Postpartum Chiropractic

Postpartum Chiropractic

Postpartum chiropractic care is an often overlooked part of the recovery process after you have a baby. If you ask a chiropractor whether or not you should get adjusted, the answer will almost always be, “Yes! Of course!” In this case, I think it’s even more important to get adjusted after you have your baby than almost any other time.

You’ve just carried your beautiful bundle of joy around for nine months, and your body has gone through a lot of changes in order to accomplish this feat. You stood differently, sat differently, walked differently, and slept differently, especially during your third trimester. Your body also produced a hormone called relaxin during your pregnancy which allowed the ligaments to become more lax in order for you to give birth but this can lead to instability in all of your joints.

Childbirth is often a marathon and you may have labored and/or pushed in a number of different positions. You may have also gone through major abdominal surgery and been laid on your back for the birth. There is a good chance that your pelvis (and maybe even the rest of your body) is out of alignment after you give birth. You then are left to care for this new person who requires constant holding and feeding and you will find yourself sitting for hours on end, possibly in very poor postured positions while caring for your new baby.

Postpartum chiropractic care helps to re-align your body so that you can recover and heal and be the best parent possible to your new baby.

Patients often will ask, “when can I see a chiropractor postpartum?” I usually recommend that all women get checked by a certified perinatal chiropractor within the first month of giving birth, I was personally adjusted about one week postpartum with both of my babies. But the truth is- it is never too late or too early, listen to your body. Even after a cesarean birth, there are safe modifications that can help your body to heal and recover and will help to meet you where you are at while still addressing any issues you may be experiencing.

At your first visit back to our office after giving birth we do a postpartum re-examination. We will talk about your birth story, discuss any previous complaints you had and any new complaints that new motherhood has brought on. We will do a complete chiropractic examination and then get you adjusted.

We would be happy to also check your baby’s spine. They would be considered a new patient and we would do a complete chiropractic newborn examination on them and then, if needed perform their first gentle adjustment. Check out our Infant Chiropractic section for more info.

How much postpartum chiropractic do you need?

Depending on how much chiropractic care you have had prior to your pregnancy, you may need a couple of adjustments to get back up to speed. I’ve found that patients that have been under regular chiropractic care pick right up where we left off. Those patients that just had a couple of adjustments or who have never been adjusted before may need more care to get back to feeling normal again.