Wondering why you would receive chiropractic care when you are pregnant? Watch this video from the ICPA first:
I recently completed my Webster Certification during the Perinatal Care with Optional Webster Certification with the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA).
Chiropractic care in pregnancy is vital to the normal physiological function of both the mother and baby throughout pregnancy and birth. More women and birth providers are discovering the many benefits associated with chiropractic care in pregnancy and recognize this area of expertise through Webster Certification.
What is the Webster Technique?
The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic sacral analysis and diversified adjustment. The goal of the adjustment is to reduce the effects of sacral subluxation/ SI joint dysfunction. In doing so, neuro-biomechanical function in the pelvis is facilitated.
Sacral subluxation may contribute to difficult labor for the mother (i.e., dystocia), caused by inadequate uterine function, pelvic contraction, and baby malpresentation. Correction of sacral subluxation may have a positive effect on all of these causes of dystocia.
Malposition of the baby can also negatively impact the mother with common but not normal pelvic floor disorders and urinary incontinence and can result in a c-section births. A difficult birth is one of reasons kids should be checked; see a very comprehensive article on this here and here and listen to this.
Have look at these other articles for a deeper dive into the Webster Technique:
- About the Webster Technique
- The Webster Technique: A Technique for Pregnant Women
- Read The Webster Technique: Definition, Application and Implications
Why I Work with Families & Pregnant Mothers
The inability of the modern human to resist gravity is best exemplified through the epidemic and ubiquitous condition of low back pain. As a chiropractor, this is the most common complaint that comes into my office. See my previous blogs on how to avoid back pain and the safest and most effective approach for low back pain.
As a chiropractor, I have evolved my focus over the years. Having initially worked with many athletes, I’ve shifted my training and focus over time to spinal correction. During this shift, I realized that correcting spinal alignment is much more effective as a prevention model that should begin as early as possible — and having three of my own awesome kiddos accelerated this process.
I had to learn fast and realized that working with families seems the most logical approach. Part of this approach was making sure that the pregnant mother was in the most ideal position, in order to ensure the baby would grow optimally.
The Anatomy of Birth
When one understands the anatomy involved for having an optimal environment for fetal growth, it can be easier to understand the significant impact of chronic sitting, or traumas such as slips and falls. You can learn more about the four basic breech types here.
See how the pelvis moves on these short videos:
You can see that the uterus is very similar to a parachute. If the stabilizing structures are not optimally aligned, the uterus will not be in an ideal position for the baby.
If the pelvis is misaligned, this may prevent the baby from growing and developing in the most optimal position as well. This is where breech presentations come to mind, often leading to c-section birth.
Please see this article to understand why this may be a concern.
Alternative Options for Childbirth
You may be amazed to learn about many options you may have never considered for pregnancy, birthing, and parenting — something humans have been doing for a very long time, with very little intervention.
I feel strongly that one should never to tell a parent what choice to make, but I do feel that it is very important to make the most informed choice possible, that feels right for you. If you would like a great list of information to make an informed choice as a parent, check out the following resources:
- Chris Kresser, “Natural Childbirth: The Evolutionary Template for Birth” — Series exploring natural childbirth (homebirth) as an alternative to industrialized childbirth.
- ICPA Wellness Articles
- ICPA Pregnancy Articles
- ICPA, “The Hard Science of Supporting Low Tech Birth”
- ICPA, Chiropractic Research Articles — Offers a comprehensive collection of research studies, chiropractic case studies, and other published papers, which show the efficacy of chiropractic care for children and pregnant women.
- If you like podcasts, you can listen to this.
