Chiropractic care and pregnancy go hand in hand. There are many benefits of seeing your chiropractor while pregnant. Regular adjustments can reduce aches and pains, prepare the body for labor, reduce length of labor, and reduce the incidence of a breech presentation. The Webster technique is a special certification for chiropractors who specialize in prenatal/pregnancy. Both Dr. Jo and Dr. Andria, chiropractors at Live Well in Chanhassen, are certified in the Webster technique.
Musculoskeletal Changes in Pregnancy
To understand how chiropractic can help in pregnancy, let’s look at the body structure. Your uterus is attached to the pelvis and sacrum by the way of utero-sacral ligaments behind the uterus, the round ligaments in front, and broad ligament on each side. During pregnancy, your body is rapidly changing to make space for and support your baby, and prepare for delivery. The combination of extra stress and weight on the skeleton along with the increased hormone relaxin in the soft tissues, makes it easy for the sacrum and pubic bones to shift and come out of alignment.
These changes can cause and exacerbate common pregnancy aches and pains like:
- Hip pain
- Lower back pain
- Pelvic and pubic bone pain
- Sciatica
- Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain
What Is the Webster Technique?
The Webster technique is a specific chiropractic pelvic analysis and adjustment. The goal of the adjustment is to reduce the effects of sacral subluxation and/or SI joint dysfunction. This means that we correct any misalignments in the pelvis. Proper alignment alleviates muscle tension and imbalance to ease aches and pains.
Without undue tension on the uterus, the baby has more room for movement, and proper in-utero development. Free of pelvic and sacral subluxations, the nerve system may be significantly enhanced and the birth canal’s diameter may be maximized, thus decreasing your chances for difficult labor and additional complications during delivery. Due to the gentle nature of the Webster technique, it is a safe adjustment all throughout pregnancy.
Many women seek the Webster technique when they have a breech presentation pregnancy. Although we cannot move your baby, we work to create an environment that encourages the baby to move into the ideal position for labor and delivery.When the pelvis is unrestricted, it encourages the baby to return to a vertex position, which is ideal for labor.
It is best to start chiropractic care as early as possible in your pregnancy. There is a higher chance of change the earlier that care begins! We want to help you have the most comfortable and enjoyable pregnancy as possible. Contact us at Live Well to schedule your free exam and consult.
Resource: For many pregnant moms, Webster technique is the key to safer birth, Nicole A. Whitehead, D.C.