Chiropractic:  An Integral Part of Your Birthing Team
         by Elizabeth Decker, South Boulder Chiropractic

Chiropractic was introduced to me through my sister.  She was pregnant with her first child and started to experience low back pain, with pain radiating into her leg.  She was evaluated by a chiropractor and started treatment.  Within a few treatments she had relief!  In fact, studies have shown chiropractic adjustments to be 84% effective in relieving low back pain during pregnancy.   My sister’s enthusiasm led me to seek chiropractic as a profession, and now, to specialize in the care of children and pregnant women.

Chiropractic is different from other types of healthcare because it looks to the structure of the pregnant woman as she changes during pregnancy.  Pregnancy causes rapid changes in the structure of the spine. Changes in weight gain, center of gravity, hormone levels, and posture all have various impacts on the spinal structures.  Chiropractic can help ease symptoms from all of these changes.  Chiropractic has been shown to be effective in helping: sciatic type symptoms (pain in the lower back which travels down the back of one or both legs), rib pain, pubic symphysis separation (pain in the front of the pelvis), carpal tunnel syndrome, back labor, breech presentations, neck, mid-back and lower back pain. 

Chiropractic is not only for women who experience symptoms of pain during their pregnancies.  In fact, regular adjustments may decrease your labor time!  In one study, women receiving chiropractic care through their first pregnancy had 24% shorter labor times than a group not receiving chiropractic, and multiparous subjects reported 39% shorter labor times.  The decrease in labor time can be attributed to adjustments helping to maintain motion in the pelvic joints.  This allows the pelvic joints to function well, and to open evenly at the time of labor and delivery. 

To understand how chiropractic is effective, let’s go over the basics. Every joint in your body needs to move to stay healthy.  Joints are surrounded by fluid, and when a joint is stationary for too long, toxins and chemicals build up in the fluid surrounding the joints.  This irritates the joints and the adjacent tissues. Your spinal column is made of many highly functioning mobile joints.  It is important to maintain health in the spinal joints because they are in such close proximity to the spinal nerves, which supply information to control your entire body.  When a joint is restricted (chiropractors call these restricted joints subluxations), it causes the nervous system to function at a less than optimal level.  Subluxations are caused by injury, either acute or chronic (like postural changes), toxins, or emotional stress.  Chiropractors determine where subluxations are and add motion (an adjustment) to those areas.  Then the body can clean up the irritants, and the nervous system can function at its best. Therefore you can function at your best.

During the first visit to a chiropractor, a consultation and medical history is taken to gather important information about the mother’s health and the progression of the pregnancy.  A nutritional assessment is also performed to determine if there is adequate nutrition in the diet.  A thorough examination is then conducted including orthopedic, neurologic, physical, and postural assessments.  The spinal joints and surrounding musculature are then evaluated to determine structural alterations.  In my office, I use a pregnancy “pillow” which is placed across the chiropractic table during the examination and treatments, allowing the pregnant woman to rest safely and comfortably on her stomach. 

Treatments include adjustments, education concerning home exercises and stretches, and nutritional education.  I also act as a source of information about various other topics relating to pregnancy.

After the baby is born, it is important that you and your new baby are checked by a chiropractor.  The birth process alone is forceful to the baby’s spine.  If any external devices are used, like medications, forceps or vacuum extraction, the birth process can be even more traumatic on the infant’s spine.  The new mom should also be assessed postpartum.  There are structural changes that occur in the spine and pelvis during labor and delivery.  Because of these changes, as well as the changes in hormone levels, new postures with nursing and holding the baby, and changes in sleep patterns, the spine should be evaluated and treated.  

Please contact Elizabeth Decker of South Boulder Chiropractic  at 303-499-5000 if you have any questions.