How Chiropractic Care Helped Me Through Pregnancy and Labor
When I first signed up for chiropractic care, I was desperate for relief. My lower back pain had become unbearable, especially during pregnancy. A previous injury likely contributed to the discomfort, but being pregnant only made things worse. Some days, I could barely get out of bed. That’s when my gynecologist suggested chiropractic care, and it became a game changer for me.
Immediate Relief from Pain
In the beginning, I was going three times a week because the pain was intense. From my very first adjustment, I felt immediate relief. While the effects wore off after a day or so—likely due to my muscles still being tight from the prolonged pain—there was a noticeable improvement each time. After a month of consistent care, I was able to reduce my visits to twice a week.
Chiropractic care helped me get through the final, and often most challenging, weeks of pregnancy. With all the changes happening in my body, having that relief made an enormous difference in my day-to-day life.
Complications During Pregnancy
I had a complicated pregnancy due to a pulmonary embolism early on. As a result, I had to inject blood thinners twice a day, which added stress to an already difficult time. Because of these complications, I was receiving specialized care at EVMS (Eastern Virginia Medical School), and I had to plan for a hospital birth rather than the home birth I originally hoped for.
This made me anxious about how the labor and delivery would unfold. I worried about complications during labor, especially because of the blood thinners. However, chiropractic care helped ease not just my physical discomfort but also some of my mental and emotional stress.
How Chiropractic Care Helped with Labor
One of the biggest surprises for me was how much chiropractic care contributed to my labor experience. I went into labor naturally, and the process was much faster than I expected. I had prepared myself for a potentially long and painful labor, but instead, everything went incredibly smoothly.
I didn’t need an epidural and was able to give birth naturally, which was a huge relief. I truly believe chiropractic care played a major role in aligning my body for labor, making the whole process more manageable. Many women describe childbirth as extremely painful, but for me, it was a lot less daunting than I had imagined. I feel like the adjustments made in those final weeks prepared my body to go through labor seamlessly.
A Positive Birth Experience
Thanks to chiropractic care, my birth experience wasn’t just bearable—it was empowering. After hearing so many horror stories about labor, I was prepared for the worst. But to my surprise, I found that the experience wasn’t nearly as painful or traumatic as I had feared. In fact, once my baby was born, I couldn’t believe how smoothly everything had gone.
I credit a lot of this to the chiropractic adjustments I received during my pregnancy. By keeping my body aligned and relieving the pressure on my back and hips, chiropractic care not only improved my daily life but also contributed to a smoother and quicker labor.
Reflecting on the Benefits
Looking back, the biggest benefit of chiropractic care during my pregnancy was its role in helping me prepare for labor. It gave me confidence in my body’s ability to handle childbirth and reduced the physical strain that often comes with pregnancy. Not only did it alleviate my back pain, but it also provided peace of mind as I navigated a pregnancy complicated by medical concerns.
For any expecting moms out there who are dealing with back pain, pregnancy discomfort, or anxiety about labor, I highly recommend chiropractic care. It made a world of difference for me, and I’m grateful for how it helped me feel more in control of my pregnancy and labor experience.
This journey wasn’t without its challenges, but with the help of chiropractic care, I was able to overcome them and have a positive birth experience. If you’re pregnant and struggling with pain or stress, chiropractic care could be the support you need to feel better both physically and emotionally.