It was the blue stripe on our second home pregnancy test that convinced my husband we might soon be parents. Call it intuition, but I knew the instant we conceived – a mere several months after I had put my birth control pills on hiatus. Overnight, my body had transitioned from a common temple into the "Taj Mahal" that would be home to our baby girl for nine months.

All the typical emotions followed – surprise, joy, anticipation and apprehension. Sure, we'd planned to have children. Yet, as a woman in my mid-30s, my mind swirled with more than a few concerns. When will morning sickness start? How long will I be able to work? Will I make it through delivery with little pain and swearing?

I was already eating well and certainly never skimped on sleep, but my exercise regimen consisted of occasionally accompanying my husband to the gym and plopping on a LifeCycle while he pumped and pressed. Oh, I had great intentions. Upon learning we were expecting, I purchased a pregnancy aerobics tape and zealously used it for a solid two weeks before losing interest. I just couldn't find the willpower to stick to any routine.

What ultimately saved me from suffering undue tiredness, aches and stress from my ballooning body shape and shifting hormones was chiropractic care. I already made regular visits to my chiropractor prior to pregnancy, so it seemed natural to continue. My chiropractor recommended I continue with weekly visits, adding that I should come in more often if I felt I needed it. It helped that his wife had recently had their first child, so she cheered me on, as did he, stressing that now more than ever I should get adjustments.

When the day arrived, I was determined to have a natural childbirth, even though I'd never had more than a sprained ankle to test my pain tolerance level. I was somewhat disappointed when, at 8 centimeters of dilation, I succumbed to an epidural. However, minutes after I gave birth and admired our new baby girl, I announced to my husband, "I would definitely do this again."

Jeffrey Ptak, a chiropractor in Santa Monica, Calif., explains why chiropractic care can make such a positive difference, especially during pregnancy. "Chiropractic care addresses the functioning nervous system," he says. "When the nervous system is not unduly stressed from environmental factors – physical, emotional or chemical stress – the body will work according to its unique genetic plan," he says. "A stressful birth will stress all parties involved and remain until the nervous system stress is cleared. Chiropractic, by allowing the body to handle stress, helps expecting mothers, new mothers and their newborn children handle life with greater ease."

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