There are many questions that surround your health and wellness when planning your pregnancy journey. Whether you are actively trying to get pregnant, or see it as a possibility in the future, you may wonder – should you visit a chiropractor when trying to conceive?
The short answer to this question is yes, you should visit a chiropractor when trying to conceive.
There are three primary concerns that chiropractic care can address during this time, all of which will help in both the conception of a pregnancy as well as the healthy maintenance of your body. These areas are the nervous system, pelvic alignment, and stress and pain management.
Your Nervous System
The nervous system is responsible for controlling our senses (like touch, sight, and determining temperature), controlling how our body responds to stimuli, and sending the instructions to the brain when we want to move our bodies.
This nervous system is a collection of nerves and cells that travel from the brain to the body and back. The central travel path for the nervous system is through the spinal column, which makes the health of your back and spine paramount.
These nerves, however, can get pinched or pressed through normal activity and physical injury. When this happens, a visit to the chiropractor can help because damage to these nerves puts excess stress on your body and can block nerve receptors from properly communicating their roles with one another.
You should visit a chiropractor when trying to conceive to have minor adjustments made that can clear the pathway for your nervous system. This free-flowing exchange of energy can lead to improved regularity in menstrual cycles, which can make it easier to conceive.
Pelvic Alignment
The pelvis is found at the base of the spine and has an important connection to overall posture, pain management, and plays a role in the growth of a developing fetus as it contains the reproductive organs.
You should visit a chiropractor when trying to conceive to ensure your pelvis is properly aligned. This will help reduce stress on your spine, which again will help regulate your nervous system’s function and help strengthen your back muscles to keep your spine stable.
An added benefit to pelvic alignment is the space it provides for your muscles and organs to change once you are pregnant. Because muscles and tendons stretch and fluctuate during pregnancy, an aligned pelvis is critical to supporting the reproductive organs and keeping the spine supported. Receiving care from a chiropractor while pregnant will help you maintain your health and provide support to your joints.
If the pelvis is too tilted in any direction, the muscles become contracted and tight, which leads to pain and inflexibility. This contraction can also make it more difficult to conceive.
However, through chiropractic adjustments, the pelvis can be adjusted back to its normal position, which allows more room for the uterus to support a growing fetus. Your chiropractor can also advise you on how to move and sit properly as your body and center of gravity change throughout pregnancy.
Stress and Pain Management
Whether or not you are trying to conceive, stress and pain management are factors we must deal with daily. You should visit a chiropractor if you are trying to conceive because a chiropractic adjustment can reduce emotional and physical stress and pain, which can make it easier to get pregnant.
One of the most common ailments that adults face is lower back pain, which can be exacerbated by the inflammation and hormonal changes that occur when trying to conceive.
Regular chiropractic visits release the muscle tension in these areas and restore mobility which in turn reduces pain.
The reduction of stress is also a wonderful benefit of chiropractic visits.
You should visit a chiropractor when trying to conceive because, much like a massage relaxes and reduces tension, so does a chiropractic visit.
An alignment or adjustment can reduce muscle tightness, leaving you feeling calm and relaxed. This relaxation prompts your hormones to fall back into alignment, which can then reduce stress on your reproductive system and help increase your chances of becoming pregnant.
When can you visit? Any time during your conception journey will provide benefits to you, both physically and emotionally.
You can continue your chiropractic visits throughout your pregnancy journey and even visit for routine maintenance in your postpartum care. Reach out to us today to learn more about seeing a chiropractor when trying to conceive.