Chiropractic for Pregnancy in Traverse City?

There is substantial stress and often trauma on both mother and baby during the labor and delivery process, especially when medical interventions such as vacuum extraction, cesarean sections, and other surgical procedures are involved. In the current healthcare culture, birth trauma is frequently misdiagnosed, and in many cases completely ignored.

Our Traverse City chiropractor, Dr. Kyle, continues to participate in postgraduate training in pregnancy and pediatrics through the International Chiropractic Pediatrics Association (ICPA), and is certified in the Webster Technique. The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment that reduces interference to the nervous system and balances maternal pelvic muscles and ligaments. This may optimize uterine function and allow for a safer, easier birth.

Prenatal Chiropractic in Traverse City

During pregnancy, a woman’s body is undergoing a number of different changes to accommodate the growing baby. As the baby grows, a mother’s center of gravity shifts to the front of her pelvis, resulting in added stress and discomfort in the lower back and the various joints of the pelvis. At the peak of pregnancy, resulting from the associated weight gain, the curve in the lower back (lordotic curve) can increase to the point of causing serious impact on the vertebral joints, the sacrum, and the hip joints.

The nerves that travel to all other parts of the body have their origin in the spine. When the spine is compressed, these nerves can become irritated causing the pain to radiate to other areas of the body. Sciatica is a condition commonly stimulated by pregnancy, involving pain that radiates from the lower back all the way down the legs.

If a previous issue exists with the alignment of the spine, and there has been a history of lower back problems, pregnancy will often aggravate the condition. Pregnancy can cause the spine to become misaligned to the point that it does not simply go back into place once the pregnancy is complete. This can make the tasks that become necessary once the child is born, such as carrying a baby on your front or back, breast-feeding, and bending over to lift and pick things up, painfully difficult.

Prenatal Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic practitioners can provide safe and effective personalized care throughout your pregnancy and in the postpartum period. A thorough examination will determine the best treatment to address your discomfort and prepare the body for the height of pregnancy and childbirth. There are specialized adjustment methods to accommodate pregnancy. These treatments may reduce the need for pain medications throughout the delivery as well as help to reduce labor time. Follow up treatments can assist in realigning the body after the pregnancy and speed up the transition to a healthy post-pregnancy body.

If you are curious about how chiropractic can help you with your pregnancy call our team at Shift Health Center today. We are here to help.