“Osteopathy relieves pressure, soothes nerves and stimulates circulation. For normal tissue nothing further is needed " (George F.Miller D.O.)
The female body undergoes the greatest natural changes during and after pregnancy. To accompany an expectant mother osteopathically means to ensure that the child is given enough space to grow and that the necessary stretching of tissue is as gentle as possible for mother and child. Osteopathy also provides gentle yet quick relief for many pregnancy-related complaints, such as back pain, heartburn, sciatica, symphysis pain, edema or similar.
“Pregnancy comes for nine months and goes for nine months," to quote an old saying. In fact, the body needs much more time to recover from pregnancy than is commonly assumed. Osteopathy can provide gentle support to the process of reconstructing the uterus, pelvic floor, abdominal and back muscles.
The growing belly of a pregnant woman changes posture and can lead to pain along the spine. In addition, pregnancy hormones make the entire capsule-ligament apparatus somewhat looser and thus more unstable. This is necessary for the birth, because it allows the birth canal to expand more easily. This elasticity, however, also carries risk that the pelvis will no longer knit back together correctly after delivery. This defective asymmetry brings with it tensions and misalignments of the entire pelvic/lumbar-spine complex. Consequences may vary. Often, the mothers suffer from back pain, incontinence or the feeling the body has suddenly become alien. After osteopathic correction, targeted early correction of posture, customized training of the affected musculature, mobility-promoting exercises and massages are urgently recommended.
It is wise to begin targeted Kegel exercise during pregnancy:
- Reduce incontinence during pregnancy and after birth through exercising the pelvic floor muscles and correcting the position of the pelvis (otherwise the ligaments from the bladder to the pelvic ring will pull, and hinder the bladder muscle)
- Shorter delivery through targeted breathing techniques and body postures
- Strengthening the stabilizing muscular system reduces back and lumbar/coccyx pain during pregnancy
- Better reconstruction of the uterus after pregnancy and birth through reconstruction gymnastics and other sports activities, as well as active breastfeeding.
