Tailored Chiropractic Care for Pregnancy
Achieve maximum ease and prepare for natural childbirth with the Webster Technique
Prenatal Webster Certification
I am the owner and head practitioner of Specific Chiropractic, and quite a bit of my practice has been dedicated to supporting pregnant patients through more comfortable pregnancies and achieving optimal birthing outcomes. It gives me great pleasure to tell you that I have been certified in the Webster Technique by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, a method of chiropractic care tailored to pregnant women and children.
The Webster Technique is a maternal pelvis specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment which seeks an optimization of maternal nervous system balance, pelvic muscle and ligament tension, as well as maternal pelvic alignment. The effectiveness of this technique is reported as having 82% success rate according to research documented in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.
The Webster Technique provides specialized care for pregnant patients wanting a more comfortable pregnancy and natural birth, needing non-invasive surgery and medication free corrective measures for the unique biomechanical changes taking place during pregnancy.
The Effects of Pregnancy on the Body, Especially on the Pelvis
A baby's growth is always accompanied by natural changes in a woman's body. These changes can include the softening of ligaments due to the shifting of her center of gravity. All of this could lead to discomfort and some sort of pelvic misalignment.
Traffic jams showing how nerve blocks can coincide with structural shifts.
The Critical Element: How Pelvic Placement Influences Movement
Analysis on the adaptability of an organ shows that the uterus has special muscles added to it. This feminine added feature comes in handy during birth and is why doctors remind women to prepare for childbirth. While internal organs can be realigned surgically or through medication, the uterus shifts too due to pelvic prolapse. That can lead to abnormal lamb presentation for babies.
Like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, when your foundation (pelvis) is unstable, everything above it shifts.
What occurs to everything constructed above an unreliable foundation? What happens to all the upper stories in a building if one floor is off-level? The same mechanisms apply to the anatomy of our spine. When structural shifts happen in the spine, you may observe that your head may be tilted or rotated to one side, one shoulder is sitting higher than the other, one hip higher than the other, or rotary motion restriction to both sides torso equally is not possible.
Best Muscle Functions in Pregnancy
Balanced pelvic bones help ensure the uterus is functional for implantation as it affords the optimal space for the fetus to grow and move. Thus, the mother's body prepares for all the eventual processes that will happen during childbirth.
Balanced pelvic position (green) maintains optimum baby space while misaligned (red) restricts growth and positional flexibility.
When the pelvis is wrongly aligned, the associated restriction in the uterus can hinder the baby from moving to the ideal birth position. These biomechanical problems are specially overcome by the Webster Technique which aims at making the space around the baby larger.
How Pregnancy Care Is Structured
At Specific Chiropractic, I take structural pregnancy care and ensure that spinal and pelvic placements will lead to a more positive pregnancy experience and birth results.
Structural Degeneration
After diagnosing structural shifts in your spine or pelvis, we consider their consequences if left unrepaired. Picture the implications for a vehicle with a dangling tire—if unresolved, the wheels will rub against the vehicle's structure.
And if these issues remain unaddressed, the spine suffers the same consequences with its discs, vertebrae, and spinal nerves, resulting in wear and tear and ultimately, degenerative Disc Disease, bone spurs, Spinal Stenosis, or even Sclerosis of the spine.
Nerve Obstruction
Your spinal bones have subservient roles of protecting the vertebral portions of the body, thus supporting vital nerves, peripheral and central to the system. But when structural shifts add pressure towards the nerves, you get what we refer to as nerve obstruction.
Think of a supposed nerve obstruction as a traffic jam. Just like logjam leads to frustration, heightened pressure leads to restricted flow of communications from the brain to the body parts including the reproductive system, pregnancy, and birthing systems connected.
Secondary Conditions
Structural adaptations can result in obstruction of the nerves which can lead to a myriad of secondary conditions, back pain, sciatica, and pelvic pain—symptoms that many patients experience during pregnancy. Apart from these more obvious symptoms, organ functions may be affected due to some form of interference in the nerves, including some derived from the digestive system, the control of blood pressure, and other functions that are crucial during pregnancy.
The Webster Technique: A Specialized Approach for Pregnant Women
Explanation of the elements of the Webster Technique and its application for the special needs of expectant mothers which is a unique technique of chiropractic treatment of pregnant women.
The Webster Technique involves a particular method of chiropractic examination and adjustment of the spine in such a way as to encourage optimal alignment and use of the pelvic in a particular region. It aims for ultimate usefulness of the pelvis especially in pregnancy because of the mechanical stresses that are placed onto the pelvis due to the physical changes and the hormonal flux associated with the term of pregnancy.
Starting From Research Findings
In studies carried out and documented in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, it has been brought out that the Webster Technique has an 82% success rate for resolving breech presentations. This technique is thus of great concern to many mothers who wish to steer clear of cesarean sections due to the fetus being in a breech position.
We used to think the Webster Technique was so that expectant mothers did not have to deal with breech presentations, but now we understand it can be helpful during all stages of pregnancy by improving pelvic balance and alignment so that a mother does not have to go through excess pain during delivery irrespective of the baby's position.
What You Should Anticipate During Treatment
When proceeding to Specific Chiropractic for pregnancy care, you will receive gentle, specific adjustments based on your current pregnancy stage and personal preferences. The Webster Technique includes:
- Specific sacral evaluation to determine pelvic incompleteness
- Gentle adjustments to restore normal biomechanical function
- Evaluation of abdominal muscle strain and ligament equilibrium
- Soft tissue work to reduce tension of pelvic muscles and ligaments
- Instruction on specific supportive exercises and positions
All these techniques are done paying utmost attention to your comfort and safety along with that of your baby. Because of no twisting or forcible techniques, this technique is comfortable even towards the end of pregnancy.
Managing All Phases of Pregnancy with Chiropractic Care
Before addressing the breach position, prenatal chiropractic care provides benefits with far greater advocacy flagged by my patients. These are the key benefits:
Reduction with pregnancy related difficulties
The heaviest passenger during pregnancy provides an increasing burden on your spine and pelvis, which increases demands gradually. Chiropractic care helps maintain alignment, relieving back pain, sciatica and pelvic pain which are pretty common. A number of my patients state that ever since care was initiated, pregnancy became significantly easier and they are enjoying it much more.
Optimal Fetal Positioning
Correct alignment of the pelvis helps improve the chances of the baby moving into the optimal position for birth. Balancing the pelvis alleviates restriction on the uterus, and makes it easier for your baby to get into the head-down, posterior-facing position which enhances the delivery process. This, in turn, can minimize the chances of needing a cesarean section.
Potential for Shorter, Easier Labor
Maintaining proper pelvic alignment ensures that the body functions well during labor, and enables more efficient work to be done. There is an abundance of studies and reports that indicate pregnant women who receive chiropractic help tend to have shorter labor duration and fewer delivery complications.
Improved Overall Function
Every pregnant person goes through tough challenges while dealing with the rapid changes that occur during pregnancy. Some of these changes can be difficulties related to the muscles and bones as well as to the heart, lungs, and vascular system. Chiropractic care addresses these changes by eliminating disturbances to the nerves through light adjustments, helping alleviate even more heartburn, constipation, and swelling.
When Is The Right Time To Begin Prenatal Chiropractic Care
The Webster Technique is safe and effective at any stage during pregnancy. However, I recommend starting care as early as possible, for the following reasons:
First Trimester
Starting care in the first trimester allows us to establish proper pelvic alignment before the pregnant belly forms. This approach ensures that we can try to avoid issues arising rather than waiting to deal with them after they are already too complex.
Furthermore, optimal nervous system function at this stage supports your body to adapt to the numerous const changes in the early stages of pregnancy.
Second Trimester
This is the stage when your baby is growing very fast, plus your center of gravity begins to shift. This is when most women start to feel heightened discomfort Due to these changes, regular adjustments during this period greatly aid pain relief, optimally function, and adaptation to the changes.
Third Trimester
During the last few weeks of pregnancy, attention is given to preparing for the upcoming birth of the child. At this stage, The Webster Technique serves pelvic alignment and fetal positioning reframing as the most optimal. For breech and non-optimally positioned babies, starting care between 32-37 weeks allows us the best chance to facilitate their natural turning due to the environment crafted.
It's often said that the best time to start something was yesterday. In this case, it is never too late to start care becoming active a few weeks prior to the due date. In my experience, many women have sought Active Chiropractic Care in their late trimester and have reported enhanced results.
Guiding your Natural Birth Experience As Best As Possible
At Specific Chiropractic, I prioritize supporting the innate self-healing wisdom in you throughout pregnancy accompanied by childbirth. Addressing structural imbalances that undermine nervous system and pelvis mechanics, The Webster Technique employs a holistic and hands-off approach to pregnancy care that supports your birth strategy, whenever you decide to put it into action.
I encourage you to experience pregnancy discomfort, worrying about the baby's orientation, or seeking to improve the body's pre-birth readiness. In any of these cases, specialized chiropractic care can do wonders as part of your prenatal team.
Each time I perform an adjustment, I appreciate and honor the process of pregnancy as well as the birth, since I hold both the necessary qualifications as a Webster Technique chiropractor and completed my further training in this field. My focus is to ensure that you perceive this extraordinary voyage we call pregnancy as comfortable, self-assured, and precise, if not effortless.
Pregnancy Care FAQs
Is pregnancy an acceptable period for chiropractic treatment?
Yes, chiropractic care is widely recognized as safe during pregnancy when performed by a qualified practitioner. As a Webster Technique certified chiropractor, I use specialized approaches that avoid unnecessary pressure on the abdomen and employ gentle adjustment methods appropriate for pregnant women. No X-rays are used, and all techniques are modified to accommodate your changing body and ensure both your comfort and safety.
What is the golden period for a woman to begin chiropractic care during the term?
Ideally, chiropractic care should begin before conception or in early pregnancy to establish optimal structural and nervous system function from the start. However, care can be initiated at any point during pregnancy and still provide significant benefits. For addressing breech presentations specifically, the optimal window is typically between 32-37 weeks, though we've seen success even later in some cases.
How frequent will I undergo treatment during the term?
Treatment frequency varies based on individual needs, the stage of pregnancy, and any specific issues we're addressing. Typically, I recommend starting with 2-3 visits in the first couple of weeks to establish a baseline of proper alignment, then transitioning to maintenance visits every 2-4 weeks throughout pregnancy. In the final month, weekly visits are often beneficial to maintain optimal alignment for birth. We'll develop a personalized care plan based on your specific needs and response to treatment.
Will I experience relief from my back pain during pregnancy through chiropractic treatment?
Many pregnant women experience significant relief from back pain through chiropractic care. By addressing the underlying structural issues causing the pain rather than just masking symptoms, we can often provide more complete and lasting relief. Additionally, maintaining proper alignment throughout pregnancy helps prevent the development of new pain patterns as your body continues to change.
Do you have a policy of accepting insurance for chiropractic treatment during pregnancy?
At Specific Chiropractic, we do not accept insurance. We are a fee-for-service practice, which allows us to focus entirely on providing the highest quality care without the limitations often imposed by insurance companies. We offer transparent pricing and affordable payment plans because we believe this specialized care should be accessible to expectant mothers. Many patients find that the investment in their health during this critical time yields benefits that far outweigh the costs. Our office staff is happy to provide you with detailed receipts that you may submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement if you have out-of-network benefits.
Pregnancy Journey Support through Tailored Care
For additional support during prenatal stages, leverage the advantages of Webster's technique and holistic prenatal chiropractic care to ease the pregnancy and optimize preparation for birth.