Prenatal & Postpartum Chiropractic in Los Angeles: Comfort, Movement, and Everyday Function

Pregnancy shifts your center of mass, softens ligaments, and asks your spine and hips to do more with less sleep. Postpartum adds new loads: feeding positions, carrier time, stroller lifting, and floor time with your baby. The goal isn’t a perfect body—it’s comfortable, confident movement and strategies that fit real life. In practice, I use gentle techniques, pregnancy-safe positioning (including pregnancy pillows), and clear home strategies that keep you in control. This guide outlines what a prenatal/postpartum plan looks like and how to adapt daily tasks to keep discomfort from snowballing.

Safety First: Communication & Positioning

• Screening: We review your medical history, OB guidance, and any red flags (bleeding, severe swelling, fever, sudden severe pain). When in doubt, we coordinate with your OB/midwife.
• Positioning: Side-lying with pillows, semi-reclined, and specific pregnancy pillows allow comfortable care through all trimesters.
• Technique: Gentle mobilization and soft tissue are common; adjustments are tailored to comfort and stage of pregnancy.

Common Prenatal Complaints (and What Helps)

• Low back & pelvic pain: Hip control and glute activation; pelvic belts in select cases; teach sit-to-stand mechanics.
• Rib & mid-back ache: Thoracic mobility with safe breathing drills; pillow positioning for sleep.
• Neck/shoulder tension: Posture micro-breaks, gentle chin tucks, side-lying soft tissue.
• Pubic symphysis discomfort: Avoid wide single-leg stances; use shorter steps, pillow between knees when sleeping.

Everyday Strategies (Prenatal)

• Car setup: Seat slightly higher; small lumbar roll; enter and exit with knees together to reduce pelvic strain.
• Work breaks: 60–90 seconds every 30–45 minutes; shoulder rolls and gentle thoracic extensions.
• Sleep: Side-lying with pillow between knees/ankles and under belly as it grows.
• Breathing: 4–6 slow breaths to downshift and relax paraspinals when aches start.

Postpartum Focus: Lifting, Feeding, and Core Retraining

Postpartum bodies deserve patience. We reintroduce tension and load gradually while respecting healing and your OB’s guidelines.

• Feeding positions: Bring baby to you with pillows; neutral wrists; swap sides to avoid one-armed traps.
• Carrier time: Alternate sides; widen straps; take short standing/movement breaks.
• Lifting: Hip hinge with exhale to lift car seats or strollers; avoid twisting under load.
• Core: Start with breath-based engagement, then dead-bug progressions; monitor for doming/pressure if diastasis is present.

What a Prenatal/Postpartum Visit Looks Like

1. History & goals: What makes you ache, and what do you need to do better—sleep, work, walks, caring for siblings?
2. Movement screen: Gentle checks of hip hinge, sit-to-stand, and shoulder motion; no pain-provocation for its own sake.
3. Care: Comfortable-position mobilization/soft tissue; adjustment if indicated and desired; home strategies.
4. Plan: Short trial (e.g., 2–4 visits) with progress markers—less night pain, easier walks, smoother feeding posture.

When to Check with Your OB/Midwife or Physician

Red flags include severe or worsening pain, fever, sudden swelling, neurological symptoms, or any concern your OB flags. Chiropractic care should live inside a supportive team—communication keeps you safe and confident.