Pregnancy and postpartum care.
Chiropractic care can help you through the discomforts of pregnancy and the physical demands of life after childbirth. Below, you’ll find answers to the most common questions about chiropractic care during pregnancy and in the postpartum period.
Low back and pelvic pain is very common during pregnancy. This pain can be due to imbalances in the low back and pelvis, as stress gradually increases on the spine, the joints of the pelvis, ligaments, and muscles as a woman progresses through her pregnancy. Stress and muscle imbalances lead to painful and abnormal movement of joints.
Chiropractic care can help your body accommodate the changes it goes through during pregnancy and make you more comfortable by:
- Gently correcting dysfunctional joints
- Releasing tight muscles and ligaments
- Exercising weak muscles to maintain balance and stability
In many cases, chiropractic adjustments can alleviate pregnancy pain, decrease labor pain, and speed up delivery time.
Yes. Chiropractic care is safe during all stages of pregnancy and can give you long-lasting pain relief for a more comfortable pregnancy.
One of the first questions we are asked by patients regarding pregnancy care is whether chiropractic is safe for both mom and baby, and experts agree.
Anne Packard-Spicer is a faculty member specializing in pregnancy-related conditions at Northwestern Health Sciences University. She states that when a woman’s pelvis is properly aligned, the uterus is under less nerve and mechanical stress, which causes the baby to be in a more comfortable position during labor. Chiropractic adjustments can begin at any time and can continue all the way up to the day of delivery.
“Many women worry about getting adjusted while they are pregnant, but chiropractic is gentle and very safe throughout pregnancy,” says Packard-Spicer. “There is no evidence that adjustments have ever harmed a single pregnant woman or her baby. In my 12 years of experience, it is safe, gentle, and effective.”
Your chiropractor at the Spinal and Sports Care Clinic is specially trained in techniques designed for the pregnant woman. One of them is the Webster Technique, which is designed to bring balance to the muscles, ligaments, and joints of your low back and pelvis. Balancing these structures supports the integrity of your pelvic function and can provide comfort and pain relief for you, as well as healthy benefits for your growing baby.
Our patient care is comprehensive and is not limited to chiropractic adjustments. Your treatment will also include:
- Patient education
- Homecare instructions
- Therapeutic exercise
These methods help speed your recovery, help you avoid aggravating activities, and improve joint stability and muscle strength to reduce pain.
Chiropractic care is not only safe, it’s also comfortable. Pregnancy cushions are available and can be used during your appointment to increase comfort. Patients are positioned on the treatment table using pillows and cushions as needed to accommodate a growing abdomen and chest. While you are here for chiropractic care, you can also treat yourself to a massage.
Pregnancy massage works well with chiropractic care and is another natural way to effectively and comfortably reduce pain and stiffness related to pregnancy. Our clinic has massage therapists on staff who are specially trained in pregnancy massage. Massage can help to:
- Reduce muscular aches
- Improve circulation
- Reduce fatigue
- Reduce swelling
- Aid in relaxation and stress reduction
Yes. Chiropractic care is safe during all stages of pregnancy. It is gentle, and your chiropractor at Spinal and Sports Care Clinic is specially trained in techniques designed for pregnant women.
Yes. Low back and pelvic pain is very common during pregnancy because stress gradually increases on the spine, pelvic joints, ligaments, and muscles. Chiropractic care can help by gently correcting dysfunctional joints, releasing tight muscles and ligaments, and exercising weak muscles to maintain balance and stability.
The Webster Technique is a chiropractic technique designed for pregnant women. It brings balance to the muscles, ligaments, and joints of the low back and pelvis, supporting pelvic function and providing comfort and pain relief.
Chiropractic adjustments can begin at any time and can continue all the way up to the day of delivery.
In many cases, chiropractic adjustments can decrease labor pain and speed up delivery time. When the pelvis is properly aligned, the uterus is under less nerve and mechanical stress, which causes the baby to be in a more comfortable position during labor.
Treatment includes chiropractic adjustments, patient education, homecare instructions, and therapeutic exercise. You’ll be positioned comfortably on the table with pillows and pregnancy cushions to accommodate your growing abdomen and chest.
Yes. Pregnancy massage can reduce muscular aches, improve circulation, reduce fatigue and swelling, and aid in relaxation and stress reduction. Our massage therapists are specially trained in pregnancy massage.
