Pregnancy is such an amazing journey and sacred time in a woman’s life! As a new life is growing inside, the mother’s body is changing too. Ligaments are expanding, muscles are stretching and her center of gravity is shifting. The curvature in their low back increases to compensate for the additional weight in their abdomen and their pelvic floor muscles will be asked to work a little harder. At the same time, the amount of relaxin (the hormone that allows for a lot of the changes/expansion in pregnancy) circulating throughout their body continuously increases until delivery. These changes are NORMAL! Being pregnant does not mean that an expecting mother has to experience back pain or discomfort. Getting adjusted during pregnancy has the potential to: Help prevent or decrease back, pelvic and ligament pain Create the most open and symmetrical pelvic outlet, not only for baby to be head-down, but central over the cervix and facing the optimal way helping to optimize baby’s position, reduce the likelihood of back labor shorten the duration of labor and pushing

Before any type of treatment is given at Birthwell, a detailed history will be discussed and a comprehensive exam will be conducted. If there are no contraindications to care, we will utilize the most gentle, but effective techniques and tools to reduce stress and misalignment in the body. We are knowledgeable in prenatal situations where certain techniques are not advised, and have many resources and tools to modify care to meet each woman’s unique needs.

We make every effort to make each person’s visit at Birthwell enjoyable. Most women feel relief and better mobility after there adjustments. It is possible for someone to feel sore after an adjustment as we are asking muscles to shift to a new length as proper alignment is encouraged, similar to completing a new workout, and suggestions will be given to help ease any discomfort.

Most women begin noticing changes in their body early in pregnancy, some notice discomfort and others have pain. As a society, we have come to expect pain and discomfort in pregnancy, but it doesn’t have to be that way! Getting adjusted as soon as possible, and as your body is changing and your baby is growing helps keep you moving freely and living your life as normal as possible. We have seen women as soon as they become pregnant, and others for the first time the day the deliver!

The frequency of care is unique to each individual. As a general rule, prenatal visits are at least as often as OB/midwifery appointments. For babies, often there are a few weeks of visits closer together and then we start to see them less frequently based on how the baby is responding.

Some women have sought care the same day that they deliver, others on the way home from their birthing location, and others daysweeks later. And don’t worry, if you have had a c-section or have any other concerns or needed modifications, we have special tools and techniques to help you be cared for by our team!

We have had the honor of assessing and adjusting babies in their first days of life. Our recommendation is that as soon as you are comfortable being out and about, let us help you make an appointment for your little one. Birth can be both beautiful and stressful for your newborn. Their first spinal misalignment, or subluxation, can occur as early as in utero, or often times during the delivery process. Whether your baby is born vaginally or via csection, the doctor is often assisting in the delivery and pulling on the newborn’s neck and body, and not likely in perfectly symmetrical proportions. Misalignments and muscle tension in an infant can affect their latch, sleep, mood, immunity, bowel movements and more. Be assured, the care your newborn will receive at Birthwell is very gentle with no popping or twisting. The specialized training our doctors have completed allows them to competently assess your child and deliver the most safe and gentle care. Often times babies sleep through their adjustments! A combination of cranial work and adjustments as indicated, along with recommendations for home care, will help give your baby the best start to a healthy spine and overall health. Indications chiropractic care may be beneficial for your baby: Feeding concerns: painful latch, leaking and/or clicking at the breast or bottle, slow weight gain Bowel movements: decreased or uncomfortable bowel movements Neck or back discomfort: frequent arching of their back, favoring their head to one side, preference of latching on one breast over the other, fussiness/ colic Signs of illness: ear discomfort or infections, goopy eyes, congestion Birth trauma: vacuum/forceps delivery, bruising, misshapen head, very quick or long labor/pushing time The sooner we can restore health to these little ones, the better their life will be…why not start them on the path to optimal health early?

The postpartum period (approximately 3 months of time after a baby is born) has also been referred to as the fourth trimester. During this time, your baby is adjusting to life outside of the womb, your family is adapting to the new baby and a new rhythm of life, and your body is going to endure some major changes. Significant hormonal shifts are happening, your center of gravity is readjusting to not having as much abdominal weight and decreasing the compensated curvature in your low back, and your muscles and ligaments are finding their normal again. From a chiropractic standpoint, this is a golden time to be adjusted. We can encourage your spine to be in better alignment than it may have been for decades prior to pregnancy. If we can adjust you during this critical period of time, chiropractic can help: Improve your long-term spinal health and alignment Decrease the frequency of headaches and back pain often associated with feeding and carrying a baby Relieve aches and pain from childbirth and those first few days without baby in the womb Educate you on options for optimal healing and self-care considerations