adventures in chiropractic care
this is a blog post i wrote and shared on my old blog (i have since updated it since we didn't know who was in my belly, etc at that point!) that i wanted to bring over here! ENJOY!
so, i have always told my moms in class that chiropractic care is really helpful for aches and pains…and for staying aligned for birth. let me tell you something- as a doula and midwifery student...positioning MATTERS! i’d share the information like in the picture below and we’d all go “ohhh wow!” and we would chat about it, i would throw out a couple referrals for chiropractors who are trained in the webster technique, and we’d move on.
and then i got pregnant with selah. and that all changed.
during my pregnancy with keaton i felt great the WHOLE time. literally, 41 weeks pregnant thinking: wow, i feel good! people would ask me how bad it was, and i am sure they hated me because my response was always “i love it! i love being pregnant!”
10 weeks into my pregnancy with selah though…ohhh my hips! my lower back! ache ache ache! i was not used to that at all, and was not up for 10 months of uncomfortableness and clinging with all of my might to every body pillow and regular pillow we had laying around.
so, i took my own advice. called the chiropractor i always recommended. and then my life changed. well, maybe that’s a little dramatic. but not by much.
after one visit i was feeling better. after two visits my back discomfort was significantly decreased, barely noticeable. as i kept coming in, i could see how much more comfortable my hips were. any specific aches and pains i went in with basically disappeared after each session, and each session i had fewer aches and pains to speak of. my husband noticed a difference. i noticed a difference. my sleep noticed a big difference. my birth went on to be less than three hours, following an adjustment earlier that morning to help encourage my babe to get into the most optimal position possible. and honestly? it was as easy as i think a labor could be. i truly believe this is a testimony to my care during pregnancy. and you know what? even keaton noticed a difference.
he actually is pretty certain now he wants to be a chiropractor when he grows up. “they tickle my back and play with my legs and make me feel good! i grow bigger!” he looks forward to every appointment and can’t wait to show dr’s ian and lindsay his new toy, or snack, or what underwear he decided to wear (because yeah, that's him in a nutshell.
the relational aspect of my care may be rare, as i absolutely adore my chiropractor (and got to walk through pregnancy alongside her, as she was pregnant with her first and was just a week behind me- our kiddos are now like 3 weeks apart!), her family are now dear friends of ours and her friendship means a lot to me.
chiropractic care saved my sanity and my body’s functionality during my last pregnancy and i can’t stop singing its praises. i have sent a TON of students and doula clients for chiropractic care (for them during pregnancy or even for their newborns or their postpartum bodies), with a sense of zeal that i didn’t have before when i would discuss it with mamas. and literally, if you were to walk into their office you most likely would see someone i know through something birth related, and my name has been up on their referral board for a while now :) can’t stop me!
for moms interested in natural birth, this is a huge asset (and note: not just for moms who desire a natural birth, but who in the world wouldn’t desire a more comfortable experience in pregnancy and birth no matter what the desires for your specific birth are?!). for moms who are uncomfortable for one reason or another during pregnancy or postpartum, this is a huge asset. for new little babes who have just traveled a pretty awesome yet crazy journey, this is a huge asset.
potential benefits for you pregnant mamas:
“According to recent studies, Chiropractic care may result in easier pregnancy including increased comfort during the third trimester and delivery, and reduced need for pain medications. Other benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy include…
A more comfortable pregnancy and delivery.
A 50% reduced need for analgesics (pain medication).
A 24% – 39% faster than average labor time.
84% of women report relief of back pain during pregnancy.
Significantly less likelihood of back labor (contractions and sharp pain felt in the lower back during labor).
Significantly reduced utilization of epidurals, forceps, vacuum extraction, episiotomies, and Cesarean sections.
Reduced likelihood of postpartum depression.
For more information on these research findings, please visit the official website of the International Chiropractic Pediatrics Association.” {via HealthyHappyWell.Com}
BAM! who wouldn’t want that?!
for more information on my lovely and skilled chiropractor, her name is Dr Lindsay Hoffman at Chiropractic Health and Happiness in Encinitas. i also highly recommend Dr. Melissa Tosczak at Touch of Health Chiropractic in Vista. Along with the fabulous folks at Indigo Dragon Center in Leucadia. To find a chiropractor who is Webster Technique Certified in your neighborhood, check out this link.
happy birthing, everyone!!
