During pregnancy, a mom’s body ramps up the production of ligament and joint-loosening hormones that help pave the way for the baby to make an exit. If these hormones were not released, the baby’s head would never fit through the typically narrow pelvis! These hormones, combined with added water weight, baby weight, and a swollen belly can also lead to joint pain, low back pain, and fatigue.
Chiropractic care typically involves adjusting the spinal cord to lessen pain and promote overall health in your body. Getting regular chiropractic adjustments during pregnancy helps to lessen aches and pains typically associated with pregnancy in addition to getting the body in alignment for a smoother delivery. We regularly treat pregnant women seeking care for low back pain, pinched nerves, hip pain, water retention, and headaches. We also regularly treat pregnant women seeking to get their body in optimal alignment for delivery.
Hormones, similar to the ones that send signals to ligaments to loosen, also play an important role in sending “messages” during pregnancy and labor/delivery to help make both go smoothly and safely for both the baby and the mom. After doing work throughout your pregnancy to send messages to the body to take care of and grow the baby, hormones get the body ready to deliver, start labor contractions, prepare the baby for labor, and tell the body it's time to breastfeed. We seek to educate our patients on the importance of these hormones while getting the body ready for this process.
Many people do not realize that hormones play a major role in regulating labor and birth. Oxytocin, for example, is commonly known as the “hormone of love,” however, during labor and birth, this hormone is responsible for releasing milk in breastfeeding. It also triggers feelings of love and nurturing. Oxytocin is heavily released during an intervention-free birth. This hormone stimulates contractions that dilate the cervix and move the baby down.
Endorphins are natural, pain-relieving hormones. As the body releases oxytocin to trigger contractions, in an intervention-free birth, endorphins are also released to help mom deal with the labor, even if it is long and challenging. Endorphins also put a mom into a state of ‘labor land’ during an intervention-free birth. When asked, most moms who have had an unmedicated birth will report very quickly forgetting the intensity of the labor. Endorphins are to thank for that.
In addition to those two hormones, adrenaline and prolactin (lactation/breast feeding) also play a large role in pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum. When we treat moms, we hope to not only treat their aches and pains while getting them into alignment for the best labor and delivery possible, but we also try to educate them on how, when the body is left to labor and deliver as nature intended it to, these hormones interact in a unique way to help both the mom and the baby. We can also help provide some tips for pain management techniques for when labor does begin.
The goal of treating pregnant moms is to have a healthy baby and a healthy mom, regardless of the method of delivery. We work with expecting mothers to treat pregnancy aches and pains as well as prepare them for childbirth. After a baby is born, we also regularly treat moms and babies for postpartum care. Pregnancy and childbirth are miraculous processes our bodies undergo, and it is important to not only prepare for a child to be born but also to take care of both mom and baby afterwards. Call 712-464-3301 if you would like to learn more about how we can help you!
Kochersberger, Amy, DC. “5 Conditions Chiropractic Care can Improve During Pregnancy.” American Chiropractic Association. October 19, 2018.
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