Osteopathy and pregnancy
We work with you to help support your body to change as your baby grows
Pregnancy is a very special time your body create a safe environment for your little one to grow and develop. When you are pregnant, your body undergoes many changes to adapt to your growing baby.
While it’s true that our bodies are designed to do this, it’s not always an easy process. The reality is that for many pregnant mamas, pain and discomfort become part of their experience.
At Pivot Osteopathy we have additional training to support your body to make these changes. We can assist you in preparing your body and pelvic floor for birth preparation and aid you if you have a breech baby. We also commonly see people for pelvic girdle pain, round ligament pain, back pain and a variety of other postural and alignment issues.
Read on to learn more.
At Pivot Osteopathy, women seek us out to help with a wide variety of complaints including:
Pelvic Girdle Pain (including sacro-iliac pain)
Pubic symphysis pain (aka SPD or symphysis pubis dysfunction)
Body alignment aka Preparing your body for birth
Pelvic floor preparation
Breech babies*
Low back pain
Tailbone (coccyx) pain
Sciatica
Rib pain
Wrist and shoulder pain including carpel tunnel
Neck and middle back pain
Round ligament pain
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Preparing the body for VBAC
*Please note that Osteopaths help with alignment to give your baby a better chance to find a good position. We do not ‘turn’ babies.
How may an Osteopath help?
How may Osteopathy assist with pregnancy?
During pregnancy your body will undergo one of the biggest changes of your life as you make room for the baby growing inside you. These changes affect your posture, gait (how you walk), how you breath and how all the organs in your body function.
Early stages of pregnancy are often associated with symptoms such as nausea, morning sickness, headache, fatigue and dizziness. Osteopathy may assist with managing aches and pains during this time.
As your pregnancy progresses, the extra weight creates a shift in the body’s centre of gravity. Your body’s ligaments are also softening and stretching as the pregnancy hormone relaxin is released to help your body prepare for birth. These changes can place strain through the muscles and joints resulting in symptoms such as:
back pain
sciatica from nerve pressure
pubic symphysis or sacro-iliac joint pain from instability
scoliosis and accentuation of the normal back curves
Sometimes it can be hard for your body to cope with all the changes, particularly in the later stages of pregnancy. If you have a history of injuries or structural issues it can be harder still. At Pivot Osteopathy, we are here to support your whole body adapt as well as it possibly can as your baby grows.
I’m not experiencing any issues with my pregnancy, should I still see an Osteopath?
Firstly, that’s great news! Osteopathy during pregnancy isn’t only for people who are experiencing pain. Many people see us because they want to prepare for birth, or because they want to prepare their body for caring for their baby after birth. We can support you and help you prepare your body for pregnancy and beyond.
If you don’t have any particular concerns, we recommend a pregnancy review early in the second trimester (between week 12 to 20) to help you identify any potential issues early on. We then recommend a follow-up around 32 weeks. This is particularly important if there are any concerns around your baby’s positioning. There is some evidence to suggest that the earlier you start working on postural issues, the more likely your baby will find an optimal position naturally. We will often see people again around week 38 or 39 as many of our patients tell us that it helps them feel more prepared for birth.
When should I come in after my baby is born?
We recommend a follow-up post birth to help you manage some of the aches and pains that can come with caring for a newborn, but also to check in with you and identify any issues or potential issues early. Usually this is done around 6 weeks post-birth, but don’t feel that you need to wait that long.
If you had a difficult labour, you’re in pain, or you simply want to come in earlier, we work with people from a few days after birth. Every person’s birth story and needs are different. Your goals and your recovery will be different too. We want to help you feel your best.
How does Osteopathic treatment at Pivot work?
At Pivot the goal of osteopathic treatment is to assist your body to make the changes necessary for pregnancy and birth. We want you to have the best treatment outcome possible, which means we focus on individualised care that aligns with your goals and your lifestyle.
Each treatment session is a personalised, one-on-one session that usually includes:
Discussion about your areas of pain, your goals, such as whether you are hoping for a vaginal (‘natural’) birth or for a caesarian and other relevant history
A physical assessment, which may include orthopedic or neurological testing where clinically indicated
Hands-on treatment that is tailored to your individual problem
Education about what is happening to your body and how you can best support your body
At-home management strategies and/or exercises
Our initial appointments are 55 minutes and our subsquent appointments are 40 minutes long. We run longer sessions because we know how important it is to take the time to understand you and ensure that we understand your problem.
Where are we located?
You can find us in Kelvin Grove tucked away on a quiet side street. We have beautiful views, on-site parking and a growing number of in-door plants.
Pivot Osteopathy offers treatment to residents throughout Brisbane including Paddington, Kelvin Grove, Herston, New Market, Ashgrove, Red Hill, Grange, Stafford, Bardon and Enogerra.
Can you bring your children to your sessions?
We are a family friendly clinic, so yes, you can absolutely bring your children. We suggest you bring a snack or activities to entertain them, but we will work around whatever is happening on the day.
Still have questions? Please contact us or see our FAQs