Chiropractic Care during Pregnancy… What Is The Webster Technique?
By Dr. Heather Hunt, DC
Pregnancy can be challenging physically for many women, even very healthy women with no previous history of bodily aches and pains. I had my first baby in 2009 and two more sons in 2011 and 2014. The good news is that as a woman, your body was made for being pregnant and giving birth. In fact, pregnancy does not even have to hurt.
What seems to be a root cause of problems for women in both pregnancy and birth is pelvic imbalance. This can be caused by many things, even a twisted ankle, as demonstrated by this drawing.
It’s all connected! Restrictions in joint mobility, muscle contractions/spasms, ligament tightening, joint injuries, leg length inequalities and more can throw your pelvis “out of wack.” During pregnancy, it is more crucial to get treated as these dysfunctions can actually create excessive tension on the uterus, which could be uncomfortable for the mom and increase stress on the baby. An unbalanced pelvis can also narrow the pelvic bowl opening, which you want as open as possible for birth!
In this diagram of a 40-week pregnant woman, you can see the round ligament (which connects the uterus to the pubic bone) and the tremendous tension exerted on it. You can also see the stress on the lumbar spine (low back) and you can imagine the pressure on the pelvic joint structure.
Chiropractic care is an excellent choice when you are pregnant. Chiropractic supports your body's natural ability to be healthy. With its focus on the musculoskeletal system, it aims to restore mobility and balance through precise work with the joints (where bone meets bone), ligaments (which connect bone to bone), muscles (movers of bone), fascia (connective tissues) and the nervous system. This balance helps to optimize your body’s many functions. Chiropractic care is safe and effective during pregnancy (for more information and references, please see the ICPA website www.icpa4kids.com).
"The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment protocol that reduces interference to the nerve system & helps to balance 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." (ICPA)
Dr. Larry Webster DC, founder of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) developed this protocol as a safe means of treating pregnant mothers. In women presenting breech, transverse, or posterior, there has been a high reported success rate (in clinical reports) of the baby turning to the normal vertex position. It has been successfully used with twins. However, this technique should not ever be interpreted as an obstetric, "breech turning" technique. It is a good option for anyone wanting a more balanced, pain-free pregnancy.
Dr. Heather Hunt DC is a chiropractor certified in Webster Technique. She uses chiropractic, massage and craniosacral therapy to treat her patients. She recommends that if you are pregnant, you see a chiropractor at least as often as you see your doctor/midwife during the course of your pregnancy! She looks forward to supporting your journey and reminding you along the way that your body was made for this!
Chiropractic & Craniosacral Care of the Newborn Baby
Birth is frequently an intense process for both mother and baby. This diagram demonstrates why birth can necessitate the care of a specialist. As a natural part of birth, a baby hyper-extends (bends backwards) its neck just as it exits the birth canal. This cervical (neck) hyperextension mimics what occurs in a whiplash injury. It has the potential to jam the upper cervical spine, which can put direct pressure on the brain, exiting cranial nerves and spinal cord. This compression can lead to all sorts of symptoms including but not limited to: fussiness, colic, reflux, restlessness, constipation, gas, diarrhea, inability to turn neck in one direction, nursing side preference, indigestion, nursing latch problems, sleep problems, excessive spitting up, head asymmetries and more.
Because a baby’s skull and bones are still soft (immature), chiropractic adjustments are not usually necessary for a newborn. Dr. Heather uses only very gentle mobilizations, muscle work, and especially craniosacral work on babies. Craniosacral Therapy is a light-touch therapy that comes out of the osteopathic medical tradition. It helps to alleviate restrictions in the cranium (head), spine, and fascial connective tissues. It also aims to relax the nervous system and bring about a feeling of calm. It is a patient-led therapy and therefore very safe for newborn babies.
Dr. Heather recommends that all babies be examined (even with a completely natural/normal birth) due to this hyperextension of the neck. It is best to check babies within the first 3 months of life. More serious indications of needed care are:
Cesarean birth
Failure to thrive
Strep B positive mom/birth
Premature birth
Long labor
Very short labor
Babies that get stuck in the birth canal or use of forceps/vacuum extraction
Other signs to bring your baby in before 1 month:
Poor latch for nursing
Tongue tie
Colic or extra fussiness
Painful gas/digestion
Baby does not like tummy time (sign of problem in spine or cranials)
Baby only likes to feed on one breast
Has head always to one side/in one position.
More info on our website www.heatherhuntdc.com
Other valuable websites: www.tummytimemethod.com