Pregnancy Care
Your body is doing something extraordinary. Let's make sure it has the support it needs
Pregnancy changes everything, the way you move, the way you sleep, the way your pelvis and spine carry load. For many women, those changes bring discomfort. For some, they bring real pain. And for all women, they bring a nervous system that's working harder than ever.
Chiropractic care during pregnancy is gentle, safe, and genuinely valuable, not just for managing discomfort, but for supporting your whole body through one of the most physically demanding things it will ever do.
Pregnancy isn't the time to just put up with things
As your baby grows, your centre of gravity shifts, your pelvis widens, and the hormone relaxin loosens your ligaments throughout your body. This is entirely normal, but it places significant new demand on your spine, sacroiliac joints, and nervous system.
Addressing these things early, ideally in the first trimester before the physical load really builds, means you're supporting your body proactively rather than playing catch-up.
"Pregnancy is one of my favourite times to care for someone. The body is incredibly responsive, and the changes we can make to how a woman feels during her pregnancy, and how she goes into birth, are really meaningful."
- Dr Chris Anderson
When Should I Start?
The short answer, as early as you can. The best outcomes come from starting in the first trimester, when we can support your body before the physical demands of pregnancy peak.
First trimester: Assess your baseline, address any existing restrictions, and set up your nervous system and pelvis for the changes ahead.
Second trimester: As your bump grows and your centre of gravity shifts, regular care helps manage the increasing load on your lower back, pelvis, and sacroiliac joints.
Third trimester: Focus shifts to pelvic balance, optimal positioning, and preparing your body for birth. Webster Technique is particularly valuable at this stage.
What We Commonly Help With During Pregnancy
Pelvic girdle pain and SPD
Pain across the pubic bone, deep in the hips, or into the buttocks is one of the most common pregnancy complaints, and one of the most debilitating. Hormonal changes cause the ligaments around the pelvis to soften, and when the sacroiliac joints or pubic symphysis lose stability, the pain can be significant. Restoring pelvic balance and joint function is central to what we do.
Lower Back Pain
As your bump grows, the curve in your lower back increases to compensate, placing extra load on the lumbar discs and facet joints. Research supports chiropractic care as an effective option for pregnancy-related lower back pain.
Round ligament pain
The sharp, stabbing sensation in the lower abdomen when you move quickly is round ligament pain, caused by tension in the ligaments that support your growing uterus. Direct work on the round ligament alongside pelvic adjustment can provide significant relief.
Rib Pain
As your uterus rises and your ribcage expands, the joints between your ribs and thoracic spine can become restricted and painful. Gentle mobilisation of these joints can make breathing and sleeping considerably more comfortable.
Headaches and migraines
Pregnancy headaches are common, and with limited medication options available, finding a drug-free approach matters. Many pregnancy headaches originate from tension in the upper cervical spine. Addressing that source is often far more effective than managing the headache alone.
Postural Support
The postural changes of pregnancy are significant and cumulative. Regular chiropractic care helps your body manage these changes well and reduces the likelihood of them becoming entrenched after birth.
Nervous system support and stress
Pregnancy places enormous demand on the nervous system, physically, hormonally, and emotionally. Supporting nervous system function throughout pregnancy is one of the most valuable things we can do.
Optimal pelvic balance — Webster Technique
The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic approach used during pregnancy that focuses on the alignment and function of the sacrum and pelvis. When the pelvis is balanced and moving well, there is optimal space for your baby to move freely. All of our chiropractors are trained in the Webster Technique.
Will I Be Comfortable?
Yes, this is something we take seriously. Pregnancy chiropractic care is adapted entirely to where you are in your pregnancy.
- We have specially designed pillows and supports so you can lie comfortably on your front, even in the later stages of pregnancy.
- Techniques are adapted specifically for pregnancy, nothing that puts pressure on your abdomen.
- We'll always discuss what we're doing and why before we start.
- If you have other children with you, that's fine, bring them along.
And After Your Baby Arrives?
The postnatal period is one of the most physically demanding of a woman's life, and one of the most overlooked when it comes to care. Birth is hard on the body, and the physical demands of feeding, carrying, and caring for a newborn begin immediately.
Our whole team provides postnatal care, and Dr Kate Anderson has specific postgraduate training in this area. Whether you're recovering from a difficult birth, managing the physical toll of feeding, or simply want to make sure your nervous system is supported as you step into motherhood. We're here for that too.
Get In Touch
Book online anytime, use the form here to request a callback, or call us any time during clinic hours.
164 Kennedy Road, Napier
(06) 843 3384
napier@firstchiropractic.co.nz