"Normal" Pregnancy Symptoms

Low back pain, numbness in the fingers, shooting electrical pain in the legs.

Many soon-to-be moms consider these and other symptoms to be normal, expected problems during pregnancy.  While they are very common, you do not have to resign yourself to the fact that they will be a necessary part of pregnancy.  The simple truth of the matter is that your body is going through a tremendous change in a relatively short period of time and either adapts to it, or pain results.

The average healthy weight gain during pregnancy is between 25-35 pounds.  Any time that someone were to increase in weight by that much it would likely cause pain if the spine and pelvis were not functioning correctly.



When your spine and pelvis are in alignment and moving smoothly, your body is more than capable of adapting to the changes in your body without pain.  If there is a joint or a section of the spine that is restricted in motion, you lose a certain amount of your ability to absorb the stress.  If you have ever worn a cast, you know that it does not take long for the joints above or below that cast to start aching.  Similarly, as your body grows but portions of your spine lock up, the joints and muscles that overcompensate for the changes function differently and therefore hurt.  

A great example of this is a patient that I had a few years ago.  She came to see me after experiencing extreme pain on one side of her low back during childbirth with her first child.  On her first visit to my office, she stated she still had pain from the delivery that was impacting her ability to even get down on the floor to play with her now toddler daughter, and she worried about the pain with future pregnancies.  We started chiropractic care immediately, and since then she has been able to carry and deliver two more children without significant pain.

The best way for me to assess the balance of the pelvis is a specialized chiropractic method called the Webster Technique, learned during my additional years of study through the ICPA to be certified in advanced pediatric and pregnancy techniques.  I evaluate for any for twisting of the pelvis and restrictions that sometimes are associated with improper positioning of the baby and pressure on the nerves of the low back and legs.  By utilizing the Webster Technique throughout your pregnancy, I can help keep your low back in balance, allowing your body the flexibility it needs to adapt to the increased biomechanical stresses it will face.

Getting started with care early in the pregnancy is better than trying to make changes at the end to compensate for pain.  Let us help your body adapt to the changes gradually instead of playing catch up.