Chiropractic Care and Pregnancy

When a woman is pregnant changes within the body occur immediately. All of these changes are to support the life that is growing inside the woman. During the first trimester, morning sickness is a very common experience. This occurs due to the increase in hormone levels and the growth of the placenta. With the extreme rise in hormone levels and the growth of the placenta, the liver is working significantly harder which can create a lot of stress on the organ. We you come in and see us at Atlantic Spine Clinic in Mount Pleasant, SC, we will eliminate any stress on the nervous system with regular adjustments. Headaches are also a common symptom during the first trimester of pregnancy, but are known to last throughout the whole pregnancy. There are several possible reasons for this, including: misalignment(s) within the neck and upper back, dehydration, stress, in addition to sugar and caffeine withdrawal. Through chiropractic adjustments, proper nutrition, and a healthy sleep cycle these headaches can be greatly reduced or eliminated. During the second trimester the “baby weight” begins to show and the mother’s body has been undergoing physical changes to accommodate this weight. If you already have misalignments within your spine it is very possible for a pregnancy to exacerbate the symptoms causing headaches, acid reflux, constipation, diarrhea or pain. Throughout the pregnancy, the pelvis is shifting forward changing the low back curve. This is supposed to happen but if you have a misalignment within your low back or spine already, this could create substantial pain. The real benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy can be seen when a woman goes into labor. The average length of labor is 10 ½ hours. First time mother’s receiving chiropractic care can experience a 24% decreased labor time and mothers that have had children can experience a 39% decrease in labor time. Complications during pregnancy can be minimized or even avoided with total prenatal care. This includes: • Chiropractic care • Exercise • Proper nutrition • Supplementation • Drinking lots of water • Plenty of sleep Both Dr. Huston and Dr. Lindstrom are happy to answer any for your questions about pregnancy and chiropractic care on your next visit!