Stress in Pregnancy: How Chiropractic Care Builds Resilience
Stress is harmful regardless of who is experiencing it. Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that mental stress is just as harmful as physical injury and can cause just as much damage. This is why avoiding stress during pregnancy is particularly important.
Stress in Pregnancy and Why it Matters
It’s important to understand that mental stress isn’t just “in your head”. It affects the whole body. From the gut to skin, it can affect pretty much any organ in the body.
High-stress levels during pregnancy are not just harmful for the mom but can also be detrimental for the baby. Studies show prolonged stress can cause neurodevelopmental problems, psychopathological conditions, and even emotional problems for the baby. The mother can also suffer from high blood pressure, premature labor, and have overall poor outcomes for the pregnancy.
To prevent that from happening, it’s important to manage stress during pregnancy. Using excessive medication might not be the best way to do it since it doesn’t always help and can cause adverse effects. Instead, chiropractic care and relaxation techniques work as better alternatives to manage stress without many side effects.
How Chiropractic Care Helps Manage Stress
Chiropractic care essentially focuses on spinal alignment. It includes physical therapy that helps support the nervous system, which is central to how we experience and respond to stress. A well-adjusted spine allows better communication between the brain and body. It also reverses any nerve compressions or impingements, which can be a common cause of pain.
So while chiropractic care doesn’t remove the stress from your body per se, it helps it become more aligned and resilient to the physical changes of pregnancy which then helps prevent ailments like lower back pain or mental stress.
Why chiropractic care is especially important during pregnancy
Pregnancy comes with a variety of mental and physical changes. While most of them are physiological, it’s important to manage the discomfort so mother and baby can thrive.
Some of the extra stressors a pregnant body goes through include rapid body changes, hormonal fluctuations, and emotional preparation for motherhood.
Supporting the nervous system through spinal alignment via chiropractic care helps manage these changes in a manner that regulates the discomfort. It helps create a calmer, more supportive environment for the baby’s development.
Benefits during pregnancy:
Some of the observed benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy include:
- Reduced physical tension from poor posture and the added weight of the growing pregnant belly
- Improved sleep and relaxation.
- Balances the body to handle stress more effectively.
Building your pregnancy support team
Pregnancy is an emotionally challenging time. It’s important to surround yourself with providers who care for your body, mind, and emotions. Chiropractic care works hand-in-hand with midwives, doulas, and other holistic providers. This helps make your care more cohesive and centered around your expectations.
If you’re interested in getting holistic care for your pregnancy or have questions regarding it, feel free to reach out, and we’d be happy to help.
