1. CHIROPRACTIC OVERVIEW
Chiropractic incorporates science, philosophy and art. The basic philosophy is that the human body is able to heal and regenerate itself effectively when there is little or no interference to the nervous system.
The body is controlled and regulated by the brain, spinal cord and nerves, which communicate to every cell of the body e.g. muscle, skin, blood and organ cells. The vertebrae (which provide bony protection for the spinal cord and nervous system), can become misaligned (or subluxated) causing dis-ease and subsequently disease in the tissues and organs throughout the body.
Chiropractic care is very effective at removing interference to the nervous system by providing specific adjustments to areas of the spine that are subluxated. This allows information to flow uninterrupted to organs and cells.
Based on these general and simple concepts the following information specifically describes the benefits of chiropractic during pregnancy and for pediatric care.
2. PREGNANCY
Chiropractors work with the body’s 
ability to adapt and function the way it is designed to function during pregnancy (and during all the other stages of life). Chiropractic care during pregnancy is vital to the normal physiological function of the mother and the baby during pregnancy and for the birthing process because it reduces stress to the nervous system.
A chiropractor’s role during pregnancy is primarily to reduce stress to the mother. We aim to nurture her confidence and to educate her about normal physiology and about natural child birthing (it’s benefits and supportive care providers such as doulas and midwives). We emphasise the vitalistic philosophy of innate intelligence and that the body KNOWS what to do.
Chiropractic Care for Mothers:
Prepares the pelvis for an easier pregnancy and birth by creating a state of balance in pelvic bony structures, muscles and ligaments.
Removes tension on the ligaments that support the uterus, thereby reducing torsion (and inter-uterine constraint) to the uterus. Thus reduces the risk of breach presentations.
Reduces interference to the mother’s nervous system, which controls and regulates all of her systems and functions.
Allows for a safer, easier birth for the mother and decreases the potential for intervention.
Reduces labor time and stress.
Chiropractic Care for the Foetus:
Removes interference to the mother’s nervous system allowing for better baby development.
Allows the baby the space to develop minimising restrictions to its forming cranium, spine and other skeletal structures.
Offers the baby the room to move into the best position for birth.
With optimal fetal positioning, there is significant decrease in dystocia (abnormal progression) and resulting intervention and birth trauma.
Natural birth with minimal interference allows the baby to be
born with 100% potential.
There are numerous ligaments and muscles that support and suspend the uterus as it grows throughout pregnancy. All of the ligaments and muscles have attachments to the bony spine – with most attaching to the anterior part of the sacrum.
The round ligament is the only ligament in the body that has muscle fibres. Therefore, as the uterus gets bigger and heavier, the round ligaments get stronger. It also means that they can get nodules in them creating asymmetry and intra-uterine constraint. In combination with chiropractic care, it is important for the pregnant mother to massage these ligaments to help reduce the risk of this complication.
Pelvic misalignment will change the tension in the muscles around the pelvis, as well as interfering with the shape and natural movement in the pelvis. This leads to intra-uterine constraint.
The Webster Technique is one of the most researched chiropractic techniques used during pregnancy.
“Webster Technique is defined as a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment that reduces interference to the nervous system and balances the pelvis muscles and ligaments. This in turn reduces the causes of intra-uterine constraint and allows the baby to get into the best possible position for birth.”
It is not a technique to turn babies. However, by reducing the intra-uterine constraint using Webster protocols, very often a foetus (if it is not in an optimal position or it is in a breach presentation) will turn by itself in for preparation for birth. The earlier chiropractic care is given during pregnancy, the less risk there is of intra-uterine constraint, breach delivery (and the resulting and complications).
Don’ts:
Avoid one sided positions and repetitive movements
Don’t carry older siblings
Minimal twisting maneuvers
Do’s:
Regular chiropractic adjustments
Round ligament massage
Pelvic floor exercises, sitting – pelvic rocking, cat stretch – pelvic rocking
Pre-natal yoga classes
Meditate and reduce stress
Surround yourself with positive birthing stories only (and images, books and people associated with natural birthing).
3. BIRTH
A pregnant woman should feel excited, supported and comfortable with having a natural birthing process (which her body is specially designed to perform). It is our philosophy to encourage and support women through this wonderful event. We aim to minimise complications and stress, so she that pregnant women can relish this amazing natural event.
Is inconclusively defined but is known as failure to progress during labor. It has been defined in Williams Obstetrics (Chap 18) as follows –
“Dystocia is very complex, and although its definition – abnormal progress in labor seems simple, there is no consensus as to what “abnormal progress” means. Thus, it seems prudent to attempt a better understanding of normal labor in order to determine departures from normal.”
According to Williams Obstetrics the causes of dystocia are:
“Uterine forces insufficiently strong or inappropriately coordinated to efface and dilate the cervix”
from a chiropractic point of view, this happens when the nervous system is not working properly and there is interference to the sacral nerves or lower thoracic nerves specifically. Chiropractic care seeks to optimise neural function to significantly reduce the risk of this cause of dystocia.
