Chiropractic is a bit of a mystery to me. I’m not completely sure how it works, but it does. It works without drugs and without surgery. When it comes to pregnancy and post-pregnancy, moms and moms-to-be don’t have time for either drugs or surgery, but we may still need a little help to keep running well.
During pregnancy, I sought out chiropractic for shooting pain in my lower back, right where the baby was throwing off my balance. I was a tiny bit nervous when asked to lay on a skinny little table and contort while listening to “pop pop pop”. My two year old daughter attended sessions with me, and she heard mommy’s “popcorn”. But the relief from the pressure in my back was nearly immediate. The treatment took a round of about ten visits before delivery. The fact that I was healthy was probably one of the reasons I was able to get through another natural childbirth experience.
My midwife recommended my chiropractor. I called around and verified that this chiropractor would care for pregnant women. It turns out she has a specialty I didn’t need, which is turning breech babies in the womb so the mother can deliver as planned and avoid a mandatory c-section. Amazing, but Dr. Brandie states she’s had high levels of success with these cases. If I were faced with a breech delivery, I would certainly give it a try.
Just today I returned to my chiropractor for help with my back, this time in the upper back area. Hmmm. The kids are two and four now. Do you think picking up 30 squirming pounds a day, contorting to get them in car seats and shopping carts, has any effect on my health? I’m looking forward to a good night’s sleep and a trip back to “my” chiropractor tomorrow morning to continue a short course of corrective care.
I’m still not sure how chiropractic works, but then again I’m not entirely sure how any pain reliever or medical treatment works. But I do know that when something works for people I trust or for me, I’m going to use if when needed.
If you are in the eastern PA area, you might want to know that Dr. Brandie Nemchenko can be reached at 610-337-7634 and www.KOPWellness.com. You might want to read Dr. Brandie’s story about her own pregnancy and how it led her to a career in chiropractic. If you are in another part of the country, find out more about chiropractic and find a doctor at http://icpa4kids.com/index.php .
I have to agree with you on this one! I always thought chiropractic care was a sort of snake-oil remedy. That is until I was in agonizing pain from Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction. I could barely walk and simple things like turning over in bed became torture. My OB suggested a chiropractor and at that point I was willing to try anything. Amazingly, it helped. A lot. I went twice a week for a few weeks and then 1-2 times every two weeks. It didn’t eliminate my pain but it got me walking again and made things bearable! Highly recommend chiropractic care to other moms and moms-to-be in pain.
Sounds like you had an OB who was really on the ball. I haven’t heard of many OBs recommending alternative care, including chiropractic, although many will discuss it if asked. I got my referral to Dr. Brandi after asking at The Birth Center. I am so glad you got the relief that you needed. That was my experience, too. The pain didn’t go away entirely during pregnancy, but nearly so, and then I made a full recovery after delivery.