Pregnancy and Chiropractic Care
More and more women are discovering the many benefits associated with chiropractic
care in pregnancy. The most common complaint where women seek chiropractic care in
pregnancy is for low back pain. However, as more women utilize chiropractic care,
they are noticing additional prenatal as well as post-
- Maintaining a healthy pregnancy
- Controlling symptoms of nausea
- Increasing the likelihood of full-
term delivery - Reducing the time of labour and delivery
- Relieving back, neck or joint pain
- Prevent a potential caesarean section
Why should I have chiropractic care during pregnancy?
During pregnancy, there are several physiological and endocrinological changes that occur in preparation for creating the environment for the developing baby. The following changes could result in a misaligned spine or joint:
- Protruding abdomen and increased back curve
- Pelvic changes
- Postural adaptations
By establishing pelvic balance and alignment in the spine, this allows the body to adapt to an ever changing environment throughout all three trimesters. Furthermore, when the pelvis is misaligned, it may reduce the amount of room available for the developing baby, which can make it difficult for the baby to get into the best possible position for delivery. This reduction in space causes supporting ligaments to become twisted known as intrauterine constraint. Correction of intrauterine constraint is accomplished through a Chiropractic technique known as the Webster technique.
What is the Webster Technique?
It is a technique used to help pregnant women achieve greater comfort, safer births and prevent breech presentations. It has been featured on The Learning Channel's hit series "A Baby Story." You may have read about it in Mothering magazine or Midwifery Today. You could have heard about it from birthing professionals or, like many, you may not have heard of it at all. So then, what is it? The Webster Technique is a specific Chiropractic technique for pregnant women. It is designed to relieve the causes of intrauterine constraint.
What is intrauterine constraint?
As your baby develops, your uterus enlarges to accommodate the rapid growth. So long as the pelvis is in a balanced state, the ligaments connected to the uterus maintain an equalized, supportive suspension for the uterus. If your pelvis is out of balance in any way, these ligaments become torqued and twisted, causing a condition known as intrauterine constraint. This constraint limits the space of the developing baby. Any compromised position for the baby throughout pregnancy will affect his or her optimal development. If the uterus is constrained as birth approaches, the baby is prevented from getting into the ideal position for birth. Any baby position, even slightly off during birth, will slow down labour and add pain and distress to both the mother and baby.
How is Intrauterine Constraint corrected?
Performance of the Webster Technique involves analysis of the relationship of the bones of the pelvis, and correction of aberrant biomechanics through the use of a light force chiropractic adjustment of the sacrum (Step 1). It also involves analysis and relief of specific abdominal muscle tension or spasm (Step 2). Both steps are intended to relieve the musculoskeletal causes of intrauterine constraint that may lead to difficulty during labour. It is important to stress at this time that the Webster Technique is not to be misconstrued as the practice of obstetrics. The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic technique intended to relieve a specific musculoskeletal condition. At no time does the chiropractor attempt to change the position of the fetus as is done in external cephalic version (ECV). Untrained individuals should not attempt the Webster Technique. The ICPA (International Chiropractic Pediatric Association), founded by Dr. Webster, maintains the only database of Chiropractors certified in the proper performance of the Webster Technique. Dr. Kim received his certification in 2003.
