Chiropractic Care can be beneficial throughout all stages of pregnancy and postpartum. In this article, we discuss chiropractic care for pregnancy, after the birth, and for the baby. Dr. Natasha is also interviewed by Sylvia Otvos, Certified Birth Doula and Postpartum Doula.
Seeing Your Chiropractor During Pregnancy
Did you know that a chiropractor specializing in Prenatal Chiropractic can help you with many pregnancy and postpartum symptoms? Chiropractic Care is an integral part of your birth care team, and it may also include your doctor, midwife and doula.
Chiropractic adjustments during pregnancy can provide significant relief from the pain and discomfort associated with the stress on the spine from changing biomechanics. As your baby grows and the uterus expands, the centre of gravity shifts, creating pressure on the hips, pelvis, and lower back, resulting in low back pain, sciatica, and other common conditions in pregnancy. Chiropractic care offers a comforting solution to these discomforts.
Pregnancy Chiropractic Care can reduce pelvic and lower back pain, pubic symphysis discomfort, and rib pain, and it can also balance the pelvis and pelvic ligaments.
Round Ligament Pain signals that your body is working hard to support your growing baby. It is common for the ligaments to stretch to accommodate your baby’s growth. Most women start to feel round ligament pain by the second trimester, when the uterus outgrows the pelvis and pushes up into the abdomen. It may continue into the third trimester.
Webster Technique
The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment that addresses restricted pelvic mobility. In pregnancy, pelvic imbalance adversely affects uterine nerve function and the structure of the pelvis and may hinder a baby’s ability to achieve optimal positioning. The Webster Technique hopes to free up space to assist in labour and delivery.
Postpartum Chiropractic Care
While many physical symptoms experienced during pregnancy may resolve shortly after the baby arrives, some new parents may need additional support in the postpartum period. New challenges may also arise related to feeding and caring for the baby, or in the gradual return to exercise. Chiropractic care postpartum is an essential part of adjusting to new physical demands, both in early postpartum and beyond.
As you return to activity following the birth of your baby, and you both adjust to feeding routines, Postpartum Chiropractic Care can address related aches and discomfort and help make this as special as it is meant to be for the whole family.
For infants experiencing challenges adapting to feeding routines, their lactation support team may point out tensions in the neck, face, or jaw as a contributing factor. You can read more about how chiropractic can benefit infants here.
Birth Care Team
Sylvia Otvos, Founder of Rock the Cradle is a Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula and knows how important it is for parents to be prepared. Sylvia offers online Prenatal Classes called the Power of Positive Birth.
In Doula Dialogues, Sylvia speaks with Dr. Natasha Hayden about her work with birth parents in pregnancy and postpartum.
Medical doctors are sometimes unaware of the options available for birth parents. Dr. Natasha discusses Physical Medicine, which creates a distinction between internal medicine, which we tend to seek from our family doctor, and a more body-focused and mobility-focused approach to health care.
Chiropractic Care for Babies
Some infants are born with a restricted spinal mobility from birth and delivery or C-sections, and having your baby checked soon after birth will identify any concerns.
As an infant grows, learning to hold up the head, sit, crawl, and the initial walking stages are all times in spinal development when tension may occur and when Chiropractic care for babies will benefit.
Chiropractic care supports and strengthens the neuromusculoskeletal system of the growing baby, helping them through all their milestones. During adjustments, any pressure that may be applied is done with a gentle and soft hand.
What to Do Next
Dr. Natasha Hayden is a chiropractor in Montreal who focuses on a holistic medicine model, or what she refers to as physical medicine. Although Natasha focuses on pediatric and prenatal care, treatments for a variety of conditions are available for all individuals from birth and beyond.
Dr. Hayden usually keeps a few spots open for urgent prenatal or pediatric appointments the ‘week of.’ For new patients, an appointment may take 1-2 weeks. Current practice members can book follow-up appointments within 1-3 days.
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