To learn more about osteopathy, go to the next article: Osteopathy and Babies: Mother and Baby.
Afin de mieux connaitre l’ostéopathie, dirigez-vous vers le billet suivant : Ostéopathie et bébé : mère et bébé.
Why would someone want to see an osteopath? Since osteopathy is above all a preventative medicine, any woman in her preconception period could meet an osteopath to optimise conception conditions, ensure that her pelvis is in balance, her uterus free, her pelvic floor flexible and symmetrical, that the rest of her body is in perfect health (posture, hormones, physiology…). You can see an osteopath any time during preconception.
Also, at the start and throughout pregnancy, a woman can go in for osteopathy treatments as a preventative measure, for pain and discomfort or simply to prepare for childbirth.
Can it be dangerous for my baby if I am already pregnant?
No! Osteopathy is a mild treatment, and there is no risk for your baby. On the contrary, treatments can help your comfort (loosening the pelvis joints, relax muscles surrounding the baby, strengthening your pelvic floor, balancing posture which changes throughout pregnancy…), which will help your baby. There is never pain during treatments.
Are there contraindications for osteopathy treatments?
There are no contraindications during pregnancy as the osteopath will adapt their treatments to the situation and pregnancy term. Their procedures are precise and directly related to the issues indicated when filling out a questionnaire at the start of the appointment. This appointment can, depending on your needs, either slow down or stimulate contractions, relax tight joints or soothe them if relaxin causes joint laxity, etc.
What happens if the treatments don’t seem to work?
An osteopath can recognise their limits and refer you to your doctor or midwife if the treatments don’t seem to work. They can also refer you to a physiotherapist, acupuncturist, naturopath or massage therapist, depending on your needs.
Expert Advice
- Before making an appointment with an osteopath, either during your pregnancy or for your baby, make sure that they are perinatal specialists. All osteopaths are trained to deal with these types of clients, but obstetrics and pediatrics are two important fields that help ensure that they don’t miss unusual injuries that are specific to these circumstances. A baby is not treated like an adult, and it’s the same for pregnant women;
- Having your baby treated preventatively by an osteopath can help them feel more comfortable in their little body faster. The vast majority of babies have issues that need to be treated in the first weeks of life, even if the delivery went well. The osteopath will explain what procedures they are doing and will advise you on how to continue using them at home between appointments. It’s a good idea to go in again at five months, because the osteopath can work with you in a preventative way to assist the baby’s psychomotor development, avoiding errors that many make due to simply not knowing. Then a third appointment after your child takes their first steps is a good idea. The osteopath will check their posture, the positioning of their feet and legs, work their pelvis and neck after the many falls they will make as they learn to walk, and, again as a preventative measure, deal with issues that if left untreated may require several future appointments. Odyssée suggests an appointment every year or two if the child is very healthy (healthy immune system, sleeps well, overall good health).
To learn more, go to Osteopathy and New Mothers.
Pour aiguiser encore plus vos connaissances, rendez-vous à Ostéopathie et nouvelle maman.
