Wondering how to pick a Chiropractor in Vancouver for pre-natal care and post-natal care? The Chiropractors at Broadway AT Yew Chiropractic & Massage have helped many moms and moms-to-be. Chiropractic care can help keep you comfortable during pregnancy and facilitate an easy childbirth and quicker recovery. Chiropractic care is safe and effective for aches and pains during all trimesters of pregnancy.

Chiropractic care during and after pregnancy

Pregnancy and childbirth bring many changes to your body. It’s common for women to experience back pain during the pre-natal period as ligaments loosen, the baby grows and your center of gravity shifts. It’s also common to experience back pain discomfort in the post-natal stage as ligaments tighten again and weight and posture changes.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to help alleviate back pain during pre- and post-natal stages. Body pillows may help with nighttime comfort. Pain may also be alleviated by applying heat to the sore area.

Chiropractic and Massage Therapy may also help. Studies on pre-natal and post-natal Chiropractic care indicate that Chiropractic treatments can help women enjoy a healthy and more comfortable pregnancy. Chiropractic care can also help reduce reliance on medications. Chiropractors can provide advice on nutrition, exercise and ergonomic adjustments to help you enjoy a health pregnancy.

For more on pre- and post-natal care, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada has information. Other pre- and post-natal care options are available through The Canadian Association of Midwives.

Get natural, drug-free relief from the aches and pains associated with pre- and post-natal stages. To book an appointment, contact our Chiropractic clinic in Vancouver today.

Pregnancy is a special time in a woman’s life, and entails many changes physically, mentally and emotionally. This article will focus simply on the changes of the muscles and joints, and how exercise and chiropractic care can keep a new mommy moving well and ready for baby.

More than half of woman experience low back pain during their pregnancy, usually in the 2^nd and 3^rdtrimesters. Some women experience episodes of low back pain, whereas others may endure constant discomfort. “Low back pain” is a general term, pain felt in pregnancy is not limited to structures the lower spine itself, but also includes the pelvis, upper back and lower limbs. All joints are subjected to a hormone called “relaxin,” which loosens your ligaments to allow for stretching during the birth process. This is absolutely necessary in the pelvis for birth, but unfortunately the hormone is generally circulated around the body, making every joint vulnerable to strain due to laxity. I will touch more on this during the exercise portion of the article.

Pelvic Pain

There are 2 sacroiliac (SI) joints in the back, connecting your hip bones with the sacrum, the triangular bone at the end of the spine. It is very common to have pain in these joints as they loosen, as they are very important in pelvic and back stability.

The pubic symphysis (pubic bone) is a joint in the front ring of the pelvis. Some women may experience inflammation here during and/or after pregnancy. Pain is aggravated by walking and one-legged activities, tenderness can be felt over the pubic bone. Pubic symphysis diastasis can be quite painful and disabling and rehabilitation is very important in treating the condition.

Adjustments and massage can help keep the pelvis in alignment, along with gentle stretching and strengthening. A trochanteric (around the hips) belt can also help stabilize the pelvis in both these conditions.

Back pain (upper and lower)

Posture must change to accommodate the growing belly. As the weight gets shifted forward, the lower back must arch more to keep balance. The upper back is under more stain both from the lower back and strain from increased breast tissue. The abdominal muscles in front which support the back are also weakened and separated. Pain in the upper and lower back may also arise from changes in sleeping posture.

Knee pain, elbow pain and everything else

As mentioned above, the relaxin causes general havoc on all joints, particularly if you have had previous injury. Some women will also experience nerve disruption such as carpal tunnel syndrome due to increased fluid retention. Tell your chiropractor about all of your aches and pains, all of them can be helped with laser therapy, as well as soft tissue therapies.

Exercise during pregnancy

Always consult your primary maternal care provider before starting any exercise program. Every pregnancy is different, and you must be aware of your unique situation and any contraindications.

That being said, exercise is the BEST thing during a safe pregnancy. It will help with fatigue, nausea, depression, help prevent gestational diabetes and create a strong body for the daunting task of labour. There are many programs set up in Vancouver for prenatal and postnatal fitness, that are ran by professionals that understand the changes occurring in the body and help women keep motivated.

Guidelines set out by the Canadian Chiropractic Association’s  for exercise during pregnancy and the post-partum period recommends 30 minutes daily or more of moderate intensity physical activity. This can include cardiovascular and resistance training, yoga is also nice complement to add.