Contrary to the common misconception, there are no contraindications for using chiropractics during a pregnancy. Utilizing chiropractics during pregnancy can aid in nausea control, reduce labor and delivery time, reduce back pain, joint and neck pain, help prevent caesarian delivery, and maintain an overall healthier pregnancy.
Last week, I was lucky enough to have a long conversation with Dr. Nicole Lederman, a prenatal chiropractor, doula, and associate professor at Parker University.
She informed me that, yes, pregnant women are able to have adjustments, but they are modified, generally by utilizing different tools such as a modified table or a chiropractic pregnancy pillow. And get this — instead of traditional side adjustments, women will lie on their bellies (of course with a modified table or pregnancy pillow)!
A prenatal adjustment is usually easy and gentle, as the pregnant women have the naturally occurring hormone relaxin, which helps relax the joints in the pelvis to ease delivery.
Chiropractic adjustments can actually change the mother’s physical structure, putting the pelvis in the best position possible to accommodate the both mother and child. Adjustments may not only help alleviate pain, but can also help prevent it!
In addition to adjustments in prenatal care, chiropractors also utilize soft tissue work. This can work faster than a long massage, and help to further relax the muscles around the area being worked on.
Being on her fourth pregnancy herself, Dr. Lederman is humbly surprised that people always ask women how uncomfortable they are during their pregnancy (especially the last few weeks).
She explains that it’s, “sad people think that’s how pregnancy has to be,” and can vouch for chiropractic success by professing to have had no back pain during any of her pregnancies, (except for a short time during her first). She of course, has regular chiropractic adjustments!
According to Americanpregnancy.org, the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics reported a study in which the Webster Technique, a specific chiropractic sacral adjustment that restores proper pelvic balance and function, had an 82 percent success rate at turning breech babies.
In her own practice of 12 years, Dr. Lederman has rarely seen a baby not turn. Using the Webster Technique, she is able to put the sacrum into proper alignment, do some soft tissue work, and voila! The uterus changes shape, and the baby starts to kick and move to use the new extra space.
According to a study discussed at the Life Align Wellness site, patients who received chiropractic care from at least the tenth week of pregnancy through labor and delivery experienced significantly reduced mean labor times compared to women who were not receiving chiropractic care.
Women who received chiropractic care during their first pregnancy had a 24 percent reduced labor time when compared to women who did not. For second- or third-time mothers, there was an average of a 39% reduced labor time.
"These findings suggest that chiropractic methods would play an important expanded role in prenatal care. Chiropractic care throughout pregnancy could result in shorter labor times, decreased use of pain medications and increased quality health care for patients." (Briegel and Stefaniski)
It’s clear that chiropractic care can naturally help alleviate and avoid pain for a more safe and efficient birth, but what isn’t clear is why benefits aren't more well-known.
Dr. Lederman only hopes to help spread the word by educating patients and doctors, and working together as part of a team to aid in a happy healthy pregnancy and birth.
And that my friends, is the perfect example of wholistic health care!
Sources:
Bettendorf Chiropractic Wellness Center - Chiropractor In Bettendorf, IA USA :: Pregnancy & Children. (n.d.). Bettendorf Chiropractic Wellness Center - Chiropractor In Bettendorf, IA USA :: Home. Retrieved February 10, 2012, from http://bettendorfchiropractic.com/custom_content/c_143972_pregnancy__chi...
Chiropractic care during Pregnancy : American Pregnancy Association. (n.d.). Promoting Pregnancy Wellness : American Pregnancy Association. Retrieved February 10, 2012, from http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/chiropracticcare.html
Phone Interview with Dr. Nicole Lederman. February 8 2012.
Chiropractic Care May Reduce Labor Time In Pregnant Woman. Life Align Wellness Center. Retrieved February 10, 2012. (Excerpt below from this site)
http://www.lifealignwellness.com/research/specific-demographic/womens-he...
Excerpt from the book For the Love of Children, by Dr. Louis R. Briegel, II & Stacey A. Stefanski. Research: Fallon, J., “The Effects of Chiropractic Treatment on Pregnancy and Labor: A Comprehensive Study,” Proceedings of the World Federation of Chiropractic, 1991, pp. 24-25
Reviewed February 13, 2012
by MIchele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith