Improving Your Pregnancy with Chiropractic Care
Tigard Oregon Chiropractor – Beebe Chiropractic

Chiropractic care through pregnancy is not only safe, it is essential. We can look at the implications of subluxation from a bio mechanical, hormonal and neurological standpoint. It is easy to see postural changes through pregnancy – the centre of gravity changes, as mentioned above, the weight of the baby places increased pressure on the spine and pelvis, and towards the end of the pregnancy, changes are seen in gait pattern – the “waddle.” What we can’t see, are the millions of different hormonal changes and chemical reactions occurring both in the mother and the developing baby, all of which are controlled and coordinated through the nervous system.

Adjustments result in easier pregnancy, significantly decreased mean labor time, and assists new mothers back to pre-partum health. In fact, most women report relief of back pain during pregnancy with Chiropractic care. Because the sacroiliac joints of the pelvis function better, there is significant less likelihood of back labor when receiving Chiropractic care through pregnancy.

Body position during delivery is also critical. The popular semi-recumbent position places the laboring woman on her back onto the apex of the sacrum, which closes off the vital space needed for the baby to get through the pelvic outlet. This delivery position is the main reason why so many births are traumatic – labor is stalled, the mom becomes fatigued and overwhelmed by pain, so the utilization of epidurals, forceps, episiotomy, vacuum extraction and cesarean increases.

This is why squatting is the preferred position. Gravity works to help and the pelvic outlet can open to a greater degree. Squatting during delivery results in decreased use of forceps and a shorter second stage of labor than the semi-recumbent position.

Greater complications during delivery result in greater neurological insult to the newborn due to injury to the head and neck. Even after vaginal births, 4.6% of term neonates suffer unexplained brain bleeds and 10% suffer neonatal encephalopathy. Because so many children had been injured with forceps deliveries, (facial nerve palsy, tearing of cervical spine musculature) vacuum extraction was developed. Suction cups are placed on the newborn’s head, and the baby is literally sucked out of the mother – a risky procedure that places the baby in possible danger.

The danger exists because the fontanel’s of the skull are so pliable, and the neck and brain are fragile and unprotected. This is why so many babies sustain injuries to their heads and neck during vacuum extraction-the force is far greater than their little bodies can tolerate.

Adjustments to newborns contain only ounces of force. But that force is directed into the spine to facilitate health and remove subluxations. We adjust babies as soon after birth as possible, to alleviate subluxations caused by in-utero constraint and the journey down through the birth canal. Chiropractic care is not a cure for anything – it is a system of wellness to help us be who we’re supposed to be.

The children who suffer the most from the above complaints are the ones who’ve had the greatest trouble with their births. Even relatively easy deliveries can result in subluxations. That’s why every child should be checked, before problems with their health develop. That’s preventive care in the truest sense.

And After the Baby Arrives…

Tips to Ease the Strain of Caring for a Baby

Like other kinds of work that require lifting, bending, long periods of sitting, and repetitive motions, caring for your baby can be harmful to your body. Try these simple tips to prevent problems before they begin.

• Put one foot on a box or low shelf when you stand and change diapers. This causes your pelvis to tilt in a way that decreases pelvic fatigue.
• Keep work surfaces at a comfortable height. Put something under the legs of the changing table, for instance, to raise it if you’re tall.
• Don’t try to hold the baby and wrestle the side of a crib down at the same time. Instead, drop the crib side before you pick up the child.
• Don’t bend from the waist when you lift the child. Squat with your back straight, keep the child close to you, and use your leg muscles to rise.
• Don’t bend over into the car when putting your child in the car seat. Sit sideways on the seat with the child on your lap, then rotate to face front and put the child in the seat.
• Make sure your feet touch the floor and your back is supported when you sit holding your child. Keep your knees at the same height as your hips or slightly higher.
• Adjust stroller handles so you’re not bending over when you push.
• When loading a stroller or groceries in the car trunk, rest one foot on the bumper and keep the load close to your body.

Call Beebe Chiropractic today at 503.620.1280
to schedule your initial consultation!