The Effects of Manual Osteopathy in Pregnancy and After Giving Birth – Part Three
By: Ali Haghighi, DOMP, RMO
Missed the previous articles? Read part 1 & part 2 here.
Postpartum Manual Osteopathy
Manual Osteopathy is very effective in helping women recover following childbirth. It does not matter if the birth was with pain medication such as an epidural or if the birth was a caesarean section. Any form of labour and childbirth causes a disruption in the body that is best corrected in a timely manner. Depending on the type of labour, there may be different postpartum complications to deal with. A post-natal examination following the birth will help speed recovery by soothing tired and sore muscles, easing back pain, and restoring balance to the pelvis.
Manual Osteopathy is an effective method for restoring pelvic mobility, reducing discomfort, and easing pain following the birthing process. Long-term complications such as bowel disruptions, long-term back pain, and menstruation irregularities can also be treated using Manual Osteopathy. A Manual Osteopath is also able to work with a new mother to help return her nervous system, circulatory system, and articular system to its natural balance.
Manual Osteopathy for Depression and Infant Harmony
Manual Osteopathy after labour is one of the most effective methods for restoring a woman’s body to the proper balance. There is a massive emotional and physical upheaval during labour and delivery that can affect the health of both the mother and the child. These treatments work to ease the stress of both parties and foster a harmonious environment where both can thrive.
Manual Osteopathy is also effective in soothing the trauma of birth for newborn infants. When a baby travels through the birth canal, their shoulders, skull, and pelvis are placed under intense stress. Manual Osteopathy gently manipulates the infant’s bones and body to reduce the trauma endured. It can help ease problems with breathing, colic, and even plagiocephaly after birth. When a baby is no longer out of alignment, their mood will improve which also has a positive effect on their development. Along with assisting the mother and infant to live more harmoniously, Manual Osteopathy is effective in the fight against postpartum depression. Often, the stress of pregnancy and labour can cause the nervous system to become imbalanced. The result of an imbalanced nervous system, tired body, and new infant to care for often leads many new mothers into postpartum depression. A Manual Osteopath is able to use manipulation along the craniosacral axis to return balance to the body. They also help to foster a healthy psycho-emotional state.
Conclusion
The journey that is pregnancy is a unique experience that involves a vast amount of changes over a short period of time. These changes are hormonal, physical, and emotional, and can cause stress on the body. During pregnancy, a woman’s body will need to quickly adapt to accommodate an additional 20 kilograms of matter. This extra weight is made up of the fetus, placenta, water, and other organics required for a healthy pregnancy. The extra weight and the increase in hormones cause the tissue and organs in the body to be placed under extreme short-term physical strain. Over the course of a full-term pregnancy, a woman will experience fatigue, pain in the joints, digestive complications, dizziness, lethargy, and many other common side effects. Most of the issues experienced during pregnancy are caused by the body being out of alignment, hormones, and poor posture.
Manual Osteopathy is a safe method of aiding a woman during her pregnancy to reduce the negative effects and make her journey more comfortable. Manual Osteopathy allows a woman to reduce the amount of discomfort they experience without the need for medication or invasive treatment. These manipulations are gentle and completely safe for both the fetus and the mother during pregnancy.
Women’s bodies also experience intense strain during the delivery process. In cases where there is pre-existing trauma to the pelvic area, extra strain on the pelvic bones, ligaments, and muscles can make the labour and birth much more difficult. Tension in this area can cause a delay, or even prevent the bones in the pelvis from separating during labor. This can cause the pelvic outlet size to be limited. In addition to the pelvic disruptions a woman can experience, the fetus may also suffer from misaligned positioning. Poor posture or even trauma can cause the fetus to move out of alignment just ahead of the birthing process. Manual Osteopathy is an effective, yet gentle way to relieve old trauma in the pelvic region and restore balance to help ease labour. It can also help gently move the fetus into the correct position ahead of labour to ensure there is less chance of complications.
Manual Osteopathy is also an effective way to help a woman recover following childbirth. During labour, the pelvic area becomes distorted to allow the head and body of an infant to safely pass through the passage. It helps to restore the pelvic and spinal mechanics that can lead to constipation, incontinence, back problems, and more following birth. Manual Osteopathy is also effective in creating a harmonious relationship between mother and infant, which can prevent or treat postpartum depression.
Manual Osteopathy is performed using a compilation of soft tissue massage, gentle joint movement and articulations, neuromuscular release, and other therapies. These all work to reduce strain and restore alignment and proper function to the body in a safe, non-invasive manner.
How Ultimate Health Clinic Can Help
In our three-part series, Ultimate Health Clinic has highlighted the importance of manual osteopathy for expecting and new mothers. Being pregnant is a magical time in a women’s life. If you are pregnant, you deserve to enjoy every minute of it, so don’t suffer in silence. Instead, contact us at (905) 251-0162 and book your appointment with our East Gwillimbury osteopath today. We look forward to hearing from you.
