Crocuses turn our gardens into jewelled carpets, daffodil buds swell, the birds are all in their breeding finery and lambs start appearing in the fields. Do you have a new life on the way?
Pregnancy is a time of enormous change in a short period of time. It really is amazing that the body adapts so well and we shouldn’t be surprised if it sometimes struggles to keep pace. The muscles and joints are put under pressure by the increasing weight of the foetus and there are major changes in all body systems. Apart from the physical changes, pregnancy can sometimes be an emotional roller-coaster and, at times, exhausting.
Osteopathic treatment is gentle, safe, works in harmony with the body and does not involve medications. During a normal, healthy pregnancy it can help to have treatment regularly. You might only need a session every 3 or 4 weeks, but it helps to maintain health and nip any problems in the bud. We can discuss any issues you are concerned about and things that you can do to help ease symptoms or prevent problems altogether.
Most commonly, women present with lower back pain or pelvic girdle pain (PGP). Essentially these all relate to the architecture of the pelvis being disturbed. The downward pressure of the baby and the softening of the ligaments that hold the pelvis together combine to distort the structure, causing pain. It is important to ease this distortion so that the pelvis is nice and comfortable for the baby as well as mum! I saw a patient who, at 38 weeks, was unable to eat as the baby was so high under her ribs. Her pelvis was uncomfortable and the baby was keeping away from it. After an osteopathic treatment, the baby immediately dropped and mum could eat again.
Other symptoms of pregnancy may include fluid retention, carpal tunnel syndrome, indigestion and shortness of breath. In the latter stages of pregnancy the lie of the baby comes into question as you prepare for the birth. The baby may have a short cord (they can be between 50cm and 2m) or the cord wrapped around the neck or body, preventing it from turning. Sometimes though, it will turn if the ‘furniture’ is arranged comfortably in its ‘house’, so that, rather than manually turning the baby, we release any strains affecting the pelvis.
Give us a call if you would like to discuss how osteopathy can help you during your pregnancy or book an appointment online.