Chiropractic Advice for Moms-to-Be

On April 2, 2004 the TV station WOAI from San Antonio Texas ran a special during their news program with Chiropractic advice for pregnant women. The feature started by noting, "Studies have found that about half of all expectant mothers will develop low-back pain at some point during their pregnancies." The article explained this by saying that during pregnancy, a woman's center of gravity almost immediately begins to shift forward to the front of her pelvis.

Additionally as the baby continues to grow, the pregnant woman's weight is projected even farther forward, and the curvature of her lower back is therefore increased. This places extra stress on the spinal disks. As a result, the normal curvature of the upper spine increases, as well.

The article notes a series of tips from the American Chiropractic Association, these include:

• Try exercising at least three times a week, gently stretching before and after exercise.
• Wear flat, sensible shoes.
• When picking up children, bend from the knees, not the waist.
• Get plenty of rest.
• Sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees to take pressure off your lower back.
• If you have to sit at a computer for long hours, make your workstation ergonomically correct.
• Eat small meals or snacks every four to five hours-rather than the usual three large meals-to help keep nausea or extreme hunger at bay.

The feature also recommends chiropractic care for pregnancy. They conclude, "Before you become pregnant, your doctor of chiropractic can detect any imbalances in the pelvis or elsewhere in your body that could contribute to pregnancy discomfort or possible neuromusculoskeletal problems after childbirth."

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