What is Webster's Technique in Zionsville?

Frequently asked questions about Chiropractic and Pregnancy in Zionsville:

• Is it safe to get adjusted during pregnancy?
• What is the Webster's Technique?
• Can Zionsville chiropractors help with my breech baby?
• Why should I have a Chiropractor on my birth team?
• When is the best time to start seeing a chiropractor if I'm pregnant?

Seeing a chiropractor throughout your pregnancy is a great thing to do to support your body and baby. Chiropractic can help your body adapt to all of the changes that occur especially in your pelvis.

How Chiropractic and Pregnancy go Hand-in-Hand

So many things change in your body during pregnancy. One of the most common things we see is your joints become more relaxed and loosen to help your pelvis expand and prepare for delivery. This can lead to discomfort in your low back as well as issues with things like sciatica. Your center of gravity also shifts which can affect your posture and lead to issues with shoulder tension and headaches.

As chiropractors, we work with your body to help you find better alignment and make it easier to hold better posture.

Another big reason that pregnant women come to see us is to be proactive about proper positioning of the baby.

The alignment of your pelvis plays a big role in the position of your baby. There are ligaments that connect from the front of your pelvis to your uterus as well as from your sacrum (tailbone) to your uterus. If your pelvis is misaligned, it can create tension on these ligaments which can cause torsion on the uterus and make it harder for baby to get into the ideal position.

Imagine a hot air balloon (the uterus) being held to the ground by ropes on either side (ligaments). If you pull tighter on one of the ropes, the balloon will tilt to one side and be unable to stand perfectly upright.

Webster's Technique

The Webster's technique is "a specific Chiropractic analysis and adjustment that reduces interference to the nervous system and balances maternal pelvic muscles and ligaments". It's a technique that allows a Chiropractor to assess and rebalance any torsion created by a misaligned pelvis or tension in some of the ligaments of the pelvis.

You may have heard of Webster's Technique from your OB or midwife if you have found that your baby is breech. While Webster's technique is all about realigning the pelvis and making the most space for baby to find the best alignment (not about directly turning the baby) it is a very effective approach for helping baby get into the ideal "head down" position. A 2002 study on 112 pregnant patients with abnormal fetal positioning under Chiropractic care found that 82% of patients reported that their babies were able to correct to the ideal vertex position.

The Webster's technique is very safe, gentle, and also very effective! When baby is properly positioned for birth, it allows birth to become a lot less complicated and easier. The baby is able to properly engage with the cervix, which makes dilation and contractions more efficient. When there is a misalignment in the pelvis, it may make it harder for the baby to properly engage with the cervix to begin dilation and can prolong labor.

In fact, it's been shown that women under chiropractic care during pregnancy have 24% shorter labor times during their first pregnancy and up to 33% shorter labors for their second or third births!

Feeling More Comfortable During Pregnancy and Labor

Chiropractic care during pregnancy is also effective at helping pregnant women live more satisfying lives while they are pregnant. A 2018 study asked pregnant women under Chiropractic care to complete surveys on their quality of life before and after getting under care. This study found that pregnant women under chiropractic care reported significantly less fatigue, less pain, better sleep, and more satisfaction with their social roles!

Chiropractic care also focuses on optimizing coordination between the brain and the body by helping the nervous system function at its best. There is a whole symphony of functions that need to coordinate during birth - there needs to be an uninterrupted feedback loop from the brain to the uterus to make sure that contractions are appropriate for each phase of labor and not too intense or not too weak. When there is uninterrupted communication, this happens easily. However, if there is stress on the nervous system interfering with this communication, it can make contractions less effective and lead to a harder birth and delivery.

It is never too early to start seeing a Chiropractor during pregnancy! In fact, we often recommend women get under care if you are considering getting pregnant to ensure proper alignment and give your baby the best possible home to grow and develop.

Please reach out if you are a loved one are pregnant and wondering if chiropractic care is a good fit for them. It's a lot easier to address a misalignment at the beginning of a pregnancy and help prevent issues from coming up later down the road.