A Pregnancy and Delivery Story

Hey everybody, Dr. Kathleen here!

​I wanted to share a story of one of the women I’ve had the privilege of helping through her pregnancy term. Many women are unaware that chiropractic is an option during their pregnancy, so my goal is to share some of the amazing benefits of being under care and spread awareness for this holistic approach to a comfortable and rewarding pregnancy.
Of the many women I’ve been able to work with through their pregnancy terms, one thing stands out:  all of these pregnancies are very different! They do however, have one thing in common, all these women are strong in so many ways.  The case I am about to tell you is just one of the many amazing stories I’ve seen in our office. 
           
I began seeing an incredible woman after her first pregnancy and prior to the conception of her second pregnancy.  On the first day I discovered she is an extremely active woman, having run many marathons, including one during her last pregnancy and is very pro-active in her health. We performed our chiropractic exam and discovered some pelvic issues as well as spinal subluxations hindering her body’s ability to function optimally. 

After several months of wellness care she expressed she was pregnant with her second child.  Her pregnancy and birth goals included running a marathon, having a home birth and of course, having a healthy baby!  My main goal as her chiropractor was to help her body maintain proper nerve function, pelvic alignment and comfort. This would allow her to continue training for her marathon and support an easy and healthy birthing process.  
           
Our plan consisted of light adjustments to the hips and spine along with round ligament release to balance the uterus (this is known as Webster’s Technique, more on this in another blog!) 1x/week until her marathon was completed.  She finished her trail marathon at a pace of 9minutes 30seconds, a time which exceeded her expectations!
           
As her pregnancy progressed she began to experience painful varicose veins on the back of both of her legs.  We added specific whole food supplementation to support blood vessel integrity and circulation. The night she started her supplement protocol her pain subsided significantly in her legs.    
           
We continued care once a week until her final and main goal: to birth a beautiful baby at home utilizing a midwife!  On the 37th week of pregnancy her water broke late one evening.  She presented to my office the following day after having had an ultrasound.  The baby was head down and weighed an estimated 6lbs.   At this time she was having light and inconsistent contractions and mentioned that she was not in active labor yet.  Light adjustments to the spine and nervous system proceeded as normal and she was recommended to come in again in a couple days if she had not begun active labor as of yet. 

Two days later she presented to the office again and had not yet started active labor, but her contractions were getting a little stronger.   She was again adjusted utilizing a low force technique and manual traction of the low back as well as gentle release of the round ligaments. 
           
That evening, she delivered a beautiful baby girl after 3.5 hours of labor and 7 “pushes”.  She was neither sore nor fatigued after the labor.  The baby was placed in NICU for observation due to a slightly early delivery, but was released after two days without complications.  The mother mentioned that she did not have any muscle soreness like she had had with her first delivery.  

​The mother reported having an amazing experience with her delivery and her only complaint post-delivery was that she felt like she couldn’t activate her right glute muscle, slight round ligament pain when working out and was beginning to have some mild headaches due to breast feeding posture.  All things we can work through together with chiropractic care.

We are currently continuing maintenance care to express her optimal wellbeing so she can continue her active life style and raise two beautiful children with ease and comfort.  What an amazing woman!
           
Although some women have concerns, (and most don’t realize it’s even an option!), chiropractic care is safe, gentle, and effective for pregnant women. It can help alleviate aches and pains, ensure optimal nerve function, and facilitate a comfortable and speedy delivery!  More blogs to come, and if you have any questions please reach out, we’d be happy to talk via e-mail or schedule a free consultation.

Happiness and Health,
Dr. Kathleen