Osteopathy and Pregnancy

Osteopaths have a variety of approaches when treating a pregnant woman to help ease symptoms of discomfort. Osteopaths will always look to create balance to allow the body to move freely and without pain.

Within the first trimester, many women aren’t showing signs of an obvious baby bump so treatments can continue as normal. Women can lay on their fronts, backs and sides. Osteopaths always consider additional pressures the woman’s uterus and bladder may be under due to the changes experienced within the first 12 weeks.

Within the second trimester, Osteopaths will tend to work with a woman on their back or sides so they’re comfortable. Hormonal changes occur, causing ligaments to become more flexible, so this is considered throughout our maternity Osteopathy treatments.

At about 30 weeks, the baby will take up most of the available space within the abdomen and can start to crowd the lower part of the rib cage. From this stage, the abdomen will increase dramatically in size as the baby has nowhere else to go. The increasing weight of the protruding abdomen can change a woman’s posture to counteract the redistribution of weight. Typically, the mother is thrown off balance and is adapting by moving the shoulders and thorax backward. This can cause the body’s centre of gravity to change and change to the shape of the spine, which can lead to backaches, neck aches, headaches, aching legs and fatigue. This is where Osteopathy comes in and can help

Some pregnant women later in pregnancy aren’t able to lie on their backs due to the pressures of the baby. Asking the patient to either lay on her side or raising the head of the treatment couch to prop her up will help. We also use additional pillows to ensure comfort whilst treating and will always ask if they feel uncomfortable at any time.