Chiropractic Care during Pregnancy

One thing a lot of women do not know is the importance of having a balanced pelvis during labor. Which is why as a birth advocate I feel strongly about Chiropractic care during pregnancy. Not only does it help you live a healthier life, but it also helps you to get your baby into the optimal position for birth.

Many women question me when I bring this subject up, asking how someone who has a big belly is able to lay down and really get adjusted properly. During pregnancy, many Chiropractors will steer clear of adjusting the spine itself, and stick to the pelvis, neck, and round ligaments in something known as The Webster Technique.

The Webster Technique was founded by Dr. Larry Webster, also the founder of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, as a safe method to restore proper balance and function to the pelvis for pregnant mothers. The Webster Technique has also been proven to have a high success rate in preventing breech presentations.

Sacral misalignment causes the tightening and torsion of specific pelvic muscles and ligaments. ?It is these tense muscles and ligaments and their constraining effect on the uterus which prevents the baby from comfortably assuming the best possible position for birth. The Webster Technique is defined as a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment that reduces interference to the nerve system and facilitates biomechanical balance in pelvic structures, muscles and ligaments. This has been shown to reduce the effects of intrauterine constraint, allowing the baby to get into the best possible position for birth.

The above is taken from the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association Website explaining further the Webster Technique and how it works.

Why do I wholeheartedly believe in Chiropractic care as well as The Webster Technique?? My own personal experiences, which all started in June of 2008 when a woman came to my monthly ICAN meeting with a breech baby, frantic because she was planning a home birth in the month of August, and if her baby did not turn into a head down position, optimal for birth, she would have no option but to be admitted into the hospital and have a cesarean delivery, which for her was a nightmare situation. In our area, there are no known providers who will deliver a breech baby of any type.
Thankfully for this mother, our guest speaker for the month was a local Chiropractor, Dr. Jason Jenkin’s who has since become an amazing mentor and friend in my life. He spoke about The Webster Technique, and this woman started seeing him immediately in hopes of this method helping to turn her baby into the optimal position for her to have a successful home birth.
I nervously and skeptically kept track on her care through e-mails, phone calls, and facebook chats. And then her baby turned. Nice, head down, and ready for his peaceful birth at home!

Shortly after this, mom went into labor on a beautiful summer day, and little boy was born into his own mothers arms, in the water, in a beautiful home birth. When she e-mailed me about her birth, I sat and cried while I read, and became a firm believer in something I have known to be “Chiropractic Miracles”.

Since that time, this specific Chiropractic office has had several success stories with pregnancy related care, including my own Chiropractic care during my second pregnancy. Including adjustments the day I went into labor, as well as the next day after my son was born.

As one of my steps in helping to have a great birth, and avoid a cesarean section in a society where 1/3 of births are by surgery, I highly suggest Chiropractic care!