What should I expect (Chiro advice)

[ObsessiveAndrea]

I have scheduled an appt with a chiro on thursday. She said she specializes in pregnancy, but I was wondering what I should expect out of a good chiropractor right now (I am 33 weeks)? It has been a LONG time since I have been to see one but I am in desperate need now. Ireally should have started this sooner but I couldn't afford to. Any advice?

[CandyR]

My pregnancy adjustments are very similar to non-pregnancy adjustments. Of course, there won't be any x-rays. My chiro has a table that has a drop down panel so she can adjust my back. She also works on my neck and hips.

I think your treatment will vary depending on what you need. Hope you feel great soon!

[ChiroWife]

DH has quite a few pregnant patients including me.

He uses the drop table for me. He works a lot on my low back and hips since that is where I have the most trouble. It feels so good when he raises the hip part of the table up for my belly. Lots of relief to my back.

Good luck!

[ObsessiveAndrea]

yes I would love some lower back and hip relief.

[chiro_kristin]

You should expect her to take a bit more time with you than maybe she does with her nonpregnant patients. You should, at every visit, tell her about the specific location of your aches and pains (even if she doesn't necessarily decide to adjust that area). I normally don't ask my patients about their pains at every visit, but I do ask my pregnant patients.

You should expect to let her know about everything that is going on with your pregnancy, whether you think it will affect your chiropractic care or not. It doesn't just have to be pain. At each visit, let her know about all changes in your body, how the baby is feeling, your emotions, etc., even if you don't think it significant or abnormal.

You should encourage your other prenatal care providers to work with your chiropractor and to share information. I regularly communicate with my patients' other providers, with my patient's permission of course. (If you have a care provider who is against chiropractic during pregnancy, just take it with a grain of salt and realize that he/she does not understand chiropractic. Some, esp some MDs, think they know but were ill-informed.)

You should expect to follow her recommendations for your care and not just go when you think you need it. Depending on your case, she may want to see you less often or more often.

And most of all, you should expect adjustments to be gentle. She is obviously experienced in adjusting pg women, so I imagine it will be very gentle and comfortable. It is most often much easier to adjust a pregnant woman than a nonpregnant woman. There are many ways to adjust a pregnant woman, such as with a drop table as noted from PPs, with a pg pillow, with elevated hip pieces, on the knee-chest table, with an Activator, etc. You should tell her if a particular position is not comfortable, as every person is different.

You should expect to be very proud of yourself for taking such a positive step toward your health (not just pain relief!) and that of your baby. I'm thrilled for you, and I hope you let me know how it goes!

[ObsessiveAndrea]

Thanks Kristen...I will let you know. It is actually my midwife who has been telling me I need to go and see a chiro for a few months now. This chiro attended her first homebirth a few months ago and I will be her second HB patient, and I am sure she wants to talk to my midwife because she was asking me questions about my midwife. I will make sure they get together somehow or another. I am wondering now how a chiro can assist during labor. Have you ever been present at a birth?
I am really excited at finally being able to afford to go. I have been wanting to see one regularly now for several years but money has been so tight. I also want to get DH seeing her regularly too.

[Music-mommy]

I started going to a chiro around 4 months with my first preg because i was having a sciatica. My chiro got rid of it with one adjustment, but I continued the entire pregnancy. I go regularly (once a month) now ever since, and he says it's interesting because usually I have one hip that is higher than the other, during pregnancy, it's the opposite hip...

Anyhow, i had a very fast homebirth with my first and I think part of it was that my back was well aligned.

[ChiroWife]

Originally Posted by ObsessiveAndrea

Thanks Kristen...I will let you know. It is actually my midwife who has been telling me I need to go and see a chiro for a few months now. This chiro attended her first homebirth a few months ago and I will be her second HB patient, and I am sure she wants to talk to my midwife because she was asking me questions about my midwife. I will make sure they get together somehow or another. I am wondering now how a chiro can assist during labor. Have you ever been present at a birth?
I am really excited at finally being able to afford to go. I have been wanting to see one regularly now for several years but money has been so tight. I also want to get DH seeing her regularly too.

I'm sure Kristen can answer more in depth than I, but a Chiro. can help with back pain (massage, pressure points). We had a friend who was not progressing in labor. Her Chiro. adjusted her neck and she had the baby within a couple of hours. She can also adjust the baby after he/she is born. DD had her first adjustment at 1 hr. old.

My MW has a Chiro. she works with. She offered to be there at our birth in case DH just wanted to be the Husband/Dad and not the Chiro. also.