Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a very special time for all women. During pregnancy changes are constantly occurring to the body. The center of gravity is changing daily as the fetus grows and the body is ever adapting to the change. Also, beginning late in the first trimester or early second a hormone, called relaxin, begins being released. Relxain relaxes ligaments so the joints of the pelvis are able to expand during childbirth. However, relaxin does not just target the pelvis, it affects all of the ligaments throughout the body. The combination of ligaments with more stress and an ever changing center of gravity wreaks havoc on an expecting mother. Pregnancy is often a less than fully comfortable experience. Routine chiropractic visits during pregnancy can help reduce the discomfort during pregnancy.
The adjustments are quite safe for an expecting mother and the developing fetus. Precautions are taken to remove any and all pressure off the belly, fully protecting the baby.
Breech babies are a fairly common and challenging issue during pregnancy. There are several forms of breech including full breech, transverse lie, and back labor. Often times breech issues are caused by misalignments present in the pelvis which reduce the space available in the womb for the baby to turn. By addressing and correcting the misalignments adequate space can be restored in the womb allowing the baby to rotate into its proper position. Typically, routine chiropractic visits during pregnancy can avoid a breech presentation. However, if a baby is breech and the water has not broken yet there is a good chance adjusting the pelvis can help the baby turn.
At Active Lifestyle Chiropractic we recommend that all expecting mothers are adjusted at least once a month during pregnancy to keep them as comfortable as possible during pregnancy; then at least twice the last month to make sure the body is in the most optimal condition it can be for delivery.
Childbirth is a very physically demanding experience for both the mother and the baby. At Active Lifestyle we recommend that the mother get adjusted soon after childbirth to address and correct all the misalignments that occurred during delivery. If the baby is delivered vaginally the mother can come in as soon as she would like to, although we recommend waiting a few days to recover a bit. If the baby is delivered via cesarean the mother should wait at least two weeks to allow the incision to fully heal.