Your local, friendly pregnancy chiropractor
Many of our pregnant clients who suffer with back pain during pregnancy, have found that undergoing continuous chiropractic treatment has helped them avoid using pain medications during their pregnancy. Medical studies have even shown that chiropractic adjustments can actively help to reduce the duration of labour.
At Spinal Care Clinics, we’re committed to the mental and physiological well-being of all our clients throughout the various stages of their pregnancy. We utilise state of the art medical equipment to alleviate and strengthen your spine, muscles and joints, as well as offering gentle massage therapy and exercise advice which is individually tailored to accommodate the needs and abilities of each of our clients.
What are the negative physiological symptoms of pregnancy?
Studies have found that approximately 50% of all expectant mothers experience pregnancy pain such as lower back pain and pelvis pain at some point during their pregnancies. This is especially true during the third trimester when your baby’s body gains the most weight.
Chiropractic care throughout pregnancy can relieve, and even prevent, pain and discomfort frequently experienced during pregnancy, as well as creating a relaxed environment to facilitate an easier, safer delivery.
During pregnancy, your centre of gravity shifts forward to the front of your pelvis. This additional weight causes stress to the joints of your pelvis and lower back. Moreover, as your baby grows in size, this additional weight causes the curvature of your lower back to increase. This places significant stress on the fragile facet joints on the back of your spine.
Any pre-existing spinal problems, which you may have sustained before becoming pregnant, may worsen as both your spine and pelvis become overtaxed. This can lead to continuous pain and discomfort in your lower back, muscles and joints as well as an increased difficulty to perform normal daily activities.
Thankfully, regular chiropractic treatment throughout your pregnancy can help alleviate the pressure from your spine and pelvis and help you cope with the physical stress of pregnancy, by restoring your body’s normal state of balance.
Chiropractic tips for pregnant women:
- Receive regular chiropractic adjustments in order to maintain a healthy skeletal structure and nervous system function throughout pregnancy and during childbirth.
- Undertake daily exercise. Low impact exercises such as walking, swimming, or stationary cycling are suitable cardiovascular exercises for pregnant women.
- Avoid jerking or bouncing movements as well as weight bearing exercises. If you experience nausea, dizziness or weakness of any kind whilst exercising, cease exercise immediately
- Wearing flat shoes with arch supports helps prevent injuries to your foot muscles or ligaments.
- Ask your doctor about prenatal vitamins that contain between 400 and 800 micrograms of folic acid every day. Folic acid has been proven to dramatically reduce the risk of neural tube defects in a developing foetus. However, check with your doctor before taking any vitamin or herbal supplement ensure it is safe for you and your baby.
- When picking up children, bend from the knees not the waist in order to prevent the risk of lower back injuries.
- When sleeping, try to lay on your side with a pillow between your knees to alleviate lower back pressure.
- Eat several small meals or snacks every few hours, as opposed to three large meals per day. Eating small meals will help alleviate nausea, stabilise blood sugar levels and allow your body to extract the maximum amount of nutrients from the foods that you eat.
- Undergo sports massage therapy treatments, which will support the healing process of your injured muscles and joints.