Staying Comfortable Through Pregnancy: How Chiropractic Care Can Help

Pregnancy asks a lot of your body in a short amount of time. In the span of a few months, your posture shifts, your center of gravity moves forward, and your joints loosen to make room for a growing baby. It’s remarkable what a body will do to bring a child into the world. It’s also no surprise that a lot of moms feel it in their back, hips, and pelvis along the way.

If you’re expecting and dealing with aches that make it hard to sleep, sit, or get through the day, you’re not imagining things, and you’re not stuck with it. Prenatal chiropractic care is one of the gentlest ways to help your body adjust to the changes of pregnancy and stay more comfortable through all three trimesters.

Why pregnancy is so hard on your back and hips

A few things are happening at once. Your belly grows and pulls your spine into a deeper curve, which puts extra load on your lower back. Your body also releases a hormone called relaxin that softens the ligaments around your pelvis so it can open for birth. That’s exactly what’s supposed to happen, but looser ligaments and a shifting load can leave your pelvis and lower back less stable than they used to be.

The result, for a lot of moms, is low back pain, achy hips, pelvic pressure, or that sharp twinge down the side of the belly when you stand up too fast. These are some of the most common complaints of pregnancy, and they tend to get louder as the weeks go on.

What prenatal chiropractic care actually looks like

The goal of prenatal care in our office is simple: help your pelvis and spine move and sit the way they’re meant to, so your body can carry the pregnancy with less strain.

Adjustments during pregnancy are gentle and adapted for your comfort. We use tables and positioning that take the pressure off your belly, so you can lie down without lying on your stomach. Nothing about it should feel forceful or rushed.

Many chiropractors who work with pregnancy, including our practice, are trained in the Webster Technique. This is a specific approach developed through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association that focuses on balancing the muscles and ligaments of the pelvis and easing tension in the surrounding area. It’s worth being clear about what it is and isn’t: the Webster Technique is a method for restoring balance to the pelvis. It is not a procedure to turn a baby, and we won’t describe it that way. What a balanced, well-functioning pelvis can offer is more room and less strain, and for many moms, more comfort.

Is it safe?

Chiropractic care is widely considered a safe, drug-free option for managing the aches of a healthy pregnancy, which is part of why so many moms look for it. That said, every pregnancy is different. We always want you working alongside your OB or midwife, not instead of them. If you have a high-risk pregnancy or a specific complication, that’s a conversation to have with your medical provider first, and we’re glad to coordinate with them.

There are also symptoms that call for medical attention rather than a chiropractic visit, including heavy bleeding, severe or sudden abdominal pain, a gush of fluid, or a noticeable drop in your baby’s movement. If something like that comes up, call your doctor or head to the hospital. Chiropractic care is for the everyday aches, not the emergencies.

When to come in

You don’t have to wait until you’re miserable. Many moms start care early to stay ahead of the discomfort, and others come in during the second or third trimester when the extra weight really starts to show up in their back and hips. Either way is fine. Wherever you are in your pregnancy, it’s a good time to get your body the support it needs.

We’ve walked alongside a lot of Edmond and Northwest OKC families through pregnancy, and helping moms feel more like themselves during these months is some of the most rewarding work we do.

If you’re expecting and you’re tired of aching your way through the day, we’d love to help. Give our office a call at (405) 242-4911 and we’ll talk through whether prenatal chiropractic care is a good fit for you.