Benefits of Prenatal Chiropractic Care

Pregnancy transforms your body. From the moment of conception to the day of delivery, your body undergoes numerous anatomical and physiological changes to accommodate your growing baby. 

As exciting as this journey may be, it’s not always comfortable and sometimes hurts.

Fortunately, you have a noninvasive, drug-free option — prenatal chiropractic care at Dr. Hipp’s Chiropractic in San Francisco, California. Bay Area women trust Dr. Katherine Hipp to treat them safely through every stage of pregnancy. 

Here’s a closer look at what happens to your body during pregnancy and how prenatal chiropractic care can make gentle adjustments that deliver blissful results.

How your body changes during pregnancy

Before we explain the benefits of prenatal chiropractic care, let’s look at what happens to your body during pregnancy and why you may need chiropractic care in the first place.

Postural changes and spinal subluxations

As your belly grows, your posture naturally adapts, often leading to an exaggerated lower back or lumbar curve. This shift can result in spinal subluxations — misalignments in the spine — causing pain and discomfort.

Weight gain and shifted center of gravity

Most women gain 25-30 pounds during pregnancy — some much more. Such a significant weight gain in your belly shifts your center of gravity forward and places excess stress on your lower back and hips, contributing to discomfort and instability.

The hormone relaxin, loosening ligaments, and joint laxity

Your pregnant body releases the hormone relaxin to loosen ligaments and facilitate childbirth. However, this increased joint laxity can also lead to pelvic and back pain.

All these changes contribute to discomfort, but prenatal chiropractic care can help manage the issues effectively.

The benefits of prenatal chiropractic care 

Prenatal chiropractic care uses noninvasive methods to ease your pregnancy-related aches and pains. 

For example, soft tissue treatments relieve tension in your muscles and ligaments stemming from postural changes, while joint mobilizations improve joint function and alignment, reducing pain and improving mobility. Here’s a closer look:

Prenatal chiropractic care decreases pain

Dr. Hipp realigns your spine and pelvis through precise adjustments, correcting subluxations and reducing pain associated with postural changes and joint laxity.

Prenatal chiropractic care improves your joint function

Chiropractic care helps improve joint function by correcting misalignments caused by a shifted center of gravity and increased joint laxity. After treatment, you’ll feel less stiff and more mobile.

Prenatal chiropractic care lessens nausea

While the mechanisms aren’t entirely understood, many pregnant women report decreased nausea after receiving chiropractic care. This effect could be due to the overall stress reduction achieved through chiropractic adjustments.

Prenatal chiropractic care can facilitate smoother labor and delivery

Regular chiropractic care during pregnancy keeps your pelvis correctly aligned, providing your baby with more room to move into the optimal position for birth. In this way, chiropractic care can lead to a smoother labor and delivery process.

In fact, studies show that first-time moms who undergo prenatal chiropractic care average 24% shorter labor times, and women delivering their third or fourth baby have 39% faster labor. 

Prenatal chiropractic care can boost your immune system

You have enough to focus on during pregnancy — the last thing you need is to deal with a bad cold or a bout of the flu. 

The good news is that chiropractic care can boost your immune system by improving nervous system function, which controls immune response. A stronger immune system during pregnancy can mean better health for you and your baby.

Book an appointment online or call Dr. Hipp’s Chiropractic today to learn more about prenatal chiropractic care and whether it can help you get through pregnancy with fewer aches and pains.