Why Prenatal Chiropractic: A visit to Robinson Family Wellness

Have you heard your pregnant friends or acquaintances mention visiting the chiropractor during pregnancy? Are you curious about what prenatal chiropractic looks like and why you may want to do it?  Read on, my friends, because I’ve got the answers!

A few weeks ago we held our quarterly Meet the Doulas event in the beautiful studio space at Robinson Family Wellness in Coralville.  Before the event, Dr. Jordan Long graciously gave a presentation on prenatal chiropractic care and answered all our questions.

Here are the highlights of that talk, just for you.

Why consider prenatal chiropractic care?

The pregnant body shifts in order to accommodate growth and hormones make muscles relax. All of that can make for significant discomfort for the birthing parent. And, if there is constraint in the pelvis, that can lead to less than optimal fetal positioning.
​
In other words, if you are feeling uncomfortable or baby isn’t in a ideal position, chiropractic can be a great, gentle option to consider. As we learned from Dr. Jordan, receiving early and consistent chiropractic care can promote optimal fetal position from the start as well as help curb sciatica and round ligament pain. 

What does a prenatal chiropractic adjustment look like?
At your first visit, Dr. Jordan will use gentle tools to assess your body. After sharing the results of the assessment with you, she will offer gentle chiropractic adjustment. The adjustment begins with the patient lying face down on special pillows designed to accommodate a pregnant belly and then continues with the patient on their back.  

With pregnant patients, Dr. Jordan pays careful attention to the pelvis. Her low-force, gentle adjustments aim to help the pelvis stay balanced.

How often do you need an adjustment?
The number of adjustments you receive throughout your pregnancy will vary based on your goals (reducing discomfort, optimal fetal position, etc.) and your needs. Because pregnancy hormones relax muscles, frequent adjustments may be needed if your goal is to reduce discomfort as much as possible.

Why Robinson Family Wellness?
We are so lucky to live in an area with lots of options for chiropractic care. When you walk in Robinson family wellness, you immediately get a sense of a calm, peaceful vibe where children are most welcome. Dr. Jordan even has a room set up with a baby scale, changing table, and lots of toys for little ones. This makes for a low stress visit, even if you have little kiddos in tow!

Have more questions? Check out the Robinson Family Wellness website to learn more!

Johanna Tomlinson is a mother to three little ones and a doula and childbirth educator with Nested Mama Prenatal & Postpartum Doula Support. Connect with Nested Mama on Facebook. Read more of Johanna’s writing on pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and parenting here.