CHIROPRACTIC CARE & PREGNANCY
It may be your first pregnancy, or perhaps your fifth. In all cases, it is the most important nine months of your life. Congratulations to you and your family! We are all so excited for you and know that you are mentally and physically ready for everything this amazing journey has in store for you.
Becoming a mother is such a special moment in life
This guide is intended to provide knowledge that you are able to put into action to ensure that you have the pregnancy and birth experience you want.
We will cover many unique aspects of care that you can explore to prepare your mind and body for pregnancy, delivery, and recovery. We will delve into the benefits of Chiropractic care, mental preparation, exercise, and diet. We will also explore some everyday issues that may occur and give potential solutions for you to look into.
We are excited to be a resource for you along this most exciting time in your life!
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Contents:
A Special Message
This guide is intended to provide knowledge that you are able to put into action to ensure that you have the pregnancy and birth experience you want.
We will cover many unique aspects of care that you can explore to prepare your mind and body for pregnancy, delivery, and recovery. We will delve into the benefits of Chiropractic care, mental preparation, exercise, and diet. We will also explore some everyday issues that may occur and give potential solutions for you to look into.
We are excited to be a resource for you along this most exciting time in your life!
1. Pregnancy, Birth, and Stress
When talking in general about health and pregnancy there is one word that is at the center of it all: stress. There are physical, emotional, and chemical stresses that all play a major role in health during pregnancy.
Physical stresses can range anywhere from being in a major car accident, to consistently sitting with bad posture each day at work (this is known as a repetitive stress injury). Emotional stress can also vary: from major work-related issues, to worrying about what’s for dinner, or juggling kids to and from three different sports. Chemical stresses can be an entire workshop of learning, but can range simply from the types of food we decide to consume, to the soap/conditioner and laundry detergent we use, to the pharmaceuticals we choose to take. One of the goals in life, especially when pregnant, is to find ways to manage and reduce these stresses.
There are many studies that suggest that expecting mothers stress levels can impact the child’s health. Some examples include a mother’s stress levels during her first trimester impacting the baby’s gut microbes (the gut wall accounts for approximately 70% of the cells that make up your immune system) (1). There may also be a relationship to higher stress levels in mom and a lower IQ of the baby, as well as higher mom stress levels and an increased risk of neurological, psychological, and psychiatric disorders in later life (2).
In general, the relationship shows that mothers with less stress have healthier kids. The question that needs to be asked is, “what steps can we take to ensure our stress levels stay managed and our kids start life as healthy as possible?” Actions can be taken in each of the categories of physical, emotional, and chemical stress. Here are a few simple examples that can be implemented right away:
Lowering physical stress:
While at work, have your workstation checked to make sure it is set up in the most ergonomic way for you. There may be adjustments to the chair, monitor height, or keyboard and mouse that can be made to make you more comfortable.
While at home, make sure to keep a consistent sleep schedule so your body has time to heal and recover from the days’ events.
Lowering physical stress:
Surround yourself with positive people and remove yourself from negative and stressful situations.
Add more personal positivity to your life. One activity to try is to write positive affirmations on the bathroom mirror with removable marker or lipstick. For example: I AM going to have a happy and healthy labor and delivery. These are to be read on a daily basis with emotion and conviction.
Take time each day to sit in peace and quiet or with Baroque music on at a low volume level and visualize your perfect birth process from start to finish.
Meditation is also a great way to lower stress levels and mentally prepare for the labor and delivery process.
Lowering physical stress:
Your environment tends to be full of chemical stress and hormone disruptors. Remove things like synthetic air fresheners, body sprays, and lotions for an immediate positive health impact.
Make sure to purchase high-quality organic food. Stay away from processed food and fast food.
Add the supplements mentioned later in this article to keep yourself as healthy as possible.
Remember, little hinges swing big doors; implementing these small actions into daily life can make a big impact on the health of your pregnancy. This is just a start. Make as many positive changes as you can!
