This is a very similar answer for any of our adult patients. Generally, our techniques are not painful, however, if you are already in a lot of pain, our techniques may initially be a little painful until your body starts to heal and there is less inflammation. At Canberra Spine Centre, listening to you and finding out your preferences is a normal part of our management.

Many of our pregnant patients have already been under care before falling pregnant. We help them stay well and feel good right up until a few days before they’re due! Some women who are pregnant only come in late in the picture, often with concerns about the position of their baby or pain and discomfort. We recommend that women who are pregnant receive chiropractic care early in their pregnancy so that we can help get them in shape as early as possible and help maintain them that way. As mentioned, your body will be prone to other injuries between weeks 10-17 when relaxin is at peak levels.

Your body is undergoing huge structural, biomechanical and hormonal changes involved in growing another person! Often women who are pregnant experience a lot of pain and discomfort during their pregnancy. They are also told that ‘this is normal’. While some discomfort during pregnancy is very common, pain is never normal. It is a sign of something not right in the body – your body is sending you signals that something is wrong. As mentioned earlier, pain medications are being linked to future conditions in children, so a drug free approach to solving pain syndromes may be safer for your unborn child. There are other benefits for pregnant women under chiropractic care aside from pain. For more on this topic, read our article, ‘How can chiropractic help during pregnancy?’

Providing appropriate care for women who are pregnant or trying to conceive is common for most chiropractors. Our five-year full-time degree qualifies us to not only provide the right care for pregnant women, but to recognise the need to adapt techniques to individual needs, and also to know when to refer.

Some chiropractors take a specific interest in prenatal and postnatal care and seek additional training. Two of our team of chiropractors at Canberra Spine Centre have undergone many hours of extra training in the care of pregnant women and chiropractic paediatrics. Drs Chelsea Dickins and Jon Powderly both have a special interest in these areas.

The Webster Technique is a combination of specific chiropractic sacral analysis, adjustment and soft tissue techniques. The goal of this treatment is to reduce the effects of sacral misalignment or SI joint dysfunction. In doing so, neuro-biomechanical function of the lower spine and pelvis is improved.

Sacral misalignment may contribute to difficult labour for the mother (i.e., dystocia), caused by inadequate uterine function, pelvic contraction, and baby mal-presentation. Correction of sacral subluxation may have a positive effect on all these causes of dystocia.

From 14 weeks, your newborns vestibular system (the system that is involved in regulation of balance and posture) is present, so movement each day, (a 30 minute walk) is highly advisable. This helps to stimulate the vestibular system while it is developing.

Pelvic floor exercises – simple kegel exercises from the start of your pregnancy can help prevent future issues related to poor pelvic floor muscle tone.

Sitting the other way on a chair (facing the back rest) can be a comfortable position, allowing your pelvis to tilt forward, your belly to be forward and arms resting on the top of the chair. You can also rock your pelvis in this position. Another chair solution is a swiss/exercise ball that can be utilized at work.

High levels of stress have been shown to negatively impact your baby. Even though you are getting so much information thrown at you during this time, take a breath and only take on what makes sense for you – everyone’s needs and choices are different. A meditation or mindfulness practice can be hugely beneficial in helping reduce stress.

Helping prepare yourself for birth can also help in reducing anxiety and helping you have a better birth experience. You may want to consider a program such as Calm Birth to help you with this. Other planning, such as creating a birth plan, and organising well in advance when you want to finish work, can also be helpful.