What is a Prenatal Chiropractor?

A prenatal chiropractor or pregnancy chiropractor is Doctor of Chiropractic who has pursued additional certifications and training that make them experts on spinal and pelvic adjustments to relieve back pain and body tension during pregnancy. They also have special knowledge and training around the pregnant body and common pregnancy-related pain and discomfort.

Prenatal chiropractic focuses on the pelvis to help with pelvic alignment, which can help with a woman’s labour experience and success with vaginal delivery. Having a healthy pelvis ensures that there’s lots of room for your baby as they grow and assists them in finding the right position to snuggle into for 3rd trimester.

How Does it Differ From Normal Chiropractic Visits?

Prenatal chiropractic is very similar to traditional chiropractic care with modifications in adjustment technique, training on addressing pregnancy-related dysfunction, and a more specific and expert focus on pelvic health and baby positioning and skills that make their practice safe and comfortable for you and you baby.

What Conditions Does a Prenatal Chiropractor Treat?

• Low back pain

• Mid back pain

• Headaches

• Pelvic girdle pain

• Pubic symphysis dysfunction

• SI joint pain

• Pelvic floor  and/or hip tension

What are the Benefits of Seeing a Prenatal Chiropractor?

Many women assume that low back and hip pain and waddling are inevitable parts of pregnancy but they’re not! You can totally have a pain-free and functional pregnancy with the proper education, guidance and treatment from a chiropractor trained in treating pregnant women. Some of the benefits include:

• Feeling balanced in the hips

• Improved posture during pregnancy

• Going into labour and birth with baby in a great position (head down)

• Minimized low back pain, hip pain and pelvic pain

• Feeling educated on how your pregnant body is changing and strategies to keep it feeling great

Can a Prenatal Chiropractor Help Me with Posture Changes with Pregnancy?

Yes! There are so many great cues and exercises for maintaining good postural mobility and strength during pregnancy! This is exactly what a Prenatal Chiropractor is trained in.

They can also provide manual therapy and adjustments to help you find pain-free and functional movement with sitting, standing and lying down during pregnancy!

I wrote an entire article on Posture Tips for Pregnancy here!

What to Expect During Prenatal Chiropractic Treatment

The real question is - “I have a bump, how will my chiropractor treat me on their table!?” If you’ve ever been to a chiropractor before, you’ve probably been face-down or on your side or back during your spinal or pelvic adjustments.

Enter, the most amazing invention - the pregnancy pillow! This allows you to actually lie-face down with a bowl shaped pillow supporting you with lots of room for your belly in the center. Your belly will be comfortably cradled while the rest of your body is supported. It is SO comfy!

Chiropractic tables also have a special section that raises and lowers to allow your chiropractor to lift different parts of your body away from the table. Your chiropractor may also use an Activator during your treatment, while avoiding certain pressure points that may trigger discomfort or contractions.

When Should I Seek Prenatal Chiropractic Care?

There is no ‘right time’ to start prenatal chiropractic treatment. There are benefits for each stage of pregnancy.

1st Trimester:
Work with a prenatal chiropractic in achieving a strong and balanced spine, pelvis and pelvic floor

2nd Trimester:
We recommend coming in for a pelvic alignment check between 24-30 weeks to promote your baby to settle in the pelvic bowl correctly

3rd Trimester:
Continue maintaining pelvic function and wellness
Preparing pelvic bowl for labour and birth

Can Someone Who Has Never Been to a Chiropractor Have Prenatal Chiropractic Treatment?

Abso-freaking-lutely! Pregnancy is a great time to learn about your body and discover the benefits of Chiropractic care. It can be such a useful tool to have in your wellness toolbox for pregnancy and for lifelong spinal health!

Chiropractic Treatment & Preterm Birth

A very valid question to a pregnant woman is “Will a chiropractic adjustment put me into labour or cause miscarriage?”

There is no contraindications to prenatal care with a pregnancy-specific trained chiropractor. The important point being that you should seek out someone trained in Webster technique and treating pregnancy specifically.

Chiropractic care cannot prevent miscarriage either. Miscarriages can be due to genetic factors, infection, hormonal imbalances or immune system responses. The pregnant woman nor their prenatal chiropractor are responsible in these cases.

Risks and complication prevention aside, getting chiropractic care during pregnancy has been shown to make pregnancy and birth more comfortable overall. Studies show that chiropractic adjustments improve pelvic floor function, which is critical for healthy birth outcomes and postpartum recovery and also has been shown to demonstrate improved quality of life for pregnant patients by helping improve many common complaints during pregnancy such as sciatica, hip pain, low back pain, restless leg, headaches and mid back pain.

Can I Lie on My Back While Pregnant?

You can definitely lie on your back during pregnancy! This is such a common fear and confusing topic for pregnant women. When your baby grows big enough, they may lie on your Inferior Vena Cava which is a large blood vessel that brings blood back from your lower body to your heart. When it is compromised by your baby lying on it, it can limit blood flow to your heart, you and baby. Baby has to be a pretty decent size to restrict blood flow though! Usually you will have symptoms of this, such as:

• Discomfort

• Lightheadedness

• Dizziness

• Nausea

• Usually your body will innately move you to a better position!

I wrote another article about lying on your back during pregnancy here!

How Should I Sleep While Pregnant?

You can still sleep on your back and just prop up your right hip about 20-30 degrees by wedging a small pillow or towel or blanket under it.

Left side lying is considered the “best” because our Inferior Vena Cava is on the right side of our body. It’s still totally A-OK to lie on your right side for sleeping too! 

What to Expect During Your Prenatal Chiropractic Appointment

Your first appointment with a prenatal chiropractor will include a comprehensive discussion, education, and assessment and treatment component.

Discussion: you will chat about your relevant medical health history, pregnancy experience thus far, OB/midwife recommendations, current signs and symptoms you’ve experienced, pregnancy and birth history (if relevant)

Education: an explanation of your signs, symptoms and issues will be presented by your chiropractor and the treatment options including risk and benefits will be presented to you

Assessment: your prenatal chiropractor will assess your posture, functional movement, spine, pelvic bones, rib alignment and neurological system (if relevant)

Treatment: Dr. David Blair always includes treatment during his Initial Assessment appointments which can include (if consented to) acupuncture, pelvic and spinal adjustments, soft tissue work, cupping, lifestyle strategies for home, ergonomic advice, and home exercise programming.

How Do I Find a Prenatal Chiropractor?

Flow Physio + Wellness is co-owned by Dr. David Blair DC who is a prenatal chiropractor. He is available for in-person one-on-one patient care and often co-treats alongside our pelvic floor physiotherapists, Danielle Ufniak and Rachel Wilson.
If you aren’t local you can check the links below to find a Prenatal Chiropractor close to you:
International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) database
Webster certified (International Chiropractic Paediatric Association)
OCA Paediatric For the Doctor of Chiropractic

How Do I Book a Prenatal Chiropractor Visit?

Yay! You’ve read through this info and you’re ready for your Initial Appointment with a Prenatal Chiropractor. Dr. David Blair DC can see you for a one hour one-on-one Initial Assessment where you will go through a health history, assessment, education and treatment. You can book an appointment with him here!