There are many different aspects to consider and decisions to make in order to have your ideal birth. The great part about this is you have options. Next, we will cover some things to think about before pregnancy or early in pregnancy.
2. Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic and pregnancy are an excellent match! Chiropractic is all about allowing your body to function at its very optimum. It’s about your body’s communication system, the nervous system, and being able to function with as little interruption as possible. This is especially important since there is a constant communication happening between mom and baby.
When there is dysfunction within the spine, known as a vertebral subluxation, this will hinder the function of the nervous system. This directly affects the communication system between mom and baby. Being under Chiropractic care specifically addresses the subluxation/dysfunction, which is why it is the foundation of a healthy pregnancy. The Chiropractic adjustment takes the body from a point of dysfunction and allows it to function at its optimum.
When thinking about Chiropractic care for expecting mothers it is easiest to understand if broken down into different parts. When these parts come together in the art of the Chiropractic adjustment the results can be spectacular.
Let’s make it easy to understand: there are three unique aspects that must be considered during the adjustment. The Webster technique has the unique ability to cover all these aspects. The Webster technique is a technique taught by the International Chiropractic Pediatrics Association (ICPA).
The Webster Technique
What to expect following the adjustment:
Most expecting mothers see improvement following the Chiropractic adjustment. That being said, there is a possibility of slight soreness following the adjustments for some or the rest of the day. Most of the time the biggest improvement will be felt the following morning. There may also be some post-adjustment instructions based on your individual case.
A new area of focus with the progression of pregnancy:
Sometime in the second trimester, we will be able to check the balance of the round ligament. The round ligament attaches from uterus to the mons pubis and performs the function of maintaining the proper position of the uterus. When the round ligament is tense/unbalanced/restricted on one side, baby positioning within the uterus can be affected.
Postural changes/upper cross syndrome seems to get worse as pregnancy progresses. Upper cross syndrome is very simple to understand. It is where the shoulders are rolled forward, your head feels like it’s falling in front of your body, and you get that hunch-back feeling. We pay attention to the upper back posture as we get closer to pregnancy even if it’s not an issue.
Wall touchdown exercises and pec stretches, which will be demonstrated and given as part of the care plan, are a couple of the more important exercises because they will allow for mom to prepare for “Momma Bear Mode soreness” (discussed later) following delivery. Post pregnancy care is gentle and specific, with attention paid to how the pelvis responded to the birth process.
Once the 4–8 week mark post-partum is achieved and the patient has been cleared by her OBGYN, then stability and strength are added to care.
Expecting mothers decide to start care for many reasons, but some of the most common reasons why expecting mothers go to a Chiropractor include:
Experiencing low back pain, hip pain, and/or pain in the mid back
Seeking the opportunity to have a better pregnancy, labor, and delivery
Doula or midwife recommendation
OB-GYN recommendation
Referral from another expecting mother
Following pregnancy, because of the love for the new baby there is potential to go into “Mamma Bear Mode.” Mamma Bear Mode generally happens because holding, feeding, and changing diapers is all right in front of us and we are tense.
This may result in dysfunction that is generally located in the neck, upper back, shoulders, and between the shoulder blades. Mothers may experience soreness, tightness, and potentially even headaches due to the spinal dysfunction. Along with functional corrective adjustments, specific exercises will be given depending on your case to help with this transition.
As pregnancy progresses, it is common to feel some short-term discomfort, especially as the pelvis is widening and preparing for delivery. Relaxin is a hormone that has many beneficial functions during pregnancy. For example, it relaxes pelvic ligaments and softens the pubic symphysis. Relaxin release may be one reason for the short-term discomfort expecting mothers feel.
On the other hand, it is not normal to experience sharp pain and/or radiating pain. Mothers may talk about not being able to walk, or shooting pain down a leg and not make a big deal out of it—although this may be common it is definitely not normal.
