Spinal care can help the spine and pelvis cope with the effects of  pregnancy by restoring a state of balance.

Seeking help with the Discomfort and Pain of Pregnancy?

During pregnancy, a woman's center of gravity shifts forward to the front of her pelvis. This additional weight in front, causes stress to the joints of the pelvis and low back. As the baby grows in size, the added weight causes the curvature of her lower back to increase, placing extra stress on the fragile facet joints on the back side of the spine. Any pre-existing problems in a woman's spine tend to be exacerbated as the spine and pelvis become overtaxed, often leading to pain and difficulty performing normal daily activities.

Studies have found that about half of all expectant mothers develop low-back pain at some point during their pregnancies. This is especially true during the third trimester when the baby's body gains the most weight. Gentle non-invasive spinal care throughout pregnancy can relieve and even prevent the pain and discomfort frequently experienced in pregnancy, and creates an environment for an easier, safer delivery. It is one safe and effective way to help the spine and pelvis cope with the rapid increase in physical stress by restoring a state of balance. In fact, most women have found that spinal care helped them avoid the use of pain medications during their pregnancy. Our wellness experts should be your partners for a healthy pregnancy. They can provide adjustments, as well as offer nutritional, ergonomic and exercise advice to help address your special needs.

Wellness tips for pregnant women:

Be sure to get adjusted regularly. Spinal care is important to help maintain a healthy skeletal structure and nervous system function throughout a pregnancy and childbirth.

Do some gentle exercise each day. Walking, swimming, or stationary cycling are relatively safe cardiovascular exercises for pregnant women. Avoid any activities that involve jerking or bouncing movements. Stop exercise immediately if you notice any unusual symptom, such as nausea, dizziness or weakness.

Get custom made arch supports. Your feet become more susceptible to injury during pregnancy, partially due to a rapidly increasing body weight, but also because the ligaments that support the feet become more lax.

When picking up children, bend from the knees, not the waist. Your low back is much more prone to injury during pregnancy.

When sleeping, lay on your side with a pillow between your knees to take pressure off your lower back. Full-length "body pillows" or "pregnancy wedges" are very popular and can be helpful.

Eat several small meals or snacks every few hours, rather than three large meals per day. This will help alleviate nausea, stabilise blood sugar and allow your body to extract the maximum amount of nutrients from the foods that you eat.

Take a prenatal vitamin with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid every day; 800 micrograms is even better. Folic acid has been shown to dramatically reduce the risk of neural tube defects in a developing fetus. Be sure to check with your doctor before taking any vitamin or herbal supplement to make sure it's safe for you and the baby.

At the Spine & Wellness Centre we have many experts that specialise in natural interventions for a variety of conditions. Our team is made up professionals that specialise in advanced techniques to rehabilitate spinal abnormalities/injuries, nerve damage, and offer first class education in nutrition and exercise science all of which can help with mid-back and neck problems. Our specialised team works together to reverse the root cause of your low back pain. Contact our clinic today, we can help!

Research:

Outcome of pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain treated according to a diagnosis-based decision rule: a prospective observational cohort study. Murphy DR, Hurwitz EL, McGovern EE. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2009 Oct;32(8):616-24.

Chiropractic treatment of pregnancy-related low back pain: a systematic review of the evidence. Stuber KJ, Smith DL. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2008 Jul-Aug;31(6):447-54.

The safety of chiropractic during pregnancy: A pilot e-mail survey of chiropractors’ opinions. Kent Stuber. Clinical Chiropractic (2007) 10, 24—35.

Case Studies:

Intractable migraine headaches during pregnancy under chiropractic care. Alcantara J, Cossette M. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2009 Nov;15(4):192-7. Epub 2009 May 2.

The Chiropractic Care of a Gravid Patient with a History of Multiple Caesarean Births & Sacral Subluxation. Joel Alcantara, BSc, DC1 and Ingrid Hamel, DC, FICPA. J. Vertebral Subluxation Res. March 11, 2008.

Chiropractic treatment of a pregnant patient with lumbar radiculopathy. Kruse RA, Gudavalli S, Cambron J. J Chiropr Med. 2007 Dec;6(4):153-8.

A manual therapy and exercise approach to meralgia paresthetica in pregnancy: a case report. Skaggs CD, Winchester BA, Vianin M, Prather H. J Chiropr Med. 2006 Autumn;5(3):92-6.

Chiropractic spinal manipulation for low back pain of pregnancy: a retrospective case series. Lisi AJ. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2006 Jan-Feb;51(1):e7-10.

Conservative management of groin pain during pregnancy: a descriptive case study. Ducar D, Skaggs CD. J Chiropr Med. 2005 Winter;4(4):195-9.