In the final part to our 3 part series we will talk about how Chiropractic frequently makes the birth process easier on your baby. In the first article of this series https://www.brightstartchiropractic.com/blog/3-reasons-why-your-baby-will-thank-you-for-going-to-a-chiropractor-while-you-are-pregnant-part-1 we talked about how Chiropractic gives your baby more room to move around in the womb. The second article in the series https://www.brightstartchiropractic.com/blog/3-reasons-why-your-baby-will-thank-you-for-going-to-a-chiropractor-while-you-are-pregnant-part-2 discussed how Chiropractic keeps your stress levels lower making a happier environment for your baby's brain. Now we will share how Chiropractic can shorten your labor and delivery making it more gentle for your baby.
That was easy
One of my mentors in Chiropractic shared with me a great story that illustrates perfectly my point about how Chiropractic can make labor and delivery easier. My mentor received a call from a midwife who was doing a home birth. The birth process had stalled and baby wasn't descending. Mom was in quite a bit of pain and getting tired. My mentor went to her home and assessed the situation. He found that one of the joints in her pelvis was locked i.e it couldn't move. He gently adjusted it so it could move again. After doing the adjustment baby came out 15 minutes later. Needless to say Mom was very thankful.
Better movement
Why did it happen that baby was able to come out so quickly after the adjustment. The pelvis needs to be able to move and shift as baby is descending. Think about it this way. I love to eat at a Hare Krishna buffet. They have stacked paper bowls for customers to put their food in. The bowls are very tight on each other. To get one out you have to pull one side than the other until one bowl separates from the others.
The same thing happens with baby and the halves of the pelvis. Gravity is pulling on baby as well as Mom's muscles are gently pushing baby out. The movement of the pelvis side to side allows baby's head to descend. If one part of the pelvis can't move it messes up the whole delivery.
Another factor in this equation is when any joint in your body does not move normally it changes how the muscles work in your body. It causes some muscles to become too tight and others to be weak. This imbalance doesn't help the birth process either. I have heard other authors and doulas compare birthing to an athletic event. Do you want to show up to an athletic event when your muscles are totally out of balance? Here is a link to an article from the journal
Spine http://journals.lww.com/spinejournal/Abstract/2003/07150/Evidence_of_Altered_Lumbopelvic_Muscle_Recruitment.22.aspx The article basically says what I just said above but in medical jargon.
Easier Birth
Besides the story I shared above about my mentor many doulas and midwives have said the same thing "Chiropractic shortens labor". They have found that their clients who utilize Chiropractic during pregnancy have shorter labor and easier delivery. Here is a study that reports the same thing https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2647084/
So why is a shorter labor and easier deliver better for baby. A prolonged labor and difficult deliver can negatively affect baby. In a previous post I have discussed birth trauma and how that can impact baby's health https://www.brightstartchiropractic.com/blog/why-does-my-baby-need-a-baby-chiropractor Birth trauma can cause joints to lock up in baby's spine. Not good. This can affect baby in a lot of ways.
One of the ways that I feel is very
important is affecting baby's ability to latch on the breast properly. Many women stop breastfeeding because it hurts so much. An easier birth is much less likely to affect baby's spine and more likely to make latching easier.
Other resources
In addition to Chiropractic here are some other exercises that can help make your labor and delivery easier. One of the key things that you want to avoid is sitting in a slumped position. This website will give you plenty of information about this https://spinningbabies.com/ Basically you want to maintain that nice arch in your low back and let your belly stick out. The first link, posted below, is for an exercise called foundation training. I know there are two dudes in the video but look past that to the value it can you for you pregnant mom. This exercise helps to strengthen your good posture muscles and lets your belly hang forward. Doing this throughout the day will keep baby in better position making labor and deliver easier. The second video is more simple exercises to do during pregnancy that will help you out. The only thing I would add to the second video is crawling on hands and knees. Not only is your belly hanging down but you are moving your whole body in the process. All that movement in belly down position makes lots of room for baby to move too.
I hope you consider Chiropractic as part of your plan for obtaining your ideal birth. If you have questions feel free to email me. Please check out the videos below to help you out during your pregnancy.