There are issues pregnant mothers come across when thinking about Chiropractic care:
The biggest issue for expecting mothers is when they start having trouble performing the everyday activities they are used to. Every expecting mother wants to maintain function for as long as possible. Functional Chiropractic care is a great option to maintain everyday activities for as long as possible.
It may be difficult to know what secondary conditions/symptoms are Chiropractic related. Some examples of why people start Chiropractic care is to maintain their everyday function, help with headaches, mid back pain, low back pain, hip issues, and/or round ligament pain.
Not knowing when you can start and stop chiropractic care during pregnancy sometimes prevents expecting moms from scheduling their first initial visit. The perfect time to start Chiropractic care is as soon as you can schedule your first visit. Based on the findings on your initial visit a perfect care plan will be made.
Following Chiropractic care there are many different options to add to your daily routine to make sure you have the best birth experience possible.
3. Creating a Birth Plan
One of the first to-do items is to come up with a birth plan. A birth plan is a guide for mom, dad, family, and all medical personnel. It should contain as much information as possible about how an expecting mother wants her labor, delivery, and post-partum to go. Some examples that will be discussed later include where to give birth, how to give birth, ideal type of delivery, cord clamping, and medical treatment. It is recommended to search all kinds of different birth plans and come up with the perfect combination that everyone in the family agrees on.
A popular search from expecting mothers at Ryno Family Chiropractic include natural birth plans, holistic birth plans, and wellness-based birth plans. There is never anything too extravagant to put on a birth plan. Make sure to bring extra copies, maybe even a laminated copy, to wherever the birth will take place so everyone will know what to do and what not to do.
Components of a birth plan:
Decide where you would like to give birth.
There are multiple options when it comes to deciding where to deliver a baby. Ultimately, this decision should come down to what is most comfortable for each family, but all options should be discussed.
Home birth
The first option is to deliver in the comfort of a home, also known as a home birth. When researching this option one of the most important details is to find the perfect midwife and anyone else that will be on the birth team, possibly a doula.
Birthing center
Second, a birthing center may be a good choice. Birthing centers are a great option if home birth is not the right choice, but a hospital birth is not an attractive option either. The birth center will have experts to make up your birth team.
Hospital birth
The final choice is a hospital birth. This option is the most well-known, and is a great option if there is comfort in knowing that medical care is close by. There are some hospitals that have very nice birthing suites and OBGYN offices that have a midwife on staff to be able to bridge the gap between delivering at a birthing center and at a hospital.
Decide how you would like to give birth.
There are many ways to give birth. It is important that the birth process not be doctor-driven unless there are complications for mom or baby. There is only one person who knows when the time is right to enter this world—the unborn child. They have an innate understanding of when they know when they are able to handle the stresses of birth and their new environment.
Now, please remember that safety for mom and baby is the most important, so if medical intervention needs to take place to make sure mom or baby is safe then it should happen. There are instances where people try to have too much control of this natural process. For example, it should not be an option to have a planned birth date just because it is a famous date or another relative’s birthday. Also, just because your OB is going on vacation and wants you to have a C-section so they can get paid before they hit the beach doesn’t mean you have to agree to it.
This is where having a doula, midwife, and birth plan really comes into play. There are also many different positions to give birth in. This will ultimately come down to your comfort level and preference. From a Chiropractic standpoint it is important to choose a position that works with gravity and movement so the sacrum/tailbone is not impeded. Stated simply, laying on your back with legs in stirrups is not the most advantageous for childbirth.
There are different types of delivery processes as well. There are different methods for a child to be born and in perfect circumstances, an unmedicated vaginal delivery would be best. This limits intervention with the goal of the birth being as stress-free as possible. Medical interventions may interfere with hormone cascades for labor or interfere with the mother’s experience while trying to deliver. A vaginal birth is ultimately important for the physiological and psychological process for mom and baby. Obviously, the other option is C-section and should be considered if there is a danger to mom or baby that may result in an undesirable outcome.
