Chiropractic for Mom and Baby

October 28, 2021 Posted in: ASK AN EXPERT

Jackie really wanted her pregnancy to go smoothly and comfortably. Her first pregnancy, five years before, was challenged with horrible sciatica, along with anxiety and high blood pressure. That last condition led to an unwanted induction after her estimated due date came and went. “I could not find a way to settle my mind and body,” she told me.

Hoping to avoid a repeat of those physical and emotional challenges, Jackie sought out chiropractic around 15 weeks into her pregnancy. She was already feeling anxiety, reflux, sciatica, and headaches. We evaluated her, and found her nervous system trapped in a near-constant fight-or-flight mode—her body was more focused on surviving than thriving. That made it hard enough to be an elementary school teacher and a mom to a 5-year-old girl, let alone also growing another baby.

Gentle adjustments helped correct the alignment in her spine and pelvis, reducing adverse tension in her nervous system. “I was surprised how easy the adjustment was,” she said. More importantly, she noticed that after just a few visits her body was working better and her headaches, neck/shoulder pain, and sciatica resolved and never returned. Jackie’s blood pressure was perfect at every prenatal visit, so she felt much calmer and more emotionally prepared. She was able to stay active with her daughter and continue working at school. She was thrilled when baby Silas arrived in efficient labor, needing only five pushes for him to be in her arms.

A couple of weeks after he was born, Silas experienced some bad reflux, causing him to choke and be rushed to the hospital. Jackie knew it was time for Silas to visit the chiropractor. Our evaluation found a subtle shift in the top bone of his neck, which can irritate the vagus nerve and disrupt digestion. Gentle chiropractic adjustments helped reduce that irritation so his nervous system could better regulate normal bodily functions.

Silas is relaxed during the adjustments—I mean, look at that face!—and Jackie has noticed that he’s calmer after each visit, and not fussy or uncomfortable. After just a few visits, Silas is already feeling better and is having easier and more frequent bowel movements. Simply put, chiropractic helps the bodywork better for both parents and children, making pregnancy, birth, and baby happier and healthier.