Is it Safe to See a Chiropractor While Pregnant?
Pregnancy is a beautiful thing. Your body is nourishing a developing baby and you’re going through a lot of changes, both physically and mentally. If you’re like most new expectant mothers, you’ve scoured the Internet, bought all of the baby books, and are calling your doctor at every tiny sign of a problem. There is so much information that floats around and while a lot of women digest as much as they can, there is such a thing as information overload. Stress and anxiety need to be managed just as much as physical health, so it’s important to listen to your body and try to relax. To help, we’ve put together a simple, straightforward article that answers one common question that expectant mothers ask: is it safe to see a chiropractor while pregnant?
Chiropractors specialize in treating many neuromuscular disorders and help realign and adjust your spine to minimize health problems. If you’ve been seeing a chiropractor regularly, you know how much relief comes from your regular appointments. During pregnancy, many women experience increasingly disruptive aches and pains—primarily in their back and hip joints. Luckily, it is 100% safe to see your chiropractor while pregnant.
Seeing a chiropractor while pregnant will not affect your baby in a negative way. In reality, seeing a chiropractor regularly during pregnancy actually contributes to the healthy growth and development of your baby. To reap the benefits of going to a chiropractor while pregnant, find a chiropractor that has prenatal care experience and commit to regular alignments.
Benefits of Going to a Chiropractor While Pregnant
Pregnancy is accompanied by a number of physical and hormonal changes that will impact your body, especially your posture. As your belly grows to accommodate your developing baby, you’ll notice a shift to your center of gravity. This shift means your posture will adjust to accommodate the new weight distribution to avoid your toppling over. Your back will become more curved and your pelvis will shift. Going to a chiropractor while pregnant can help alleviate any pain that is caused by these changes. This alone should answer the question of is it safe to see a chiropractor while pregnant with an emphatic “Yes!” In fact, roughly 75% of pregnant women reported feeling pain relief after visiting their chiropractor.1 Regular chiropractic care during pregnancy helps to relieve pain throughout your body, which contributes to a healthier pregnancy for both mom and baby.
Chiropractic care during pregnancy is also beneficial for your baby. When your body is aligned properly, you open up space for your baby to develop in a healthy manner. Chiropractic care during pregnancy helps to relieve the possibility of intrauterine constraint, which can actually lead to birth defects.1 Having a properly aligned pelvis also contributes to a healthy delivery. The more balanced your pelvis is, the less likely your baby will move into a breech position which can lead to a complicated delivery. Regular chiropractic care can therefore contribute to faster, and easier, labor delivery.1 It has also been shown to prevent unplanned c-sections.
A lesser known benefit of chiropractic care during pregnancy is the alleviation of many symptoms of nausea. If you’re struggling from extreme bouts of nausea, talk to your doctor about seeing a chiropractor to help relieve this symptom. Another reason to answer is it safe to see a chiropractor while pregnant in the affirmative.
To make sure that you’re staying safe, talk to your doctor before seeing your chiropractor if you’re pregnant. You should avoid seeing a chiropractor during pregnancy if you are experiencing vaginal bleeding, placenta previa or placenta abruption, ectopic pregnancy, or moderate to severe toxemia.1 We recommend making sure that your chiropractor is versed in prenatal care, like the chiropractors at AZ Chiropractic. AZ Chiropractic and Physical Medicine of Arizona is your one stop for overall health in Gilbert, AZ. We offer chiropractic treatment, physical medicine, massage therapy, trigger point injections, and more. To learn more about creating a personalized treatment plan for regular chiropractic care throughout your pregnancy, give us a call today at (480) 899-9923 or fill out a new patient form online.