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A Positive Adjustment

Is Chiropractic Care Right for You?

By Patti Larson

"Chiropractic care can actually help with labor," says Leslie Stewart, who is a certified nurse-midwife. "Some women who run past their due date have used treatment to help start labor, rather than having a hospital induce them." She adds that chiropractic treatment for infants can even help them nurse better.

Having experienced such an uneventful pregnancy and problem-free breastfeeding, I wondered if maybe I was just a product of good genetics or if the chiropractic treatments really made a difference, which led me to another mother who shared her experiences after having had three children.

Charlotte decided to become pregnant her first time, knowing she had two damaged spinal discs since she was 13 and had never had treatment. Doctors warned that if she became pregnant, she could end up on bed rest. She remained undaunted.

"Carrying all that extra weight, my pain had reached a whole new level, and it was unbearable," she says. "And I couldn't take pain medication while pregnant. So I wore a back brace, which helped a little."

Charlotte also had a desk job. Not too far into her pregnancy, she quit her job to stay home and spent the majority of her remaining term in bed just to get thro

Want to see more?

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• The Art of Prenatal Massage
• The Right Touch: Massage for Prenatal Health and Comfort
• Talk about it!