“Any contraction of the pelvic diameters that diminish the capacity of the pelvis can create dystocia during labor” they further state that “the diameter of the woman’s pelvis is decreased when the sacrum is displaced”
This is influenced by biomechanics. Chiropractors define this displacement as a subluxation. The structural positioning of the pelvis will change the shape and size of the uterus (and create stress to the ligaments and muscles in the area), which can further create intra-uterine constraint.
“Abnormalities of presentation, position or development of the foetus”
Intrauterine constraint will affect the space and size of the uterus and thus the ability of the foetus to get into the best position for pregnancy and birth. The cause of intra-uterine constraint is torsion through the uterus from pelvic subluxation and tension through the ligaments and muscles supporting and surrounding the uterus.
Chiropractic (particularly Webster Technique), specifically addresses these issues to reduce intra-uterine constraint and thus breach presentations.
Emotional stress:
Is influenced by the nervous system overstimulating the adrenal glands and interfering with the natural progression of labor. Suggestions: chiropractic adjustments, hypno-birthing, meditation, breathing, birthing support – doula and midwife.
Visualise your optimal birth process
Have a support person (e.g. a doula)
Stay active
If you are planning on a hospital birth, do not go to hospital too early
Stay focused and relaxed and get into your body
Wait until the umbilical cord has stopped pulsating before cutting it
Don’t feel pressured in hospital
4. CAUSES OF SUBLUXATION IN THE NEWBORN:
Prolonged labor > 18 hours
Difficult pelvic presentations
Caesarian section: doesn’t allow normal contraction and then rapid expansion of the cranium switching on the nervous system for life outside the womb, most importantly respiration. An emergency caesarian is usually worse because the head is engaged (to varying degrees) and often any body part is pulled to get the baby out as quickly as possible. In QLD the rate of c-section is up to 40%, which is mainly dictated by private health cover.
Forceps and vacuum extraction: The spinal cord is put under massive traction forces, which can be devastating. It takes approximately 120 Lbs to decapitate a newborn. With forceps the pressure can go up to 90 Lbs. This can have a destructive effect on the respiratory system and be a cause of cerebral palsy, SIDS, learning difficulties and many more developmental symptoms. Forceps can also cause injuries such as damage to facial nerves, lacerations and fractures of the face and skull.
Multiple foetuses
In the newborn chiropractic care is extremely gentle. It has amazingly positive effects as the nervous system is allowed to function without interference. Chiropractic pediatrics often involves cranial work, as well as spinal work. We also look in detail at whether there is inappropriate retention of primitive reflexes bombarding the nervous system.
When a newborn has subluxations, there are numerous common presentations. These include:
Colic – Klougart (1989) reported up to 94% of infants with colic responded to adjustments to C1 vertebra, usually after 2-4 adjustments over 2 weeks; Wiberg (1999) reported a 67% reduction in colic symptoms within 12 days compared to 38% with dimethicone treatment e.g. Milanta).
Reflux or other digestive disturbances
Irritability/inability to settle
Trouble breast feeding (one side, sucking, attachment, disinterest, sore nipples/mastitis)
Sleep disturbances
Abnormal shaped head /facial asymmetry
Flaccid or arching back
Body asymmetry, head tilt
Hip dysplasia
Always pick up a newborn under the head and neck with one hand and under the pelvis with the other
Nurse newborns right side and left side – this leads to stimulation to the head and face symmetrically
Rub circles gently on the back or lightly pat the sacrum area (not the mid back)
Lots of touch and love
5. THE OLDER CHILD:
Everyone is well adjusted at Total ChiropracticEach of the developmental phases in a child’s life is important. Sometimes we can miss or skip milestones, which parents are often proud of, but it is usually an indication that there is some sort of interference to the nervous system.
Primitive Reflexes are normal reflexes that are essential during early stages of life in the womb and for foetal development. They are also important in the birthing process and outside the womb for optimal growth and development. The purpose of these reflexes is to protect us from danger. As we develop and become accustomed to life outside the womb, the advanced brain integrates them allowing us to continue to grow and develop. When a reflex is retained beyond its normal integration, it interferes with the normal organisation and functioning of the nervous system. This can result in a myriad of growth and development problems and can prevent us from reaching our full potential. Some common presentations of retained primitive reflexes are behavioural problems, learning difficulties, poor posture and altered perception.
Also as a child becomes more mobile there are often spills and accidents, which create structural stress to their structure (and thereby interfere to their nervous system). The interference caused by these events is easily corrected using gentle and safe techniques. Problems are usually very quick to correct because they are recent and because children are mobile and flexible.
When a child begins speaking, emotional stressors becomes more conscious. NET is a fantastic and effective tool that can help children to become more aware of emotional stress. It helps them to change the physiology and emotional cycles related to significant events in their lives.
Biochemical stress can affect digestion, immune function (colds and flu’s) and hormones and can lead to allergies. This also causes stress to the nervous system, which can be corrected with NAET and Metabolics.
Parents of children who have regular chiropractic care often report that they have less colds and flu’s, improved concentration and learning retention, that they fall less and have less accidents. In addition there is a lot of research supporting chiropractic treatment for glue ear and recurrent ear infections, as well as many other chronic or recurrent health issues in children.
Written by Dr Sara Winchester (Chiropractor)