Chiropractic care is important for everyone. Chiropractors can help everyone from newborn babies to the elderly in all walks of life. But many people take a time-out from chiropractic care during pregnancy. It might seem dangerous and impossible to adjust an expecting mother; however, pregnancy is actually a very important time to continue to get adjusted. Here are some important reasons why you should get adjusted by a chiropractor while you're pregnant and during your post-partum recovery.

Proper Immune Support

Most people know that when a woman is pregnant, her immune system doesn't function at full capacity. When you're pregnant, your immune system is trying to take care of you and your baby. Therefore, it's not going to be as effective when it comes to fighting off bacteria and viruses that you come in contact with. When a chiropractor adjusts your spine, your nervous system is getting boosted and re-booted. Your immune system and nervous system work hand-in-hand. Whenever you receive an adjustment, your immune system is getting a boost.

Easier Labor

Chiropractic care is a great way to reduce your labor time. Studies have shown that regular chiropractic adjustments during pregnancy can significantly reduce the pregnant woman's time in labor. When adjusted, the uterus receives better blood flow and the baby slowly becomes better positioned for labor. The adjustments also better align the pelvis for pushing the baby out. It can also reduce tension on the ligaments between the pelvis and uterus and reduce other imbalances that cause labor to last longer.

General Comfort

You probably spend a lot of time having aches and pains during your pregnancy. Having extra weight on your abdomen can lead to knee, foot, back pain, along with other aches around the body. The extra weight makes you readjust the way you walk, sleep, and sit, putting pressure on joints that shouldn't carry extra weight. The adjustment can help you achieve proper alignment to carry the baby with less pain. You'll be more comfortable during the day and sleep better at night. You spend nearly a year pregnant, and you deserve to be comfortable.

Faster Recovery

During the end of your pregnancy, a hormone called relaxin is produced to loosen the tendons and muscles in your body. This makes your body ready to deliver your baby. Once your baby is delivered, the hormone stops being produced so everything can tighten back up. As the tendons, muscles, and ligaments tighten, your pelvis can become misaligned, causing back pain, headaches, and leg pain. The adjustments help your recovery because your pelvis has been consistently realigned properly.

Flip a Breach Baby

If you find out that your baby is breech, it can be a very frightening time. Many doctors will come to the decision that a cesarean section is the only way to deliver the baby. While that is the protocol if your baby is breech during labor, there are things you can do if you're not in labor yet. Find a chiropractor who knows the Webster technique. The Webster technique was specifically developed to help reduce SI joint dysfunction in the pelvis. However, the Webster technique has been found to have a high success rate on flipping breech babies. If your baby is still breech around 34 weeks, you can talk to a chiropractor about trying to flip your baby around and avoid the surgery.

Milk Supply

Many women experience an increase of stress that begins toward the end of their third trimester and lasts well into the post-partum days. Stress has been shown to reduce milk supply and make it more difficult to breastfeed. The reduced milk supply can increase your stress, making it a catch-22 when trying to figure out what to do. Chiropractic adjustments release stress-reducing hormones, which can relax you and increase your milk supply.

Chiropractic care is important for everyone, especially new and expecting mothers. Make sure you see a chiropractor throughout your pregnancy and during your post-partum recovery so you can reap all of these benefits.