Chiropractic care can be a total gamechanger in your pregnancy! It’s no secret that pregnancy and childbirth are hard on your body. Your body is going through so many changes; it’s stretching and shifting and adapting to make room for your growing baby, and along with those changes come some minor—or major—aches and pains. Prenatal chiropractic care can help greatly in reducing the discomfort than can sometimes accompany pregnancy. I can speak firsthand about the wonders of a prenatal chiropractic care. Regular adjustments made a world of difference in both of my pregnancies and I highly recommend making prenatal chiropractor visits part of your pregnancy self-care routine.
Today, I’m chatting with Dr. Candace Gesicki of Cleveland Chiropractic & Integrative Health Center. She’s a pro when it comes to prenatal and postpartum chiropractic care. Dr. Candace covers her approach to women’s wellness and breaks down how chiropractic care can ease pregnancy discomforts, make labor a bit smoother, and help moms feel their best.
Tell me a little about yourself and your background.
I am a mom, wife, and chiropractor. I graduated from chiropractic school 10 years ago and opened Cleveland Chiropractic and Integrative Health Center right out of school. Six and a half years ago I became a mom. I had a planned homebirth turned cesarean. I learned so much from that birth and became an active member of ICAN of Greater Cleveland (International Cesarean Awareness Network), which was instrumental in my healing. I went on to have two homebirths (HBACs). I am also the host of the Delivering Strength Podcast; I have been on a bit of a hiatus with this, but plan to re-launch the podcast this summer!
Tell me more about Cleveland Chiropractic & Integrative Health Center and how it came to be.
I dreamed up CCIHC while I was in chiropractic school and opened the clinic a few months after graduation. I started as a “one-woman show”. The clinic has experienced tremendous growth over the last few years. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to offer support for so many women and their families in Northeast Ohio.
What makes Cleveland Chiropractic unique? What kind of services do you offer?
We take an integrative approach to health and wellness. Currently, our team includes three chiropractors, three massage therapists, and one pelvic health physical therapist. We offer a wide variety of services, including chiropractic care, physical therapy, massage, cupping, acupuncture, dry needling, pregnancy and birth coaching, doula services, and women’s health hormone consultations.
What drove you to specialize in women’s wellness and chiropractic care? What do you love most about it?
When I started chiropractic school, I didn’t have any idea that I would head down this path. I actually went to school thinking that I wanted to work with athletes. During my time there, I had an amazing mentor—she was one of my acupuncture teachers and had a practice that specialized in fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum care. I loved her practice and the work she was doing, so I began to take a lot of post-graduate education. I took a lot of courses through the ICPA, took doula training, and for a while I even taught other professionals about working with the perinatal population.
There is a huge gap in healthcare for women. With the work I do in the clinic, I strive to help close that gap. I want patients to feel heard and be active participants in their care and the care of their children.
What is your philosophy when working with patients?
I want all of the patients that I work with to feel supported and empowered during their motherhood journey. All our patients meet with a doctor for a thorough history and evaluation before providing any treatment, and all of our appointments are with the doctors. We schedule ample time so that our patients do not feel rushed and feel heard. The perinatal period can come with a lot of anxieties and concerns; not only are our patients concerned about their health, but also the health of their unborn baby.
What are the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy?
Chiropractic care is great to help manage any pain or symptoms a person is experiencing during pregnancy, including but not limited to low back pain, mid back pain, neck pain, pubic symphysis pain and dysfunction, hip pain, and pelvic pain. Aside from pain management, chiropractic care can help prepare the body for birth and even lead to a shorter labor. Women who experience chiropractic care during pregnancy report shorter labor times and help with postpartum pain. Through adjustments, soft tissue work, and exercises, we help balance and stabilize the body.
What are the benefits of continued chiropractic care after birth for both mom and baby?
Bodies go through drastic changes during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Postpartum chiropractic care is just as important as during pregnancy.
Chiropractic care for babies looks much different than chiropractic care for adults. It involves gentle mobilizations and soft tissue work. The providers at our office also offer cranial adjustments. Birth is a traumatic event and hard work for babies! Constraints in the uterus during pregnancy can cause babies to stay in one position during pregnancy—it can lead to them being breech, acynclitic, posterior, having a nuchal hand, etc. Being in a position for an extended period, especially one of the ones I mentioned, can affect a baby’s muscle tension and joint restrictions after birth. Imagine being in the same position for weeks or even months! This tension can lead to difficulty breastfeeding, a directional preference for head rotation, and even torticollis.
When is the best time to start with chiropractic care during pregnancy?
As soon as possible! Many of our prenatal patients have been under chiropractic care before pregnancy, however, if you are new to chiropractic care, I would encourage you to get established during your first trimester.
How often should a patient get adjusted during pregnancy?
This varies for everyone. My general recommendation during pregnancy is to get adjusted as often as you see your care provider; so monthly from early pregnancy until around 28 weeks, every other week from weeks 28ish-36, and then weekly adjustments from 36 weeks on.
If someone is experiencing pain, my ultimate goal is to help resolve their pain, which will likely include more frequent adjustments. Once this goal is met, we create a plan to help keep them out of pain and prepare for birth!
Where can people get in touch with you/get more information about Cleveland Chiropractic & Integrative Health Center?
I try to stay active on Instagram—@clechiropractic is the clinic’s account and @drcandacegesicki is my personal account. We share a lot of information on our website as well, which is http://clechiropractic.com.
Anything else you’d like to share?
Many people can feel nervous adding something new into their prenatal routine. Our office always meets the patient where they are at. Our goal is to help people feel comfortable and confident in their care and be an active participant in their care!
I hope you enjoyed reading and learning more about Dr. Candace and the benefits of chiropractic care for pregnancy and postpartum.
Click here to connect with Dr. Candace or learn more about Cleveland Chiropractic & Integrative Health Center.
Click here to connect with Dr. Candace or Cleveland Chiropractic & Intergrative Health Center.
Hey there and thank you for stopping by! I’m Mackenzie, owner of Mackenzie Romagni Photography, a birth, newborn, and family photographer serving growing families in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. I hope you found this blog post helpful.
Are you expecting a new baby and hoping to hire a birth photographer for your hospital, birth center, or home birth? Contact me here to connect! Not quite ready yet? No problem! Follow me on Instagram or join my email list here to stay in the know.
+ Comments