When Mom’s pelvis is out of alignment, it not only puts pressure on her, often causing low back pain or sciatica, but may also change the baby’s position because the space is constricted. If the baby’s not in place, the woman’s spine is not in place, everything will pull awkwardly, creating a lot of tension.
And when it’s time for the delivery, if her body is struggling going through the labor process, we know that delivery will be very stressful. It may become necessary for an intervention—an emergency C-section, or a forceps or vacuum extraction—because the baby cannot pass through the vaginal canal.
Helping Baby Move
And that’s definitely not good for the baby. As chiropractors, we know the effect of that pressure on the baby from being pulled out of the mother’s body, and we want to prevent that whenever possible.
Using the Webster Technique, Dr. Liz is able to correct the misalignments in the mother’s body and free any restrictions. This opens up space in the uterus, allowing the baby to move freely, until the time comes to move to the optimal birthing position.
The aligned uterus and unrestricted ligaments promote even contractions, so labor can progress smoothly and more rapidly. Deliveries tend to be more natural, with fewer interventions, and less trauma to the newborn.
Dispelling the Myths
Chiropractic care may promote better labor and delivery outcomes, but there are some common misconceptions which should be addressed.
Chiropractic care causes early labor—the human body is self-controlling from the time you are born. It knows instinctively when it’s time for the baby to be born; there’s nothing we can do to change that. When Mom’s body is at optimal alignment, hormonal regulation is at optimal levels, and there are no health issues or other contraindications, her body may say it’s time at an earlier time.
If Mom is at 41 weeks and anxious for her baby to come out, certain adjustments may optimize the nervous system function to assist with the process. We cannot trigger labor; that innate function is under the complete control of the woman’s nervous system.
Chiropractic helps the baby drop, turn a breech baby, or flips the baby—as effective as chiropractic may be, it’s no match for the power of the human body. The human body is the perfect machine—we don’t need to tell it what to do. We innately have all the circuits needed in our spinal cord to trigger any function in our body.
Babies are moving all through pregnancy, face up, head up, face down, however they want until it’s time for delivery. They know what to do, because it’s an innate reaction. When the crucial parts of the body, pelvis, ligaments, etc. are not moving optimally, they put tension where it doesn’t belong, so the baby has no space to move around.
At 34-36 weeks, our chances of restoring proper alignment are better. So the baby can turn the way it should. At 39-40 weeks, closer to delivery, the baby’s body triggers the reflex to get into delivery position.
There is a medical procedure where the doctor actually pushes the baby into position. Chiropractors do not do this! All we do is prepare the expecting mom body to do what it’s designed to do, by ensuring it’s in optimal alignment and function with the nervous system.
Once Your Baby Is Here
Dr. Liz sees babies from Day 1, offering the baby’s first adjustment for free to every mom she cares for. She checks the baby to ensure everything is in alignment. If there’s nothing wrong, she may see the baby once a month, or as the parents wish.
Unfortunately, most birth processes today are systematic with a lot of intervention, meaning many hands get into the action. Doctors are pulling on the baby, nurses may be pushing on the belly, and forceps or vacuum extraction may be used. Studies have shown that these methods exert about 90 lbs of pressure on the baby’s neck joints, which can affect their spinal alignment.
That, in turn, affects the development of the baby’s nervous system in the first year. It’s crucial to have optimal nervous system communication to develop properly. Otherwise, there will be delays in crawling, walking, and other milestones; anything could be compromised.
Postpartum Care
Our philosophy as chiropractors is to prevent any illnesses or issues in the body. When we have optimal nerve communication to the rest of the organs in your body, our life experience is better, and we have better function in our body.
Chiropractic care has been found to help with postpartum healing and recovery, as well as improve overall energy levels. By addressing the underlying causes of discomfort and pain during pregnancy, chiropractic care may be beneficial both before and after delivery.
Our moms have learned to listen to and understand their bodies during their pregnancy. They recognize the symptoms when they’re out of alignment—constipation, headaches, reflux, bloating, sleep issues, anxiety and stress. The body is telling us there’s something wrong. The symptoms tell us where to look to correct the issue.
Most moms come in the week after delivery with back pain or other discomfort. We help them adapt to the stress their body has been under and get back into a better position. When Mom is happy, Baby is happy!
Book Today
Learn more about the potential benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy; book today!