4. Post Delivery
Breastfeeding:
After delivery of your child, it’s time to connect with them and there is no better way than through breastfeeding. After a successful delivery and barring complications, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends direct skin to skin contact and initiating breastfeeding. They also recommend delayed cord clamping, and “if time allows, the cord be clamped only after visible pulsation has stopped” (3) (this will be discussed later).
Initiating breastfeeding as soon as possible is important for many different reasons. Mother’s first milk is called the colostrum. First, mom benefits because it starts the uterus contracting which ceases bleeding. Second, the baby benefits for multiple reasons. The most important being the nutrition they receive is perfectly balanced which helps immune system function. Also, being able to breastfeed helps with the financial aspect of having a new child.
Helpful hint:
Most formula, especially the brands they try and give at hospitals are poor quality. If for some reason there is a challenge with breastfeeding, contact a lactation consultant. If it ends up being necessary to use formula look into organic, high quality formula.
Cord clamping:
Cord clamping is something that is not talked about as often as some of the information that was just discussed, but is extremely important. The World Health Organization recommends delayed cord clamping as opposed to immediate cord clamping (4). Delaying cord clamping allows the baby to get blood back into their body. I think everyone can agree this is a good idea. This is an example of an important piece of information to have written down on a birth plan.
After the cord has stopped pulsing and is cut, the next question is, what to do with the placenta. This is a great question, especially if mom wants to do placenta encapsulation. Although not scientifically conclusive, this may be a great way for mom to get minerals and nutrients back into her system, help with milk production, and reduce stress and post-partum depression. This is a practice that is growing in popularity.
Pediatric care post birth:
The last item that comes up is deciding on what medical treatment baby does and doesn’t receive. There may be medical practices you never knew you had a choice about, but you do. Make sure to research all sides of the story, know the ‘why’ behind your decision, and stick to your guns.
There are many different reasons why your labor may not turn out ideally:
- Mother and family don’t know what they want for their labor/delivery. Not thinking through and writing down a birth plan is setting yourself up for stressful times during labor and delivery.
- Not mentally prepared for their ideal birth plan. It takes more than writing down a birth plan to be mentally ready. Make sure your affirmations are written and said out loud every day. Meditate on or visualize your perfect birth daily.
- Mother and family have not discussed and written out a birth plan. If you do not know where to start, make sure you hire a doula and go to as many classes as possible so you are able to be as detailed with your birth plan as possible.
- Not going to any and all classes to gain knowledge about different aspects of pregnancy. There are countless classes you can go to for free. Some are put on at Chiropractic offices, some at birthing centers, others at OBGYN offices, and even specific classes such as Bradley birth classes or hypnobabies.
Things that can cause issues with pregnancy, labor, delivery, and recovery:
Supplements:
Supplements are important as well during every pregnancy. It’s important that the quality of the supplement is considered. It may cost more in order to get the best quality of supplements, but it is worth every penny. It is very easy to add supplements to a daily regimen.
Most people take supplements because they were told to. What’s more critical is to understand why to take the supplement and what it is helping with. The supplements listed below are great for the body in many different ways. The focus of this section, though, is to understand how these supplements play a role during pregnancy:
Prenatal with folate:
The most important aspect of folate is that during development of the child, folate helps development of the spinal cord and brain.
The incident of a defect is higher with a deficiency of folate, with the main example being spina bifida. It is important to make sure the prenatal vitamin has folate (the natural methylated form) in it as compared to folic acid (synthetic form). Obviously, the brain and spinal cord are vital as they conduct the growth and development of the rest of the body.
Vitamin D:
Vitamin D is well-known and has many great benefits. The most important aspect to understand when it comes to pregnancy and development of the baby is that it helps with cellular division (making new cells) and bone formation, which is quite important to being able to protect the nervous system.
As an added bonus it may help benefit mom’s immune system which can lower her chemical stress.
