Pregnancy

Congratulations, you are an expectant mother (or father) for reading this article! Being an expectant mother is such a special time in your life. Unfortunately, for some women, it can be a roller coaster of emotions due to pains and aches, occuring due to hormonal changes, weight gain, centre of gravity changes and muscular imbalances. ​ ​These changes can last for up to a year even after your pregnancy!

The hormones responsible for a lot of lumbar pain during pregnancy are relaxin and oestrogen. They can create joint laxity, especially in the pelvic region causing strain through the joints, ligament and muscles.

There is also weight gain during the pregnancy that puts more pressure on weight baring structures such as your spine. Your centre of gravity shifts and causes muscular imbalances. This fatigues certain muscles as they are compensating and over-working to keep your body at neutral.

Here are some common areas of pain during pregnancy, and post pregnancy:

1. Low back, hips, pelvic region due to pelvic instability and weight gain,
2. Sciatica and disc related problems due to excess weight gain,
3. General neck and shoulder aches and pains, including headaches
4. Wrist and hand pain, or changes in sensation such as tingling. (eg. Carpel tunnel syndrome, De Quervains syndrome)

How Can Moreland Osteopathy Help My Pregnancy Pain?

At Moreland Osteopathy we are able to assist your pregnancy aches and pains via manual therapy techniques and exercise/ stretching prescription. ​ ​Some techniques we use for our pregnancy clients are mainly gentle soft tissue massage, stretching, gentle articulation or mobility of joints. We use these techniques in order to give your body a chance to take charge, and help itself.

Some effects of Osteopathy are to increase blood flow to your injured site, therefore decreasing pain levels, also by gentle stretching we will lengthen congested areas to again increase blood flow and ease the pressure through certain joints and muscles. ​

Every treatment is tailored to you so if you prefer or respond better to certain techniques then we will take that into account. We have excellent bedside manner and aim to make you feel comfortable at all times.

We pride ourselves on taking the utter-most care for our pregnancy clients. ​ ​At Moreland Osteopathy in Coburg, we have a pregnancy belly pillow which has been said (by all of our pregnancy clients) to be the most comfortable pillow to lye on face down, while your practitioner examines you and treats you. This pillow is completely safe; it is non-permeable, anti-microbial, and has a hospital grade cover.