Osteopathy during pregnancy can help your body feel aligned and supported as it adapts to the needs of your growing baby.
Through the use of gentle hands-on techniques, Osteopathy attempts to support the health within your body. During your pregnancy, you may feel an increase in tension, tightness, and discomfort as your body makes space for your growing baby.
Osteopath, Catherine Spiteri, shares how osteopathy can be beneficial throughout your pregnancy and why you may consider it as part of your care plan.
How osteopathy can support your pregnancy journey
With an in-depth understanding of the body’s structure and function, Osteopaths aim to help to balance the tension around your changing ligaments, encourage your joints to move more freely, and help to reduce the protective muscle spasms. This can help put your body in the best position to be able to adapt to the changes occurring during your pregnancy.
By treating the ribs, diaphragm and pelvis, we can help to create more space for your growing baby and make you feel more comfortable at the same time. Releasing the tension can also influence your baby’s position in your uterus and allow he/she to move more freely into an ideal position ready for birth.
During an osteopathy treatment at Whole Body Health and Wellness, we will also provide advice on how your posture and movement may also be affecting your complaint. Exercises and stretches may be prescribed to help to reduce the load through your problematic areas and strengthen your muscles around them. This can be essential for your overall wellbeing as you process through the later stages of your pregnancy.
The potential benefits of osteopathy and your labour
Osteopathy during pregnancy is not all about helping to relieve the pain in your back or reduce the tightness around your hips. Treatments during your pregnancy may also have an influence on your labour experience including the duration of delivery and the level of pain felt.
Osteopathy treatment as part of your pregnancy care may also reduce the likelihood of preterm delivery and medical intervention during labour.
Pregnancy and motherhood present significant changes to your physical, emotional and psychological health. We feel it’s important that women are well supported during this time and are able to maintain optimal health and wellbeing. This means you can focus on enjoying your pregnancy and welcoming the arrival of your new fmaily member.
Common reasons for pregnant women seek osteopathy care
Reducing psychological and physical stress during your pregnancy can have a profound impact on your health as well as your babies. There are many reasons pregnant women seek the treatment of an osteopath including:
- Lower backache
- Pelvic Girdle Pain
- Sciatica
- Headaches
- Muscle cramps
- Heartburn and indigestion
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
You can read more about these common complaints experienced during pregnancy here.
When should pregnant women come in for an osteopathy treatment?
We like to give your body the best opportunity to adapt to the big changes ahead, so making sure you’re healthy for the duration of your pregnancy is our top priority.
If you are experiencing any discomfort or symptoms of the above complaints during your pregnancy, we recommend you book in for a consultation as soon as these arise. For those with existing issues, ensuring you have a management plan in place to address these concerns before your belly grows bigger is advised. This is because these complaints can often be amplified due to the changes in your body, posture and weight as it adapts to accommodate your growing baby.
Do you have questions about your pregnancy? Why not make an appointment with our osteopathy team to help support your journey to motherhood by creating an individually tailored care plan?
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