A Healthy Spine Benefits Mother and Baby

by Kerri Cooke

Chiropractic care is not only a suitable treatment for regular back and neck pain, it can also have significant benefits for pregnant women and newborns. As pregnancy takes its toll on the body, spinal adjustments can help relieve common symptoms and prepare a woman to give birth while also helping the body heal in the postnatal period. 

Laurie Baynard, owner and chiropractor at Women & Children’s Chiropractic, says there’s a specific model followed when adjusting pregnant women called the Webster Technique. “It analyzes the pelvis, how the joints are moving and has specific protocols and adjustments to restore alignment.”  

These precise adjustments also help prevent and get rid of the pregnancy waddle women can showcase. “When the pelvis is in proper alignment during pregnancy, women are able to walk with ease—without waddling—and have easier births,” says Baynard. “The pelvis is made up of three bones connected by ligaments which allow the pelvis to expand for the baby to come through. In everyday life, we tend to favor one side versus the other and this creates imbalances in our pelvis and supporting muscles.” Not only can chiropractic adjustments address pain or discomfort during pregnancy, but the process can also have other benefits such as better sleep, ease of movement and breathing improvements.  

Postpartum is a time when your body is healing from the strain and trauma of childbirth. Baynard says that while maternity leave guidelines in the Unites States consider the postpartum period to be only six to eight weeks long, “it can take years for the body to return to normal. Not only does the body and its bone structure have to try to return to a level of homeostasis, taking care of a newborn can put further strain on the healing process. Baynard says breastfeeding, holding your baby and lack of sleep can slow postpartum healing. 

While a mother’s body is constantly changing and evolving during a pregnancy, “this creates discomfort and postural changes in the spine,” Baynard says. “This all needs to return to normal positioning postpartum and getting adjusted during this phase of healing helps the body to come back together in proper alignment.” 

Babies can also reap benefits from gentle spinal adjustments. Bayard emphasizes that the pressure is light and only about the force “you would use when touching your eyeball,” and involves no popping noises. Traveling through the birth canal or even being pulled out via Cesarian section can be tough on a baby’s spine. “Gentle adjustments can help relieve tension from birth, support more restful sleep, ease feeding or latching issues, reduce colic or gas, and promote overall healthy development. 

If you are nervous about receiving a spinal adjustment for yourself or your infant, Baynard says the “key is to find a provider who is well-trained, educated and passionate about prenatal and pediatric chiropractic care.” This provider should explain the whole process clearly and provide a listening ear to any anxieties you might have about the process. Healing and health can be just a touch away. 

For more information on Women and Children’s Chiropractic, call 337-240-6619 or visit drlauriebaynard.com.