Probiotic:
It is important to start this section by saying the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) state probiotics are probably safe because current data indicates probiotic supplements are rarely absorbed. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria in the gut that help with immune system function for mom.
Obviously, expecting mothers with healthy immune system are under less stress. This is highly beneficial for the baby, as discussed earlier in the stress section.
Omega 3s:
Omega 3 supplements have both EPA and DHA in them and they are usually displayed prominently on the package. EPA and DHA are the good fatty acids contained in the omega 3 supplement.
Just like with the other supplements, omega 3s provide a multitude of benefits for both mom and baby. Most importantly it supports the central nervous system which is essential for neurological development.
It is not hard to tell that all of these supplement recommendations have a focus on the nervous system. It is the master control system of the entire body. If there is dysfunction within the nervous system, secondary conditions (symptoms) are bound to arise.
It makes sense to understand and take these supplements during these nine very important months of life. This is not the time to skimp. Take care of yourself and you will also provide your child the best opportunity to thrive.
5. In Our Experience
It is great to learn about all the ways to make pregnancy the best it can possibly be. However, everyday office experiences may even be more valuable. Here are some of the most common observations in our office:
Expecting mothers who stay consistent with Chiropractic care throughout their pregnancy and beyond have the least amount of pain, most successful birth outcomes, and best recovery.
Mothers who stay consistent with exercise during pregnancy have an easier time physically recovering after delivery. This is super important since recovery isn’t talked about much but makes a huge difference in the transition to caring for another life.
Mental preparation is the most overlooked aspect in pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Affirmations, visualization, meditation, and attending educational classes can all help with mental preparation.
Low emotional stress levels can be achieved if there is a professional support system on the expecting parents birth team. This can be a midwife, doula, and/or hypnobabies instructor among others. They have the educational knowledge and know how to calmly proceed through all type of situations that may come about during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. It is much easier to listen to them knowing that they are not family (although they may be considered family after supporting you through an absolutely awesome birth experience).
This is absolutely a special time in life. It will be filled with positive changes, awesome adventures, and never-ending love. The months leading up to delivery are some of the most crucial in our lives. The decisions that are made impact your health and the health of your child. There is always a right time to make positive, health conscious decisions and that time is now.
6. Advice from the Experts
It’s rewarding being able to work with people in many different birth related professions. We become a web of resources so we are able to provide the best care possible to every person who walks through our doors. I asked just a few of my favorite contacts five basic questions about pregnancy, labor, delivery, and recovery. This is just a sliver of information. Remember, we can learn something from each person we talk with in the birth community.
Rebecca Turrigiano, Doula from Loving Touch Doulas
1. What are some basic important movements for mothers to incorporate into their routine in order to improve/enhance delivery of their child?
I send all my Mommas to this website for optimal pregnancy comfort and an easier birth (they have online classes too which is cool)
2. What do you recommend for fluid/water intake during pregnancy, as it’s likely different from being not pregnant?
I recommend drinking the same amount of water but making sure they add an electrolyte to it which can be purchased at Sprouts: Click here Here is why: Electrolytes During Birth
3. What are some important mental preparation steps that you like to give to clients? For example, are there goals or affirmations?
I send all my Moms to this amazing website of which I was an instructor for last year. Knowledge is power! : Evidence Based Birth. Birthing Class is so important with or without a Doula and whatever the desire is for the birthing experience!
My Top 4:
- Premier Care for Women (Free to public)
- Victoria Calleja / Bradley Class
- Dianne Hamre/ One Day Birth Journey Class
- Diane Peterson- BabyMoon Inn/ Lamaze Class
My Top 3 Books:
- Childbirth Without Fear
- Birth Partner (For Dads/Partners)
- Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth
4. Before delivery, what are some foods and supplements that enhance delivery and comfort during the delivery process?
Water with electrolytes/Dates/Red Raspberry Leaf Tea and whole healthy foods are important.
5. Following delivery, what food and supplements are recommended for recovery?
I LOVE this book: The First 40 Days
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