All chiropractors at Neurohealth are trained and experienced in working with women during pregnancy. The Webster Technique, which has beneficial effects on reducing the constraints in and around the uterus (intrauterine constraint), is a recommended technique to be used throughout the duration of the pregnancy.

What are some common problems women experience during pregnancy?

While having a baby is designed to be one of the most natural things in the world, this process is complicated by choice. There are a never-ending stream of products and services on the market to assist with this process and it can be quite overwhelming – especially for first time mums. It is often hard to know where to get the best information and assistance with common pregnancy-related problems such as low back pain or sciatica, osteitis pubis, headaches, nausea, poor nutrition, and low immunity  At Neurohealth we aim to provide a natural, comfortable alternative allowing you to remain informed about your health choices.

Pregnancy is a magical time and should be experienced for the miracle that it is. However, pregnancy also puts a woman’s body through many changes, not just hormonally but structurally as well. Here at Neurohealth, our practitioners are trained in looking at your health holistically – that is looking at you structurally, nutritionally and emotionally.

As a pregnancy progresses the body releases a hormone known as Relaxin into the system. Relaxin is designed to help loosen and stretch the ligaments of the pelvis so that baby can position itself in the optimal position for birth. Although this is an expected part of the process, Relaxin can also cause or exaggerate instability in the pelvis. This instability means that the structures of the pelvis can put pressure on the surrounding nerves in the lower back, leading to back pain and leg pain. This pain can even become more pronounced during labour, when there is further force being placed on these unstable structures. It is hard to appreciate the wonders of pregnancy when you’re in pain! Long term pain can also lead to stress, which isn’t good for the health of mum or baby. This is where chiropractic comes in.

Chiropractic care aims to facilitate the joints in the spine and pelvis to improve joint proprioception and joint position sense. This minimises the stress on the surrounding ligaments, muscles and supporting structures. This allows you to have a pregnancy with little to no pain, and less stress.

A good chiropractor will also address your nutritional needs as well. This is especially important during pregnancy. It is essential your body is receiving the nutrients it needs so that your baby has all that it needs for proper healthy development, and also that you are able to remain energetic and healthy with all these extra demands on your system. Getting sick during your pregnancy can have adverse effects on your baby, and also creates problems when it comes time for birth.

Our spine is home to our central nervous system – the nerves that control and coordinate every cell, tissue and organ in our body, and during pregnancy – our baby’s body too! Allowing these nerves to work without interference during this crucial time is important for baby’s development, but also for mum’s health.

Absolutely. There is so much advice available to pregnant mums, and a lot of that advice centres around the Do’s and Don’ts. Yes pregnant mums require special care, but chiropractic tailors its care for each and every patient. The goal with chiropractic is always to restore joint biomechanics and maximise the body so it can function optimally and heal itself. We have unique tables and pillows that allow comfort for pregnant bellies of all sizes, and the techniques we use are very gentle. As we mentioned earlier, the ligaments of the spine during pregnancy are a lot looser to compensate for the growing baby, so this allows us to make our adjustments with minimal force.

Chiropractic care ranges from preconception, right through to post labour. The sooner care is started, the longer the nervous system has to heal and optimise the health of the body, however these benefits occur from the first adjustment, no matter what stage of pregnancy you are in.