The Webster Technique: Pregnancy Chiropractic

I started seeing a chiropractor 3 weeks ago. I was pretty sure I was having sciatic nerve pain (no fun) and thought a chiro might be my best route in adjusting to my bigger pregnant self.

I was absolutely right! There is no doubt I am bigger and the bump is more uncomfortable to move around, but I’m not having pain anymore. I can still make it through my 10 hour work day sitting at a desk (with frequent bathroom breaks, of course). Pretty impressive for almost 36 weeks if you ask me!

If you are interested in pregnancy chiropractic I would check wth your provider on who they recommend. I got a great recommendation from another mom at the birth center I am attending. Community boards on Mothering are also a great resource for these type of recommendations. The chiro I am working with has specific expertise in both pregnancy and pediatric chiropractic. He has been a wealth of knowledge in helping me to understand how spine care is tied to many other wellness aspects of life. It is the core of our nervous system, so obsiously our spines play a big role in our health.

Make sure your chiro has a pregnancy table. They split in the middle so the belly has space to hang. I can’t tell you how amazing it feels to lay on my stomach!

Make sure your chiro has pregnancy training. This is a delicate time in life and you want someone who understands pregnancy and how your body has changed. When it comes to training, the Webster technique is what I was specifically looking for.

The official definition of the Webster technique as taught by the ICPA Certification program is as follows: The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment that reduces interference to the nerve system and balances maternal pelvic muscles and ligaments. This in turn reduces torsion in the uterus, a cause of intra-uterine constraint of the baby and allows for optimal fetal positioning in preparation for birth.

This is my goal: “optimal fetal positioning in preparation for birth”. If I can get my back/pelvis aligned correctly I am in effect making a “straight” chute for little one’s delivery. That’s the theory at least :) Webster is most frequently used in lieu of external version for a breech, posterior or transverse baby. My chiro said external versions usually have a 45% success rate and moms are left with bruises from the often painful procedure. Webster has an 85% sucess rate and although it wasn’t comfortable, it defnitely wasn’t painful. (Sidenote – my baby is still head down and doing just fine, I’m just having Webster done for the pelvi muscle/ligament care).

I can’t recommend chiropractic enough … if you haven’t done it before, it is definitely worth a try. Just know that it isn’t a quick fix. I’m going once a week until the birth and plan to have some postpartum visits as well. Have to make sure everything goes back in to place properly :) At $25/visit (that’s my co-pay) it adds up, but if it makes for a safer/swifter delivery and better wellness on a daily basis during the end of my pregnancy I’m willing to invest.

Not to mention the lovliness of how relaxing my appointments are. Calm music, warm heating pad on my back and a mini massage. It totally gets me in the zone and helps me to forget my to-do list … for a short time at least.

My chiro has also been a great resource when it comes to the vaccine dilemma (which I promise I still have more “parts” in the works on this topic). He gave me 2 books to read this last visit and is hosting a vaccine seminar in the next few weeks. I appreciate his interest in not only my, but my child’s wellness. He even plans to visit us after the birth (at the birth center) to adjust the baby as a gift to us and our little one! Apparently, baby adjusts have statistically shown to decrease childhood illness like ear infections.

Have you gone to a chiropractor during pregnancy? Any other types of wellness care I should look into during these last few weeks of bumphood?