Osteopathy in pregnancy
During pregnancy, your body will go through huge transformations as it nurtures and grows life and prepares itself for labour – all of which happens in such a short space of time! These complex changes can add pressure on your joints and ligaments which can commonly lead to various aches and pains, such as lower back pain, hip, groin or rib pain, pelvic girdle pain and symphysis pubis dysfunction.
Osteopathy in pregnancy is a safe and very gentle treatment, designed to support you and your body as it changes throughout your pregnancy. In fact, osteopathy can help your body better adapt to these changes, which in turn can facilitate a more natural, straight-forward pregnancy and birth experience.
How can osteopathy help you during pregnancy and childbirth?
As discussed above, pregnancy requires big changes in body weight and shape over a short period of time. How well your body copes with these changes, and what posture you actually adopt, is very individual. It usually depends on your pre-pregnancy body shape and fitness before and during pregnancy, pre-existing injuries, and whether they are a ‘tight’ or ‘loose’ connective tissue type.
Osteopathy can help to identify the changes and help the body cope with these demands. Whether it is the effects of carrying an increasing load on your lower back, hips and feet or nursing a baby after birth, there are methods to help the body adapt better.
Osteopathic treatment is subtle and gentle and only ever uses safe and appropriate techniques. It helps with many of the changes and effects of pregnancy. Some of these you may be aware of:
Increasing weight on your lower back with an increased sway can tighten up the low back muscles
A wider stance posture can affect the hip muscles
An increased load on your legs, as well as the flattening of the arches in your feet, can increase tiredness
As the baby grows it can demand more space and push upwards, making breathing harder
If there have been older injuries, these may be exacerbated with the changes mentioned above
Treatment to help the body cope with these changes is mostly gentle pressure point massage and gentle rocking and moving techniques. There will be times when you can no longer lie on your back. In which case there are all sorts of other positions that can help make you comfortable.
You may feel a little apprehensive about visiting an osteopath whilst pregnant, but as a mum myself I'm here to reassure you – I’ve experienced the strain that pregnancy can have on our bodies and this is something very close to my heart. I pride myself on the help I can offer during this life-changing process. Pregnancy doesn’t mean you have to be in pain! Please don’t hesitate to get in contact if you have any questions or concerns and I'll guide you through the process. You can also book your appointment online today at either my Ilkley or Scotton (near Knaresborough) clinic at a time to suit you via the online booking calendar.
Postpartum osteopathy
Did you know that it can be highly beneficial to visit an osteopath after you’ve given birth, especially if you had a difficult delivery? C-sections, episiotomies, assisted deliveries and tears can all take their toll on our bodies.
Even in an uncomplicated delivery, birth is an extremely powerful full-body experience and so it’s common for this to have an effect on various areas of your body. Seeing an osteopath after birth is a great way to give your body a little check up and ensure that your ligaments are healing correctly.
Please get in touch to discuss how long after birth you should visit your osteopath, as this will depend on the type of delivery you had. I also understand that getting out of the house with a newborn can be a challenge in itself, so if you’re unable to visit either the Ilkley or Scotton clinic, I do also offer home visits at an additional cost.
Birth can be a stressful experience for babies too and can often result in tension and discomfort. Osteopathy can help to alleviate this discomfort – visit the osteopathy for babies page to find out more.
Infant feeding coach
Alongside osteopathy, I'm also an Accredited Infant Feeding Coach dedicated to supporting families and their babies with any feeding troubles, concerns or queries they have. Whether you’re breastfeeding, expressing or formula feeding, get in touch for support, guidance and comfort.