8 Key Benefits of Seeing a Chiropractor During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, your body undergoes remarkable changes. While these changes are necessary to accommodate your growing baby, they can often lead to discomfort and pain. 

As a chiropractor specializing in prenatal care, I see many expectant mothers who come in wondering if their discomfort is normal, if there’s anything they can do about it, and whether seeing a chiropractor during pregnancy would help.

My colleague and our clinic’s co-founder, Dr. Emilie Perras, often shares her personal experience:

“I know what it’s like to be pregnant and in pain—it sucks. Every pregnancy is different,” she says. “My first one I dealt with a lot of headaches, my second and my third was a lot of low back pain. It’s not the most fun thing, and we definitely want to help with that.”

If you’re experiencing pregnancy-related pain, you’re not alone. Let me walk you through why these discomforts happen and the many benefits of receiving chiropractic adjustments while pregnant.

Why Does Pregnancy Cause Back Pain and Discomfort?

Pregnancy affects your entire body, but particularly your musculoskeletal system. All the pain is at the front.

When it starts, usually you have that pain more along the groin as those ligaments start to stretch, and then as your belly grows, you get that little back pain, that hip pain.

Your knees and ankles start to ache as well. These changes impact everything from how you sit and stand to how you walk and sleep.

Many women find that sleep becomes increasingly difficult as pregnancy progresses. It’s a challenge that probably has something to do with nature trying to get you used to what’s to come!

1. Relief from Back Pain and Discomfort

Perhaps the most immediate benefit of prenatal chiropractic care is pain relief. As your pregnancy progresses, your growing belly shifts your center of gravity forward, placing increased stress on your lower back.

Chiropractic adjustments help realign your spine and pelvis, reducing pressure on nerves and alleviating pain. Many women notice improvement quickly, sometimes even after just one or two sessions.

I recently worked with a mom who came in for her first adjustment, felt a little bit better, and then after her second adjustment felt so much better. The relief can be remarkable, and it’s one of the most rewarding aspects of the work I do with pregnant patients.

2. Improved Pelvic Alignment for Easier Birth

During pregnancy, your body produces a hormone called relaxin, which loosens the ligaments throughout your body—particularly in your pelvis—to prepare for childbirth. While necessary, this can lead to misalignments.

These bones often act as one, and so when one rocks backward, the other half has to rock forward. That can cause tightening of the joints and the ligaments that surround them, leading to discomfort and potential complications.

Regular chiropractic adjustments help maintain proper pelvic alignment, which creates more room for your baby to grow and move into the optimal position for birth.

With all that twisting and torquing of the pelvic bones, what often ends up happening is that baby’s position is compromised.

If those bones aren’t in the right place and if those ligaments are too tight, you can increase the chance of interventions such as drugs, induction, or c-sections.

3. Potential for Shorter, Less Painful Labor

As a prenatal chiropractor, one of the benefits I’m most passionate about is how chiropractic care can positively impact labor and delivery. 

Research shows that chiropractic actually helps decrease pain in pregnancy and in labor, making it possible to increase the chances that you have an easier and shorter birth.

By ensuring your pelvis is properly aligned, chiropractic care helps create an optimal path for your baby during delivery, potentially reducing the need for interventions.

In my practice, I’ve seen firsthand how proper alignment throughout pregnancy can lead to smoother birth experiences.

4. Help for Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction (SPD)

Many pregnant women experience pain in the pubic symphysis, the joint at the front of the pelvis where the two halves meet. This condition, known as pubic symphysis dysfunction (SPD), can be extremely uncomfortable.

It’s hard because as your baby grows, more and more pressure falls on that one joint. That pressure can make it hard to spread your legs to get out of the car or turn in bed side to side.

Your joint can get really inflamed and can cause a lot of pain, even to the point of making walking difficult for some women.

Chiropractic adjustments can help balance the pelvis and reduce pressure on this sensitive joint, providing relief from SPD symptoms. I’ve worked with many pregnant women who’ve found significant relief from this often debilitating condition through regular chiropractic care.

5. Assistance with Breech Positioning

If your baby is in a breech position (bottom down instead of head down) as you approach your due date, chiropractic care may help.

