous changes to a woman’s body and often means large postural adaptations which may lead to a variety of aches and pains.

For many years chiropractors have used their skill to help relieve these symptoms, but importantly work towards improving the balance of the pelvic structures to optimise the baby’s position during pregnancy and for labour. Some chiropractors work closely with their local health visitors and midwives.

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Chiropractic During & After Pregnancy

Chiropractic in pregnancy can be beneficial in:

• Easing some of the physical discomforts of pregnancy
• Preparing for the demands of labour
• Helping mother and baby to recover after birth

Aches and pains are common during pregnancy as the body goes through weight and posture changes. As the baby grows in the womb, her extra weight results in a changed centre of gravity and posture changes from week to week.

If the mother has existing back problems or a history of past traumas to areas of the spine or pelvis it may be more difficult for her to accommodate these changes and the resulting aches and pains will develop especially as the ligaments of the whole body soften during pregnancy. Pain may include:

• Back pain
• Sciatica
• Neck and shoulder pain
• Hip pain
• Mid back pain
• Symphisis pubis pain

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Intrauterine Constraint & Malpresentations

These are terms that describe problems where the baby’s position is not optimal for labour and birth, including breech presentation. In cases where there is pelvic distortion, these problems can often be corrected with gentle and effective treatment by the chiropractors at Barnes Chiropractic Healthcare.

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The Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor can be thought of as a muscular basket suspended from the pelvis. Any distortions in its bony support will change the tensions in regions of this muscular basket.

The floor of this muscular basket has to dilate greatly to allow delivery and if it is twisted and distorted, owing to pelvic rotation, logic and experience indicate that the process of birth will be more difficult and traumatic for both mother and baby. As chiropractors observe every day, pelvic rotation is very common.

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Preparing For a Safer Birth

Dystocia is defined as difficult labour and is something every woman wants to avoid. The reported reasons for dystocia are pelvic imbalance and its resulting effects on your uterus and baby’s position. As well as the pain and exhaustion caused by long, difficult labours, dystocia can lead to multiple, medical interventions which may be physically and emotionally traumatic to both you and your baby. However, these interventions, or procedures, used to hasten the delivery process, can be avoided if labour goes more smoothly to begin with.

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Treatment

The safety of mother and baby are the chiropractor’s first concern.

After a detailed history and physical assessment, a plan of treatment, posture advice, appropriate exercise and lifestyle advice will be given. Each case is individual.

Chiropractors are highly skilled practitioners and will use safe, gentle techniques that are suitable for pregnancy and can be started at any point.

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After Pregnancy

Returning for advice and a check up after delivery can hugely benefit the recovery process for mother and baby.

Delivery can be one of the most stressful events for the body especially if the birth has been difficult.

The body not only has to recover from the changes it made during pregnancy but also the effects of delivery - all whilst also having to cope with physical and mental demands of childcare, including lifting, nursing posture and carrying. It is essential to resolve any issues in order to reduce long-term effects.

See also our babies page and our cranial therapy details for information regarding treatment to benefit your baby after she is born.

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Comfort & Care for You & Your Bump

We have facilities that maximise patient comfort including a couch moulded for the ‘bump’s’ shape to allow treatment to be carried out comfortably to the mum’s spine and pelvis. This can also be used by our massage therapists.

At Barnes Chiropractic Healthcare our aim is to provide a highly effective service for all mums-to-be, through to the first few months of your baby’s life, by:

• providing nutritional advice for conception and pregnancy
• promoting a healthy pregnancy and labour by improving and maintaining optimal spinal and pelvic function and best possible positioning of the developing baby
• effectively treating mother and baby for the stresses caused by the delivery process

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Useful Tips

• Try to keep as active as possible during pregnancy. Walking is important if you have a job where you have to spend time sitting. Take care with lifting and carrying.
• Walk tall and do not allow your back to slump into a hollow position. If standing for any length of time, keep your bottom 'tucked in’ to reduce strain on the lower part of your spine.
• When sitting, try to sit with your knees below the level of your hips. A wedge cushion or tilting option on your chair would be beneficial. Avoid long car journeys as car seats tend to tilt the pelvis back. Do not sit cross-legged.
• Squatting down, which is not advisable in late pregnancy unless the baby is already engaged, should be avoided as this encourages incorrect head position. (This does not
  include squatting exercises).
• Sleeping on the left side with a knee cushion helps to encourage the optimum position of the baby. A small cushion under the bump could help comfort too.
• Third trimester: When using a chair, turn it round and sit astride it 'cowboy style'. This helps keep your pelvis in an open position. Place a pillow over the chair back and lean onto it for comfort.

For more information, pick up our leaflet entitled 'Chiropractic & Pregnancy' or download it in PDF format from our Downloads section

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