Chiropractic and Pregnancy

At no time in the human experience are there more vital developments than in the periods before, during and after pregnancy. The mother's physiological, psychological, and spiritual state can't be overstated enough in the process of that transforms 2 cells into a trillion of interweaving cells that will ultimate become a beautiful new baby. Being in an optimal "state of being" will allow the mother to be the best opportunity for a more comfortable pregnancy and give her new baby the essential ingredients required for an outstanding journey.

When caring for a pregnant woman, the Chiropractor has 2 main objectives, Structural and Neurological Integrity. The Structural component consists of symmetrical alignment (or as close to it as possible) and proper movement. The Neurological component consists of a free flow of nerve impulses, human electricity, or prana to all cells of the body without interference. Optimal Structural and Neurological integrity leads to an increase in global physiological & psychological health, which allows for a supreme internal environment for the mother, the growing baby, and the supportive partner.

Creating a more flexible body, especially the region of the spine and pelvis, is crucial for a successful pregnancy. By creating an outer body amour that is malleable is extremely helpful due to the amazing changes that will be occurring in the body. Ideally, the mother-to-be's spine should be subluxation-free before conception. A Subluxation is a term used to describe what happens when a spinal bone, or bones, misaligns and causes pressure or irritation to be placed on the nerve. This is detrimental to one's health process because the nervous system is the information super highway that allows for all communication and development to happen. That means all previous injuries should be "cleaned up"  before pregnancy...of course in an ideal world. That means weeks or months of adjustments to get the body moving without restriction and stabilized.

Once the spine is stabilized and holding its shape should the mother-to-be consider getting pregnant. With a freely moving spine the mother-to-be is able to handle the increase in 20-30 lbs that she will be carrying. This is a matter of gravity and biomechanics.

On a neurological level... the body works better with a healthy nerve supply. That means removing any irritation to the nervous system. The irritation can be in the form of traumas, toxins, and bad thoughts.  When enough stress builds up, the spine being the closet structure to the nervous system distorts, and contains the stress at that level.

The chiropractor's job is to create motion in the spine where the tension and distortion has developed, thereby taking pressure off the nerve tissue and allowing for proper nerve transmission. The job of the mother is to maintain that free and open pathway through a holistic body mind-training regimen.

With a healthy nerve flow to all the tissues of the body, the mother gives herself the greatest opportunity for wellness and vitality. When vitality exists, the environment for conception is ripe!

Once conception and implantation has occurred will the value of chiropractic reveal itself. The mother-to-be will usually experience range of fatigue due to the new physiological demands put forth by the new tissue. "Morning sickness" characterized by vomiting and nausea hypothesized to be caused by an increase in human chorionicgonadotropin produced by the placenta.

Since chiropractic is largely interested in the relationship between the spine and the main energy system, the nervous system, specific scientific chiropractic adjustments to the spine can help the mother overcome a decrease in energy levels.

As the pregnancy advances, breast tissue becomes larger as does the size of the belly. To help ease the changes in the biomechanics, in terms of weight distribution, specific scientific chiropractic adjustments to the distorted and misaligned spine will help the mother-to-be adapt to the increase in stress on her spine and body. The goal is to make the mother-to-be be as comfortable as possible and keep her emotions in check. By staying out of pain from jammed and compressed joints, emotional volatility and fatigue are reduced. This alone brings great harmony to the growing embryo and most importantly to the ultra-supportive husband!

Usually the lumbar spine, pubis and sacroiliac joints are the first to succumb to the increase in weight demands. As the abdominal region extends forward, the center of gravity changes and the mother-to-be is forced to make adaptative changes to her posture. By making sure the pelvis and sacrum are moving freely the mother-to-be will have more freedom to move. By having more freedom she is able to move more often and exercise based on her ability and comfort level.

Another vitally important reason for chiropractic care is due to in-utero constraints. After the 7^th month, and throughout the final trimester, any position of the fetus other than a vertical head down position is considered to create constraint to the fetus and make it especially uncomfortable for the mother! The biomechanical constraints on the fetus and the potential for a more challenging labor, or even the need for heroic surgical procedures, all point toward chiropractic care as being not just helpful, but essential.

Birth is hard enough. Specific chiropractic adjustments allow the bones to move, the muscles to relax, and the nerve impulses to flow without interference. Conception, pregnancy, and delivery are a sacred time in one's life and Chiropractic honors this period. So try Chiropractic...chances are you'll move better, think better, and feel better!