More Pregnancy Q&A

Last month I started posting questions that I receive on a regular basis from chiropractors worldwide concerning pregnancy and chiropractic.  This month I will do the same as so many of you have emailed me privately or through Facebook or LinkedIn to tell me how much you have enjoyed it so far.  Please don't be shy if you'd like to ask a question or comment on one that I'll be posting here.  Be sure to also join my LinkedIn Group Pregnancy Chiropractic.  It's a group where docs from all over are asking and answering questions as it pertains to natural, prenatal chiropractic care.  I hope to see you there.   

So, without further adieu here's the Q&A...and it doesn't come from a doctor, it comes from one of the dozens of mothers-to-be who e-mail me every week. I feel her question is vitally important to moms and their chiropractors, so I decided to share it with all of you reading today

Hi there, I will be 38 weeks pregnant with boy/girl twins Monday, 7/18 & have been referred to your website by Gail Tully from the spinning babies website. I am presently seeing a chiropractor who studied under Dr. Webster & have been receiving acupuncture as well as craniosacral & myfacial release massage at his office. He is doing symphysis pubis adjustments, but Baby A is still in the breech position. She flipped at 30 weeks & I believe is still in the complete breech position, bottom side closest to my pelvis. Baby B is head down, but not as low as Baby A, so my dr. believes that Baby A will engage 1st & thereby cause us to have a c-section. We are holding off as long as we can as we have studied the Hypnobirthing technique & hired a doula for what we hoped would be a completely natural, drug-free birth. I am hoping that perhaps someone on your staff & my chiropractor or myself can work together to see if his techniques will be successful in getting Baby A to flip for us. The acupuncturist is working on both my kidney & bladder chi's as they were deficient just after she flipped. (a problem I also faced prior to becoming pregnant) Anything you can do or recommend would be so greatly appreciated as our dr. has asked us to schedule a c-section for week 41 just in case. I'm not feeling like either baby has engaged yet, however I am fearful that this might be the last week I can try any manuevers due to space issues for the babies. I truly appreciate you taking the time to read this e- mail & am hopeful that Gail's recommendation will be exactly what I need to accomplish our intentions. Have a most wonderful day! Pam & Mark C. Hi Pam, Thanks so much for contacting me. I appreciate your thoughtful e-mail. It is not unusual for one twin to be breech and the other vertex. For reasons of space in-utero, it makes perfect sense. Most often once the first baby is delivered, the second flips head down and is delivered shortly after the first. This may also happen in your case...as you stated depending on who engages first. But we have had cases where the twins have turned both in our office and in other docs' offices. It's a lot less likely because of the physical crowding, but our technique has worked on twins. You are doing wonderful things by getting adjusted, pubic bone adjustments are vital. Craniosacral, myofascial release and acupuncture are also excellent! Congratulations on choosing such healthy and natural care for you and your babies. You may want to discuss the homeopathic remedy called pulsatilla with your chiro. It has been known to make a "stubborn" baby a little more cooperative. I have recommended it for several of my practice members with great success. But, since you are not my patient, I can't recommend it you for obvious reasons, but I do recommend that you discuss it with your doctors. I recommend that your chiro e-mail me to get some information regarding my technique.  Also be sure to forward the following link to an article I wrote for Today's chiropractic magazine. This article should give your doc the basics of what we do. It may offer some new info that could be implemented to help you out. Please don't hesitate to let me know if I can be of further service to you. Good Luck with everything. I hope this information is helpful to you. Until next time.... Love & Gratitude Dr. Karen Gardner  www.premierpregnancypractic.com Want to build, grow and perfect your Pregnancy Practice? Let's get on a call to discuss your strategy. The first call is on me! Schedule now Dr. Karen, just wanted to say wow...I've learned so much and I'm only into the 2nd module. This is the stuff we need to know in everyday practice! I could listen to you all day long!        ~ Dr. Katie Gelesko Stull

Most Frequently Asked Questions about Pregnancy and Chiropractic

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Starting today, I am posting some of the emails and questions that I receive from chiropractors who are sprinkled all over the planet.  I think there are a lot of doctors out there with the same questions, so why not spread the info far and wide?  If you have a question about pregnancy and chiropractic, you may find your answer here.  If you don't find the answer here,  feel free to reply to this blog or send me a private e-mail at drkarengardner@gmail.com and be sure to put BLOG Q&A in the subject header so I can make your email my top priority.  

Here's the first Q&A:

 Hi Dr. Karen,

I have a question regarding childbirth educators and doulas. I live in a large town for North Dakota, but as for midwifery and doulas, there's not much information. How do I find out who and where they are? I'm assuming word of mouth - they're not listed on MANA or anything. Also, for childbirth educators through our local hospital, how do I approach them - or shouldn't I?? Also, should I be sending anything to pediatricians with my focus being on family wellness???

Thanks so much for your time, Karen. I truly appreciate and I really hope I have the opportunity to meet you someday!!

Dr. Tiffany

Hi Dr. Tiffany,

I really admire your enthusiasm! You are going to be a huge success, I can tell.

As far as locating people in your area, try the internet. Do a search for Midwives and doulas in your town and others nearby. There is an association called DONA (Doulas of North America) look that up and see who is in your area.

Once you find some doulas, ask them which midwives and OBs they like to work with. They'll have a good idea of who has a more natural approach and open to working with a chiropractor. There's a letter in my marketing manual that you can send out to introduce yourself, so use that to get the word out.

As far as building a family practice, instead of asking the medically trained pediatricians, ask your practice members. If you are going to adjust pregnant women, they will have families in 9 months or less. Instant doubling of your practice! Make sense?

However, if there is a really cool pediatrician in your area who is open to alternatives to drugs, by all means reach out.

Keep up the great work! I am really proud of you. Be careful not to spread yourself too thin though, OK?

Love & Gratitude

Dr. Karen

www.premierpregnancypractic.com

Want to build, grow and perfect your Pregnancy Practice? Let's get on a call to discuss your strategy. The first call is on me! Schedule now

Dr. Karen, just wanted to say wow...I've learned so much and I'm only into the 2nd module. This is the stuff we need to know in everyday practice! I could listen to you all day long!        ~ Dr. Katie Gelesko Stull