It all has to do with the position of the pelvis. If there’s not enough room because there’s torsion on the ligaments and on the bones, sometimes that’s why baby hasn’t moved.

As a prenatal chiropractor, I’m trained in the Webster Technique—a specific method designed to help balance the pelvis and reduce tension in the uterus, potentially allowing the baby to turn naturally to the optimal head-down position.

With adjustments, we help realign everything, and that can allow more room in the uterus and less constraint so the baby can actually resolve to a nice position.

This technique has shown great results in helping babies turn to the proper position for birth.

6. Enhanced Nervous System Function

Your nervous system controls every function in your body, including the processes involved in pregnancy and childbirth. As a chiropractor, my focus is ensuring that your nervous system can operate without interference.

Chiropractic care works by gently adjusting the joints so that we remove nerve stress and promote healing. That’s really important with a growing baby. You want to make sure that the body is able to adapt as best as it can.

When your spine is properly aligned, nerve signals can travel unimpeded, supporting optimal function throughout your body—benefiting both you and your developing baby. This holistic approach to health is at the core of my practice and why I’m so passionate about prenatal chiropractic care.

7. Prevention of Pregnancy-Related Issues

One question I often get is: “Do I have to be in pain to visit the chiropractor?” The answer is absolutely not! In fact, many of my pregnant patients begin care preventatively, seeking to avoid discomfort before it starts.

It’s best if you’re not in pain when you start care. It’s ideal if you’re getting care before as a preventative measure. I strongly believe in the power of preventative care, especially during pregnancy when your body is constantly changing and adapting.

Regular adjustments throughout pregnancy can help prevent common issues like back pain, sciatica, and pelvic misalignment from developing or worsening as your pregnancy progresses.

8. Safe, Non-Invasive, Drug-Free Support

During pregnancy, many women prefer to avoid medications whenever possible. As a prenatal chiropractor, I offer a safe, non-invasive alternative for managing pregnancy-related discomfort.

Chiropractic is extremely safe for you and for your baby. We use gentle, state-of-the-art technology and techniques to make sure that it’s safe, gentle, and effective.

In my practice, I use specialized equipment designed specifically for pregnant women, including:

• Tables with cutouts to accommodate your growing belly
• Support pillows that adapt to your changing body
• Gentle adjustment techniques

As someone who has dedicated significant time to studying prenatal chiropractic care, I can assure you that these techniques are both gentle and effective for expectant mothers at all stages of pregnancy.

When to Start Prenatal Chiropractic Care

You can begin chiropractic care at any point during your pregnancy—from the moment you discover you’re expecting right up until delivery.

You can get adjusted all the way up to the end. For some women, we recommend that in the last month of their pregnancy, they come in a little bit more so that we can make sure everything’s moving and ready for baby.

I even suggest getting an adjustment at the first signs of labor to ensure everything is optimally positioned for birth. “Even at the first signs of labor, we often recommend that if you feel it coming, come in and get that last check to make sure everything’s perfect for baby. That way, you can get the easiest birth possible.”

What Happens After Birth? Pediatric Chiropractic Care

My passion for helping families extends beyond pregnancy into pediatric chiropractic care. I understand that when a baby is born, their body’s misalignments can cause symptoms of colic, excessive crying, or breastfeeding issues.

As a chiropractor who focuses on both prenatal and pediatric care, I can help minimize the discomforts that come with pregnancy, and after birth, our gentle adjustments can help alleviate latching issues and colic while supporting important developmental milestones such as crawling and walking.
  

Experience the Benefits of Prenatal Chiropractic Care at Oaktree

At Oaktree Chiropractic & Acupuncture, our team places a focus on prenatal and pediatric care. With locations in downtown Ottawa, Orleans, and Stittsville, we’re ready to support you throughout your pregnancy journey and beyond.

My approach to chiropractic is caring, holistic, and treats root causes of issues instead of just addressing symptoms. I love helping people find natural solutions and empowering them to take control of their health.

Book your prenatal chiropractic appointment today and discover how chiropractic care can help you enjoy a more comfortable pregnancy and prepare your body for an easier delivery.