What Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy Involves

Somewhere around the second trimester, a lot of pregnant patients in Bismarck start noticing low back pain, hip discomfort, or a new ache that wasn't there before. Your body is carrying weight differently than it ever has, and your center of gravity keeps shifting week to week as the pregnancy progresses. Chiropractic care during pregnancy exists to work with that changing body, not against it, and it looks different from a standard adjustment in a few important ways, starting with the amount of force involved.

Why pregnancy changes the approach

During pregnancy, your body produces a hormone called Relaxin, which loosens ligaments and joints to prepare for delivery. That means the same joints and connective tissue that hold your spine and pelvis in place are naturally more flexible than usual. Dr. Matt adjusts his technique to account for that looseness, using a gentler force than he would with a non-pregnant patient, since the tissue simply doesn't need the same amount of pressure to respond the way it would outside of pregnancy.

When patients typically start

There's no single right time to bring up back or hip pain during pregnancy. Some patients come in as soon as the discomfort starts, often in the second trimester as the belly grows and posture shifts. Others wait until the third trimester when the extra weight and a shifting center of gravity make everyday movement, like getting out of bed or off the couch, noticeably harder. Either way, Dr. Matt adjusts his approach based on how far along you are and what your body is dealing with at that specific point in the pregnancy.

What actually gets checked

A prenatal visit starts the same way any visit does, with a conversation about what's bothering you and when it started. From there, Dr. Matt looks at how your pelvis and low back are moving and whether one side is more restricted than the other, which is common as your body shifts to accommodate a growing baby. He'll also ask how you're sleeping and sitting, since both change quite a bit during pregnancy and both affect how your spine feels day to day, especially by the third trimester.

Getting comfortable on the table

One of the most common questions pregnant patients ask is simply how they're supposed to lie down for an adjustment once lying flat on their stomach stops being comfortable. The office adjusts positioning as your pregnancy progresses, so you're never asked to get into a position that doesn't work for where you are that month. Comfort during the visit itself matters just as much as the adjustment, and Dr. Matt checks in throughout to make sure nothing feels strained.

What patients often come in for

• Low back pain that shows up as the belly grows
• Hip or pelvic discomfort, especially later in pregnancy
• Sciatic-type pain running down the leg
• General tightness from changed posture and sleeping positions
• Ongoing care through the third trimester as things keep shifting

After the baby arrives

Some patients keep coming in after delivery too, since the postpartum body is dealing with its own new set of demands, from carrying a car seat to feeding a newborn at odd hours in awkward positions on the couch. Lifting a car seat in and out of a vehicle several times a day, or nursing hunched over a couch cushion, puts strain on a spine that just went through nine months of changes and then labor on top of it. And if you already have an infant at home, Alpha Chiropractic sees pediatric patients as well, using the same gentle Activator-based approach for babies that's used throughout pregnancy care for moms, so the whole family can be seen at the same office.

Talking to Dr. Matt before you decide

If you're unsure whether prenatal chiropractic care is right for you, that's a completely normal place to start. Dr. Matt would rather answer your questions over the phone or at a first visit than have you guess based on something you read online. Every pregnancy is different, and how far along you are, what's bothering you, and your own comfort level all factor into whether care makes sense right now or later in the pregnancy.

If back or hip pain has been creeping in as your pregnancy progresses, it doesn't have to be something you just accept until delivery. Call Alpha Chiropractic at (701) 751-8300 to ask about prenatal care, or stop by 125 Slate Dr, Suite 1, in the Boulder Ridge Office Park. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 8am to 6pm, Wednesday until 3pm, and Friday until noon.