Seeing a chiropractor during your pregnancy can benefit you beyond easing a sore back or pinched nerves. If you're getting close to your due date and your baby is in the breech position with its feet pointing down, a chiropractor experienced in the care of pregnant women may be able to help your baby turn into the preferable head down position for birth.
The Role of Your Pelvis and Ligaments in Pregnancy and Birth
When you're expecting, your body releases high amounts of a hormone called relaxin that helps loosen your ligaments. This is important because your pelvis needs to be able to accommodate your expanding uterus, but it can also make your pelvis slip out of alignment easily. A misaligned pelvis can lead to low back muscle pain or pinched nerves that can cause shooting pain down your legs.
If one of your ilium (the wing-shaped part of your pelvis) tilts backward, it will pull the opposite side forward and narrow the birth canal. If this happens, your baby may flip into the breech position due to the restricted space. Your round ligaments hold your uterus in place, and if they become too tight due to your pelvis being out of position, it can make it even more difficult for your baby to move around inside your womb and change position.
The Webster Technique
Seeing a chiropractor regularly while you're pregnant can help prevent pelvic misalignment and keep your ligaments in good shape. Even if you haven't had chiropractic care throughout your pregnancy, a chiropractor may be able to help you get your body into position so that your baby can move and turn before you give birth. The most common technique chiropractors use is called the Webster Technique, developed by Dr. Larry Webster after his daughter underwent a painful labor and delivery with a breech baby.
The Webster Technique involves a chiropractor making gentle adjustments around your sacrum to help your pelvis shift into even alignment. This helps reduce the strain of the round ligaments that support your uterus and helps relax your pelvic muscles so access to your birth canal isn't restricted and your baby has more room to move. The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) began offering a Webster Technique Certification in 2000 that chiropractors can seek to show they've been trained appropriately in the technique.
Talk to your doctor or midwife before undergoing chiropractic care while you're pregnant, especially if you've been told your baby is in the breech position. While seeing a chiropractor is safe for most pregnant women, you may be advised against it if you've had complications during your pregnancy or if you're at higher risk for birth complications.
Contact a medical office like Hiler Chiropractic and Vax-D Decompression Center for more information and assistance.
Share30 November 2017
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