Studies have ound that about half of all expectant mothers develop low-back pain at some point during their pregnancies. This is especially true during the third trimester when the baby’s body gains the most weight.
Chiropractic care throughout pregnancy can relieve and even prevent the pain and discomfort frequently experienced in pregnancy, and creates an environment for an easier, safer delivery. It is one safe and effective way to help the spine and pelvis cope with the rapid increase in physical stress by restoring a state of balance. In fact, most women have found the chiropractic care helped them avoid the use of pain medicatioins during pregnancy, and studies have shown that chiropractic adjustments help to reduce time in labor.
Dr. Aiello can provide adjustments, as well as offer nutritional, ergonomic and exercise advice to help address your special needs. Follow these 7 tips:
1. Be sure to get adjusted regularly. Chiropractic care is important to help maintain a healthy skeletal
structure and nervous system function throughout a pregnancy.
2. Do some gentle exercise each day. Walking, swimming, or stationary cycling are relatively safe cardiovascular exercises for pregnant women. Avoid any activities that involve jerking or bouncing movements. Stop exercise immediately if you notice any unusual symptoms, such as nausea, dizziness, or weakness.
3. Wear flat shoes with arch supports. Your feet become more susceptible to injury during pregnancy, partially due to a rapidly increasing body weight, but also because the ligaments that support the feet become more lax.
4. When picking up children, bend from the knees, not the waist. Your low back is much more prone to injury during pregnancy.
5. When sleeping, lay on your side with a pillow between your knees to take the pressure off your lower back. Full length “body pillows” or pregnancy wedges” are very popular and can be helpful.
6. Eat several small meals or snacks every few hours, rather than three large meals per day. This will help alleviate nausea, stabilize blood sugar and allow your body to extract the maximum amount of nutrients from the foods you eat.
7. Take a prenatal vitamin with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid every day; 800 micrograms is even better. Folic acid has been show to dramatically reduce the risk of neural tube defects in a developing fetus. Be sure to check with your doctor before taking any vitamin or herbal supplement to make sure it’s safe for you and the baby.
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