*Disclaimer: I did not plan to take the photos in this post to use on the blog, so I apologize for these low-quality photos via my photo and bad lighting. Also, all health/medical decisions are personal. You should discuss with your OB and research what is best for you.*
For those who don’t know, I have been seeing a midwife during my pregnancy and intend to have a natural, drug-free delivery at a birthing center. One step further, I hope to have a water birth! I have done the same, at the same birthing center, with my other three babies and loved it! With that being said, I tend to find the most natural ways to encourage labor (when it’s time) and methods to reduce the labor time since I won’t be induced or have an epidural.
I don’t do anything to encourage labor until I’m past the 37 week mark (usually even closer to my due date) because that’s how far I have to be in order to deliver at the birthing center. Yesterday, I went to have an acupuncture treatment done. I did two acupuncture treatments when I was a couple weeks away from my due date with my second baby. It was my easiest labor/delivery of the three and he came on his own, one day before his due date, so I wanted to do it again.
I do not like needles. At all. However, these tiny needles don’t tend to bother me. I had eleven needles put in specific points and then just relaxed for about 30 minutes. Acupuncture won’t cause you to go into labor unless your body and baby are ready. It facilitates your body to be in an optimal state for labor/delivery when your body is naturally ready to get started. It also isn’t instant. It tends to take 24-72 hours for labor to start, if it’s time, so it could take multiple treatments depending on your body and the baby.
The one thing that I must have regularly during my entire pregnancy is chiropractic care. I’m not sure how any pregnant mom survives without being adjusted regularly during pregnancy. I love chiropractic care even when I’m not pregnant, but during pregnancy is a game changer! From the early stages of morning sickness to the last weeks of hip or low-back pain and everything in between. A woman’s body changes in so many ways during the course of those nine months. Keeping my body functioning at it’s best and giving it the strongest system to grow a baby is so important!
Lucky for me, my husband is a chiropractor. I don’t think it gets much better than a live-in chiropractor who will happily make those midnight calls! Waking from a deep sleep, to help his pregnant wife find some relief from the list of things that she complains about. I get adjusted at home, often, but did go to his office in these photos.
In the first photo, you can see the special pregnancy pillow that he has which allows a pregnant mom to lay face down. That alone is a great reason to get adjusted. Ha! Being able to lay face down, even if only for a few minutes, is always nice. The adjustment itself takes maybe 90 seconds, feels so good, and has an incredible number of health benefits for not only me, but also the baby. Not only that, but studies show how it helps reduce labor time. Who doesn’t want that?! If you’re pregnant, I would highly suggest looking into chiropractic care!
These are two of the things that I utilize to help my body prepare for a natural, drug-free birth. They might not be for everyone, but if you do have questions or would like more information, feel free to send me a message. I’m happy to help, if I can.