Can You Go to the Chiropractor While Pregnant?

Pregnancy comes with some very literal growing pains.

While your body is hard at work building your little one, you may be experiencing a whole new brand of pain and discomfort.

Lower back pain, pelvic girdle pain, leg cramps — this is one achy time.

So what can you do about it? Can you go to the chiropractor while pregnant?

The short answer is yes, it’s generally safe to do so.

Studies have shown that the risks are very low, and the benefits — like improving lower back pain — may make it worth exploring.

We’ll take you through the details under the guidance of Chiropractor and Wellness Practitioner Dr. Paige Enwright.

In this article: 📝

What is a chiropractor?

Chiropractic care is a drug-free treatment that focuses on your spine, muscles, joints, and nerves to relieve pain and discomfort.

It can be used as a therapy on its own or in conjunction with other treatments, like physical therapy.

Beyond pain relief, it also helps to improve posture, flexibility, and nervous system function.

"Chiropractic allows the body the very best ability to adapt to the environment," explains Dr. Enwright, "and to the stressors we are subjected to."

If you’re pregnant, this can all be welcome news.

In fact, there’s even a specific branch of chiropractic treatment that focuses on prenatal care.

What is a prenatal chiropractor?

While all chiropractors will have some training in looking after pregnant women, some specialize in prenatal care.

And going to a chiropractor during pregnancy could help relieve pregnancy-related discomfort and maybe even assist with baby malpositioning like a breech baby.

Plus, a prenatal chiropractor will be able to give advice on preparing your body for labor and help out if you experience pain in your postpartum period.

In choosing a prenatal chiropractor, here are some credentials to look out for:

• Webster Certified. The Webster Technique involves specific education in adjustments of the pelvis and sacrum.
• Member of ICPA (International Chiropractic Pediatric Association). This organization specializes in family chiropractic care, including pregnant women and children. It grants the Webster certification as well as these two certifications:
• DACCP or CACCP. These are certificates for the care of children and pregnant women.

Benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy

Chiropractic care is all about maintaining the health of your spine, joints, and nervous system, including pain relief and making sure your posture is as correct as possible.

This can be particularly helpful during pregnancy when your body undergoes a lot of physical and hormonal changes.

It produces a lot more of a hormone called relaxin, which loosens your ligaments and joints to make it easier to give birth.

This can make your muscles and joints looser and, along with the weight of your growing baby, put lots of pressure on your spine and change your posture, causing pain and discomfort.

Receiving chiropractic care during pregnancy has helped many women with low back pain, ligament pain, and pelvis and sacrum pain.

And while not all of these claims are thoroughly proven, the Webster Technique is also thought to reduce the likelihood of breech births and shorten labor.

This is because if your pelvis is out of alignment, it can be more difficult for your baby to move into the right position to give birth.

Are there dangers of chiropractic care during pregnancy?

The safety of your baby is going to be your top priority right now.

Luckily, there isn’t any evidence to show that chiropractic adjustment puts your baby in danger.

Seeing a chiropractor is normally perfectly safe during pregnancy, though, as with most things, you should consult your doctor or midwife before doing so.

It’s not recommended to see a chiropractor if you’re experiencing:

• Vaginal bleeding.
• Placenta previa or placental abruption.
• Ectopic pregnancy.
• Toxemia.

When can you go to the chiropractor while pregnant?

You can start chiropractic care at any time during pregnancy, including in the first trimester.

Just make sure you tell your chiropractor that you’re expecting.

As your baby grows, your pregnancy chiropractor might use a special table that adjusts to provide space for your belly.

How often should I go to the chiropractor while pregnant?

There is no set schedule for chiropractic treatment when you’re pregnant, so you should go when you feel you need it.

One visit a month until the third trimester should keep everything in alignment, but if you’re experiencing any particular problems, you may need more regular treatments.

As we’ve mentioned, you should speak to your doctor or midwife before seeing a chiropractor, and make sure you tell your chiropractor that you are pregnant!

And if you’re experiencing pain during pregnancy, it might be worth chatting with other Peanut mamas to see what has helped them with pregnancy’s common aches and pains.

You've got this! ❤️