During pregnancy the body undergoes progressive changes, accommodating the developing child. These changes such as postural adaptations, ligament laxity and shift in the centre of gravity alter how we use our bodies. Osteopathic treatment can help your body adapt to these changes more easily and comfortably.
As the baby grows, your posture starts to change and because of this change, strain can be placed on parts of your body that aren’t used to this which can produce pain and stiffness. It can also impact your general mobility, making doing day-to-day tasks more challenging.
Osteopathy can also help you once your baby has arrived, as this again is a time of change and recovery for your body.
Our osteopaths treat children of all ages from a few days old right through to teenagers. Osteopathy can help address any musculoskeletal issues your child may have, aiding healthy development.
The Benefits of Osteopathy During Pregnancy
The main aim of osteopathic treatment during your pregnancy is to allow your body to adapt more comfortably to the musculoskeletal changes that occur during this time. As your baby grows and develops, your body adjusts to the growing foetus and your posture shifts. This can place strain on areas in your body especially your lower thoracic spine and lower back which can produce pain and discomfort. Our osteopaths can help your musculoskeletal system work in a more balanced way and harmonious way, making you as comfortable as possible during your pregnancy.
Each patient has unique needs and goals and because of this, our osteopaths provide tailored care and treatment that is specific to you and your baby’s needs. Your osteopath will give you exercises and lifestyle advice to help you throughout your pregnancy, helping you prepare for birth and postpartum recovery.
Lower back pain, thoracic spine pain, pelvic girdle pain and carpal tunnel syndrome are all common complaints during pregnancy that osteopathy can help with.
Pelvic girdle pain is a common issue many women suffer with during pregnancy and it can impact your ability to move around. The pain is generally focused around the pelvis, it can be predominately at the front or the back of the pelvis and can radiate down into your gluteal muscles and thighs. This can make moving around and walking really uncomfortable and painful. Hands-on osteopathic treatment can help manage these symptoms by stretching and relaxing the muscles, as well as providing you with tailored strengthening exercises and lifestyle advice to help you be as comfortable as possible for the remainder of your pregnancy.
Can Osteopathy Help With Pelvic Pain (PGP) in Pregnancy?
Osteopathy can help with the pain and symptoms of pelvic girdle pain by articulating the joints in the pelvis and lumbar spine, allowing them to work more evenly and massaging the surrounding muscles, allowing them to function in a more balanced way which helps reduce your pain and help improve your mobility.
What is Your Pelvic Girdle?
Your pelvic girdle is made up of 3 bones – 2 innominate bones and the sacrum. These bones connect via 3 joints – 2 sacroiliac joints which are at the base of your lower back and your pubic symphysis which is at the front. Pelvic girdle pain is the term used to describe pain in these areas, as well as pain around the hips and thighs. Pelvic girdle pain doesn’t always have an obvious cause but is thought to be caused by the joints in the pelvis working unevenly causing instability and pain.
Pelvic pain is common during pregnancy and can range from mild to severe. Mostly these symptoms will improve after birth. However, during pregnancy, these symptoms can be debilitating for the patient and can make simple daily tasks challenging. Our osteopaths will provide you with tailored hands-on treatment, stretches and strengthening exercises that you can do throughout your pregnancy and lifestyle advice to help you be as comfortable as possible for the remainder of your pregnancy.
How Can Osteopathy Assist Postpartum Recovery?
Osteopathy can help you with your recovery and healing after giving birth. With a gentle hands-on approach, osteopathy can help address any musculoskeletal issues that have arisen during your pregnancy and labour and by reducing these tensions and tightness, it then allows your body to repair and recoup quicker and easier.
Post-partum is often a time when the focus is understandably on your new baby and your needs get pushed down the list, but addressing any issues that have occurred during pregnancy or birth, such as lower back pain, pelvic pain or headaches could aid your recovery. It also enables you to start rebuilding your strength when this is appropriate and promotes your overall well-being. Our osteopaths will also give you a tailored exercise program that you can do at home in your own time to help with your recovery.
Osteopathy for Babies
Paediatric osteopathy is a safe and gentle form of treatment that can help with a variety of issues for newborns, toddlers, right through to teenagers. As with all osteopathic treatment, the treatment is focused on the musculoskeletal system, as well as overall health and development. Osteopathy is based on the principle that the structure and function of the body are intimately related, so if the structure is not healthy and balanced, the function is affected.
Cranial osteopathy is a very gentle form of treatment that can be used for all ages and due to its gentle nature, it is well suited to treating babies and children. Its aim to is to reduce stresses and strains in the body, allowing the tissues to relax and loosen and to help restore balance to the body so it can work optimally.
Sometimes, births can be long & difficult, require assistance such as ventouse or forceps or require a caesarean section and these can cause strain and stress to the baby. Cranial osteopathy provides a gentle treatment approach to help rebalance these strains which in turn helps the child be more settled and comfortable.
Our osteopaths feel it is just as important to look after mums too! It can be easy to focus on your little one, especially in those early days. Looking after yourself and addressing any aches and pains you have, can help you recover quicker and generally be more comfortable when feeding and looking after your newborn.
Is Osteopathy Safe for Babies?
Osteopaths are trained to treat people of all ages, but an osteopath who treats babies will have specialist postgraduate qualifications in paediatric osteopathy. Osteopathy especially cranial osteopathy is a gentle treatment approach that’s suitable at all stages of development. Osteopaths are trained to screen for medical conditions and will often work alongside local health visitors, midwives and lactation consultants.
During the first consultation, the osteopath will go through a thorough case history so they can understand any issues that your baby/child is going through. This will include information about the pregnancy, the birth and the child’s general health. The osteopath will then examine your baby/child, which will include active & passive movements, checking reflexes and muscle tone. The osteopath will then explain their findings and if appropriate begin treating your child.
Osteopathy can help support you through your pregnancy and after birth. The holistic approach to treatment that osteopathy offers is useful during this time of change and can enable your body to function as optimally as possible, allowing you to be as comfortable and healthy during this time as you can. If you feel like osteopathy could help you, please get in touch today.