Pain during pregnancy is part of the journey. Although the pain is, well, annoying, mums everywhere know that the sacrifice is well worth the reward waiting for them at the end of their third trimester.

But does it have to be that way? Nerve pain during pregnancy is not normal and doesn’t have to be part of your daily routine. Sciatica pain during pregnancy is also abnormal. The pain stops the body from healing and its telling you that something is wrong.

Come with us as we explore different types of pain we hear about from most mums and how we can help you alleviate those feelings of pins and needles during pregnancy.

This is where the spine and the pelvis meet. It joints the tailbone to the hip and allows the leg to move forward and back.  People may even hear a twist or a tilt in their pelvis. During pregnancy, much stress is placed on this joint.

Extra load is being taken from the back and shifts our bodyweight forward. The baby sits and joins onto the front of the sacrum, or the tailbone. As the tailbone shifts forward, this creates tension on the joint where it joins into the hip.

So, where the baby pulls forward on the tailbone creates added stress on the sacroiliac joint. It is the keystone of the pelvis, so it is important that you keep it strong and stable. Chiropractic care can help activate the receptors and nerves that assist with balance and movement.

There are a variety of ways to help you do this: blocks under the pelvis or even impulse adjustments are just two ways we can treat this. The idea is to activate receptors that aid in balance and movement, so your body doesn’t fall back on old habits that caused you pain.

Pain running down the leg in pregnancy is a common pain we hear about and discuss in our practice, and the sciatica could be to blame. This is something we hear about often, and it’s much more common than you might think. If you have sciatica pain during the first trimester of pregnancy or any other trimester, read on.

Chiropractors have a real focus on the nervous system- anytime there is pain or irritation on a nerve, we know this is our time to shine. There are many ways to safely and naturally help the body get back to feeling 100% again.

Indeed, such pain is not normal and can create cramps, muscle spasms, or even restless legs during pregnancy. Sciatica is exacerbated during pregnancy because of the heavier load on a mum’s midsection. The body is shifted forward, and the hips tilt forward as a natural response. This puts more stress on the front of the spine and may create more irritation on the nerve.

Your baby puts weight on the front of the spine by pulling the fetal sac. The fetal sac pulls on the ligament that travels on the front of the spine, which creates tension and pulls the spine forward. As the spine extends, the nerves in the back are compressed.

We can perform treatments that start the healing process and stabilise the spine so that the pain doesn’t return. The idea is to get the pain localising back into the pelvis and then resolving completely. There is no need for sciatica pain after pregnancy.

Cramps are very important for you to fix. If there is pressure on the nerve- thanks to the sciatica, we must help you with that. Even if you don’t feel any pain right away, irritation on the nerve can happen and must be dealt with. Cramps are your body’s way of telling you that something isn’t quite right. Therefore, it’s important to listen.

Cramps mean there is a lack of energy, and your body chemistry is off, and the brain isn’t sending signals to the area affected.

Getting rid of cramps is easier than you think. Firstly, we advise regulating your body chemistry by making sure you have adequate amounts of potassium and magnesium. We offer a top-quality liquid magnesium that is safe and easy to take during pregnancy. There are no additives or other minerals included; it’s an effective way to keep your body feeling great.

Secondly, chiropractic care is excellent for balancing the pelvis and ensuring the nerves are working freely. It promotes communication from the brain to the muscle so that relaxation and engagement take place as intended. It will help you sleep better and help your brain recover, too.

Some people may have reoccurring or old disc injuries that have scar tissue. This scar tissue is not as elastic as other tissues. During pregnancy, you have a heavier load to carry, and thus more pressure is put onto your discs.

Your posture also shifts. Thus, the discs, which are shock absorbers, end up working a lot harder. It can create extra work for your discs. Our job is to ensure your discs are working well.

There are absolutely strategies to employ that promote disc health. We can help you alleviate the pressure off that nerve so the disc so it can heal.

For instance, we can make sure you walk in a suitable manner for the disc, ensuring posture isn’t putting undue stress upon it. The idea is to get the disc working like a pump. After all, no blood vessels go into the disc, so they have to move back and forth in order to restore fluid and heal.

Reducing Sugar & AlcoholWe’ve all heard that you get out of something, what you put in. The same can be said with our body. Nutrition is a foundational building block of our health and it can also be a somewhat confusing realm. Everything we put into our bodies must go somewhere, it provides our body with the fuel for energy, tissue repair, organ function and our bodies defense. When we consume, breathe or absorb anything that may increase inflammation, cause toxin build up or affect chemical balance it has a detrimental effect. It is well known that sugars, alcohol, unnecessary medications, smoking, ultra-processed foods, and toxic chemicals cause inflammation leading to an unnecessary immune response. This will lead to a reduction in your immune system function when you need it most.

Mums are fortunate in that treatment can take place on one of our special tables that allow for stomach comfort. Your bump sits between two pieces of our special separating tables so you can feel comfortable while treatment takes place.

Gentle strategies like a block or clicker can be used for treatment to engage the receptors. We may also do stretches or exercises or utilise natural supplements to help your body get the nutrients it needs, especially since it is under a larger load.

Bear in mind that we do NOT perform x-rays on pregnant mums. Natural and safe approaches are important for the health and safety of your baby. We use digital postural analysis to see your body’s changes.

We can show you them side by side and see a progression of your body as your body changes with baby, and then help you through the other side of things after your baby is born. This way, you can get back to running and walking and playing with your little one.

Our goal is to provide mums and their babies with natural and safe methods of care during this wonderful time in their lives. If you know somebody- even yourself- who is in pain during pregnancy, please come to our office or send an email. We would be honoured to help!