It goes without saying that pregnancy is a time of change. The hormonal, physiological, and emotional changes experienced during a typical pregnancy are unprecedented at any other time of life.

While not quite a metamorphosis, the female body changes enough during pregnancy that it could be argued that a pregnant woman and a non-pregnant woman are two different people altogether.

The best way to make it through those changes and to come out on the other side as a beautiful butterfly is to take care of yourself during your entire pregnancy. Chiropractic care can help ensure that you are healthy and well adjusted throughout your pregnancy.

Pregnancy Changes

Take a look and see how dramatic the changes in your body are during pregnancy:

• Brain changes: Including the urge to nest, mood swings, and even difficulty in concentrating are all part of the pregnancy process.
• Digestive: Food cravings and aversions come with pregnancy; scientists theorize that these changes have to do with providing your developing child with the optimum nutrition it needs.¹ Constipation and hemorrhoids can also be part of the pregnancy package.
• Blood: Increase in blood volume, and changes to blood flow occur during pregnancy. Your kidneys receive more blood and this increases how often you have to go to the bathroom (along with a growing baby shrinking your bladder size). Skin changes and the “glow” of pregnancy are probably the result of these blood flow changes.
• Growth: Breasts typically increase in size, as do feet (often requiring a larger shoe size). Hormonal changes also cause hair and nails to grow faster.
• Physiological: The most dramatic changes, though, may be the changes to the structural parts of your body:
  • Your center of gravity changes as you add 20 to 30 pounds of weight.
  • Your ligaments and joints become looser.
  • As your stomach grows the curve in your back increases.
  • Your pelvis tilts to accommodate the changes in weight distribution.
  • Posture must change to adapt to all these changes.

Why you should visit your chiropractor throughout your pregnancy

Most expecting mothers rightly look out for their babies and their health, but what is often missing from the equation is women taking care of themselves.

From the point of view of your chiropractor, taking care of yourself is a two-for-one deal: The better you can take care of yourself, the better you can take care of your child. The healthier you are, the healthier your baby will be. If you take care of yourself throughout the pregnancy, then you will also be better able to take care of a growing baby.

The demands of pregnancy and following birth are high; when you are healthy you are better able to meet the demands of a new baby including constant feeding and sleepless nights.

Chiropractic Care

The pelvis is vital to an easy delivery. Properly aligning the pelvis throughout pregnancy helps to ensure an easy and healthy delivery. Chiropractic adjustments can help the pelvis stay in line.

The spine also needs to be kept healthy. The spinal column is the communication center of the body and that communication system needs to work well in order to support a healthy developing child.

Chiropractic care can also help with:

• Controlling vomiting
• Reduction of the time of labor
• Relief of back, neck or joint pain²

Chiropractic evaluation and treatment during pregnancy has been shown in scientific studies to be safe and effective means of treating many common complaints of pregnancy. ³

Take the time to take care of yourself during your entire pregnancy. The payoff is a healthier you and a healthier baby.