Last week we received a call at our office from a woman who was 8 months pregnant and experiencing back pain. She was wondering if she could get adjusted, and the answer is ABSOLUTELY! Chiropractic care during pregnancy can make the whole 9 months more comfortable, help your body become prepared for childbirth, and even help with a quicker recovery after welcoming your new beautiful baby!

There are many ways in which chiropractic care helps women feel their best throughout pregnancy. In the early stages many women experience nausea, some even complain of this for the whole pregnancy. Many people don’t realize that chiropractic adjustments help with nausea. The nerves that travel to every organ and muscle of the body go through the spinal column. This is the body's internal  information highway. Messages are sent from the brain and received back to the brain through the spinal column. If anything inhibits those messages, they are not processed correctly. The stress of changing hormones and a changing body can cause misalignment and thereby stress on the organs. Chiropractic adjustments can help relieve the stress by correcting the subluxation,thereby restoring free movement in the spine and clearing the roadblock on the information highway.

The most common reason we hear from pregnant women in our office is back pain. 50% of women will experience low back pain during their pregnancy due to an increased curve in the low back. The body is working hard to balance the weight of the baby, and an adjustment can help realign the spine and hips, reducing low back pain.

What many people don’t know is that chiropractic care during pregnancy helps to shorten the labor time and reduce the pain during labor up to 25%. During each adjustment, the chiropractor is not only checking the spine, but the pelvic bones as well. They are making sure the pelvic bones are aligned and that the baby has a clear path through the birth canal. It also relaxes the muscles, allowing for less stress and pain during labor. I have never talked to a woman who didn't want a shorter labor and less pain!

During the third trimester of pregnancy, there is a hormone produced by the body called relaxin. This hormone helps the joints and muscles relax and expand as the baby goes through the birth canal. After giving birth, the body has to realign the joints and tighten up the muscles. Sometimes these joints don't align correctly and may cause low back pain and sciatica. Chiropractic adjustments correct the alignment, thereby reducing pain and restoring the range of motion.

Other causes of back pain in new mothers is carrying a baby, and sitting or sleeping in odd positions. This can cause a range of pain from the neck, mid, or low back. Sometimes even shoulder and hip. As chiropractors, we treat the whole body. So whether the pain is spinal or an extremity, chiropractic helps! At Tyjeski Family Chiropractic, we specialize in low force, instrument assisted adjusting to gently realign the joints and help the muscles relax.

Having a baby is such an exciting time. Feeling your best and preparing your body for the physical demands of pregnancy and delivery can help you enjoy this time even more. Remember to take care of yourself first so you are at your best to care for your new baby!

**And don’t forget, we adjust babies too, when the babies feel better, they sleep better…...and so do the mothers!