The postpartum period is clinically defined as the first six weeks after childbirth. There are many changes your body goes through after childbirth and as you transition from pregnancy to motherhood. While it is a very exciting time in your life, it can also be strenuous on your body. Chiropractic care can help your body deal with these new strains and pains while teaching you how to prevent further aggravation.
One-third of postpartum women experience low back pain. There are many causes, but one major cause is a weak core. For the past nine months, your abdominal muscles have been over-stretched and weakened, and now you are asking your body to lift your baby and a car seat with those weakened muscles. If your abdominal and core muscles are weak, your low back compensates, and this can cause low back pain.
Another major cause is the posture adopted during pregnancy, which presents as a forward pelvic tilt and an exaggerated curve of the low back.
At Spinal & Sports Care Clinic, we specialize in exercise rehabilitation. We can help re-train your core and abdominal muscles to activate properly and show you an exercise routine to begin rehabilitative strength training.
Hip and pelvic pain is another common problem for postpartum women. This pain can be a symptom of pelvic misalignments that occurred during pregnancy or the birthing process. Carrying a child on your hip can also create pelvic asymmetry and pain. Your chiropractor can address pelvic misalignments using gentle adjustments and a rehabilitation and strengthening program.
As a mom, you are likely packing around a baby, car seat, full diaper bag, purse, and maybe even another toddler. The weight of these items can cause strain in your neck, upper back, and shoulders. Chiropractic care can help relieve this strain and show you more ergonomically friendly ways to carry your car seat, your baby, and other supplies. It’s also a good idea to empty your purse and diaper bag of unnecessary items to help reduce their weight.
Neck and upper back pain can also be caused by poor ergonomics when feeding your baby. Your chiropractor can guide you on ways to hold your baby when breast and/or bottle feeding that are easier on your body to prevent further aggravation.
There are many different causes for headaches, and your Spinal & Sports Care chiropractor will perform an extensive history and examination to help narrow down the cause. A tailored treatment plan will be created based on your specific needs.
For many postpartum women, headaches can be caused by:
- Stress and tension in the neck and shoulders from looking down to bond with your baby during feeding
- Poor ergonomics when caring for your baby
- Higher stress levels, which may cause jaw and upper neck tension, leading to headaches in the temples or a feeling like a band squeezing around the head
- Lack of sleep, dehydration, and poor nutritional habits
Be sure to keep yourself well-nourished and drink plenty of water.
While chiropractic care does not directly treat mood disorders, we do care for women who may suffer from postpartum blues and depression. Chiropractic care increases pain-free movement, allowing our patients to increase their exercise levels. It is well known, and proven by research, that exercise decreases depression.
We can help keep you moving, but please talk to your doctor if you, or someone you know, is having signs and symptoms of depression or anxiety during pregnancy and/or after giving birth. These mood disorders are very common, and help is available.
The postpartum period is clinically defined as the first six weeks after childbirth.
One-third of postpartum women experience low back pain. Common causes include a weak core, since your abdominal muscles have been over-stretched and weakened during pregnancy, and the forward pelvic tilt and exaggerated low back curve adopted during pregnancy.
Yes. Hip and pelvic pain can be a symptom of pelvic misalignments that occurred during pregnancy or birth, or from carrying a child on your hip. Your chiropractor can address these using gentle adjustments and a rehabilitation and strengthening program.
Carrying a baby, car seat, diaper bag, and purse can strain your neck, upper back, and shoulders, as can poor ergonomics when feeding your baby. Chiropractic care can help relieve this strain and show you easier ways to carry and hold your baby.
Common causes include neck and shoulder tension from looking down while feeding, poor ergonomics when caring for your baby, higher stress levels, lack of sleep, dehydration, and poor nutritional habits. Your chiropractor will perform an extensive history and examination to narrow down the cause.
Chiropractic care does not directly treat mood disorders, but it increases pain-free movement so patients can exercise more, and research shows exercise decreases depression. If you or someone you know has signs of depression or anxiety, please talk to your doctor. These conditions are very common, and help is available.
We specialize in exercise rehabilitation. We can help re-train your core and abdominal muscles to activate properly and show you an exercise routine to begin rehabilitative strength training.
Updated October 2026
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