Pregnancy Chiropractic CareAs soon as you become pregnant, your body kicks into overdrive producing large quantities of hormones necessary for a healthy pregnancy. Some hormones are meant to relax pelvic ligaments so your baby moves more easily through your pelvis. Side effects of these hormones, combined with an enlarged belly and inevitable weight gain, include adopting a “sway-back” posture that lowers your center of gravity and puts a lot of stress on your spine. Fortunately Dr. James Heath, our Wyoming, Grand Rapids, and Kentwood chiropractor can provide special chiropractic adjustments and massages to not only relieve pain in your legs, back and neck but may also help prepare your body for an easier, natural childbirth experience.

Improving Pregnancy Health and Wellness with Chiropractic and Massage Therapy

Dr. Heath’s expertise in chiropractic on pregnant practice members improves the health of the spine and nervous system, elevating the health of the Practice Member and the baby too! Chiropractic adjustments many times aide in the relief of migraine headache pain, neck pain and low back pain. All conditions many women experience during pregnancy.

Therapeutic massage for pregnant women improves circulation, relieves muscles of accumulated toxins responsible for pain and enhances muscle and ligament elasticity so that pregnancy pain and stiffness naturally vanish. In addition, Deep tissue massage therapy is a popular and effective type of massage technique targeting both upper and deep muscle tissues to stimulate healing, relaxation and pain relief. Deep tissue massage may also help reduce hypertension, anxiety and depression caused by hormones and the awkwardness of later pregnancy. Massage techniques used by our chiropractor naturally trigger release of serotonin and oxytocin, two hormones responsible for mood elevation and relaxation.

Pregnancy Back Pain Relief from Our Chiropractor

Sacroiliac joint pain produces radiating pain in the buttocks and lower back. Caused primarily by cartilage degeneration (osteoarthritis) and pregnancy (due to hormones over-relaxing sacroiliac joint ligaments), SI joint pain may be treated by Dr. Heath, our Wyoming chiropractor using standard manipulation and adjustment techniques intended to expedite relief of sacroiliac joint pain.

Chiropractic and Infant Positioning

If you are interested in having a natural childbirth, chiropractic offers techniques that may help adjust your pelvis and surrounding ligaments to allow your baby to gradually move into a more advantageous position facilitating the birthing process. Having a natural childbirth mean you are choosing to forego an epidural prior to childbirth or take any pain medication during the delivery process. Advantages to natural childbirth are:

  • Being alert and aware of what is happening
  • Feeling a sense of accomplishment and empowerment afterward
  • No medication side effects
  • Having more freedom of movement (no I.V. hookups)
  • Reduced risk of needing bladder catheterizations, forceps or injections of Pitocin, a drug used to induce labor.

Chiropractic care for pregnant women is safe, gentle and beneficial for you and your child. Chiropractic First uses state-of-the-art adjustment tables designed to accommodate your changing body throughout all stages of your pregnancy. In addition, we never X-ray pregnant women and do not prescribe medications.

Schedule an appointment with our Wyoming, Grand Rapids, and Kentwood chiropractor Dr. Heath to discuss your pregnancy health and wellness program today by calling 616-538-1780.