Pregnant? Don't Go To A Chiropractor!
When someone walks into and through our office for the first time, they may notice that it is quite different than most doctor's offices they've previously gone to. They won't see electrical stimulation machines, cold laser devices, ultrasound wands, roller tables, or anything that is seen in a traditional office setting. What they will see and experience is a family-centered environment equipped with adult adjusting tables, pediatric adjusting tables, supportive adjusting tools, and pregnancy pillows. Specific chiropractic adjustments are essentially the only daily service we provide for expectant mothers, kids, and families.
So why would a family chiropractor who predominantly sees expectant mothers advise to not see a chiropractor if they are pregnant? As ridiculous and blasphemous as it may sound we promise it will make perfect sense by the end. In our office we take an enhanced and unique approach when it comes to the caring of expectant mothers kids, and families. For the sake of this post we'll keep our focus on the expectant mother (prenatal patient).
In a traditional chiropractic setting patients may experience pain relieving and muscle relaxing benefits from care. Although these are great in a sense of palliative changes, they are essentially a secondary issue to a primary problem. Don't get us wrong, pain-relief is wonderful especially when you just need to get through the day, and there are no shortages of chiropractors around town who do a good job at this. However, this approach to care only scratches the surface.
If you view your spine, or pelvis in the case of the expectant mother, much like the foundation of a building and let's say the foundation was off by a couple of inches what would you expect to happen to the rest of the building over time. You would probably notice the floorbaords beginning to creek more and more frequently, the walls to start cracking near the floor/ceiling, and the doors/windows not opening/closing as smoothly as they should. Now let's say you hired a professional and he/she comes in and puts an extra nail or two in the floorboard, patches the cracks in the wall, and lubricates the door/window jams. In the short term this would keep the building in tact but what would you expect to happen to the building a month, a year, or even a few years down the line?
This is where a foundational (or structural) approach is essential. As family chiropractors who have an advanced knowledge and focus on caring for pregnant mothers, we look to the structure and foundation rather than the secondary effects of a shift to that foundation.
Moreover, this knowledge and critical aspect to chiropractic care for the expectant mother is only obtained through post-graduate study beyond the basic material taught in the chiropractic curriculum. During post-graduate study, the doctor of chiropractic gains an advanced knowledge of the female structure and how it changes during and after pregnancy. Furthermore, the doctor is extensively trained on the "Do's and Don'ts" of prenatal chiropractic care (of major importance). Additionally, the doctor is extensively educated on the neurology and physiology of the developing baby and the ever changing neurology and physiology of the expectant mother.
Of the three areas mentioned above, great emphasis is placed on the "Do's and Don'ts", especially when it comes to technique and where the focus of care should be placed in regards to the spine (structure) of the pregnant patient. This is where it is critical that a pregnant and expecting mother do their own research on a qualified practitioner who has received training in caring for this very special and delicate population and not just merely choosing a chiropractor.
THE TAKE AWAY:
If you are pregnant, planning on getting pregnant, or thinking that someday you would like to get pregnant, you should definitely take the time to research who will be caring for you and your family. In doing so, you set yourself up for a more successful outcome and, more importantly, you'll have the piece of mind that comes with knowing that your family chiropractor has the knowledge, confidence, and invested interest in caring for you during this precious and memorable time in your life!
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