Expecting? Why Chiropractic Care is a Must

By Krista Elliott

Pregnancy is a major change in your life, one that marks the beginning of many hours spent arguing with a small person about putting on footwear. Besides the change in lifestyle, schedule, and the cleanliness of your living room, however, pregnancy also effects some major changes on your body. 

Besides the obviously growing belly, swollen feet, thicker hair and a bladder whose capacity rivals that of a hamster, pregnancy can bring some remarkable changes to your joints and spine. 

First of all, that big belly? It weighs a lot. So in order to maintain their balance, pregnant women have to arch their back and tip their hips forward. This results in major strain on the muscles and joints of the lower back, hips, and knees. 

And then we have relaxin. No, that wasn't a typo. Relaxin is a pregnancy hormone that does as advertised: It relaxes the ligaments and tendons between your joints. This is designed to help the pelvis become more flexible for birth, but unfortunately, relaxin's effects aren't limited solely to the pelvis, and they don't only kick in at childbirth. This can result in loosey-goosey joints that reduce your stability and can cause pain and subluxations. 

Chiropractic: The Key to Pregnancy Relief

So, why can chiropractic care be your best friend during pregnancy? 

It Relieves Pain: Chiropractic care is proven effective at relieving lower back pain, both chronic and acute. When your back is aching from a long day (or a long week, or a long trimester), this may be due to joint misalignments causing uneven strain and pressure on your muscles or tendons. With careful and customized adjustments, the professionals at The Joint Chiropractic can guide your joints back into optimal positioning, reducing this strain and its associated pain. 

It Can Aid Labor: Childbirth isn't easy, even under the best of circumstances. With misaligned joints and strained muscles? It's even that much more difficult. Regular chiropractic care during pregnancy can help ensure that your pelvis and joints are in the best alignment possible, helping to result in a more comfortable (well, relatively speaking) labor and a safer delivery. 

It's Drug-Free: When you're pregnant, the list of medications you can't take becomes longer than the oh-so-fetching support stockings you now have to wear. When you have a headache, backache, or sore hips, popping some over-the-counter pain meds is now a decision fraught with uncertainty and anxiety. Chiropractic care is not only effective, but it's safe and completely drug-free, making it a worry-free choice for pain relief.

While you're pregnant, it's time to take good care of yourself. With regular chiropractic care from The Joint, you can keep your joints and spine healthy and aligned, preparing them for the challenges to come (those infant carrier car seats weigh a TON).