Spinning Babies® Aware Practitioner + Chiropractic: How They Work Together During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an incredible time of change. As your baby grows, your posture, pelvis, muscles, ligaments and nervous system are constantly adapting to make room for your changing body.

But sometimes, those changes can leave you feeling uncomfortable, tight or restricted. This is where Spinning Babies® Aware Practitioner care and pregnancy-focused chiropractic care  can work beautifully together.

What is a Spinning Babies® Aware Practitioner?

A Spinning Babies® Aware Practitioner is a trained hands-on professional who has completed specialised Spinning Babies® training.

The approach looks at the relationship between your body, your pelvis, your muscles and fascia, your nervous system and your baby's position.

Rather than simply asking, "Where is the pain?", a Spinning Babies® Aware Practitioner looks at the bigger picture:

• How is your body moving?
• Where are you holding tension?
• Is there balance through the pelvis?
• How can we help create more comfort and ease as your pregnancy progresses?

The techniques are gentle and individualised, using different forms of bodywork and touch to help address areas of tension and restriction. Spinning Babies® specifically teaches approaches involving fascia, pelvic balance, nervous-system awareness and fetal positioning.

So, how is this different from chiropractic care?

While there can be some overlap, the two approaches have different areas of focus. Pregnancy-focused chiropractic care can assess the spine, pelvis and musculoskeletal system and use pregnancy-appropriate techniques to support movement and manage common pregnancy-related discomfort.

Spinning Babies® Aware Practitioner care adds another layer by considering the soft tissues, fascia, pelvic balance, nervous system and the relationship between the pregnant body and baby's position.

Think of it as looking at your pregnancy from two complementary perspectives.

One doesn't have to replace the other. Instead, they can work together.

Why can they work so well together?

As your pregnancy progresses, your body has to adapt to an ever-growing baby. Your centre of gravity changes. Your pelvis and spine adapt. Your abdominal wall stretches. Your muscles work differently. Your ligaments become more flexible, and your nervous system is constantly responding to these changes.

If certain areas become tight or restricted, you may notice things like:

● Lower back discomfort

● Pelvic or hip discomfort

● Feeling tight through your abdomen or pelvis

● Difficulty getting comfortable in certain positions

● Changes in the way you walk or move

● General aches and pains as your pregnancy progresses

Chiropractic care can help assess and support the movement and function of the spine,pelvis and nervous system, while Spinning Babies® techniques can provide additional attention to the soft tissues and overall balance of the body.

Research on chiropractic care during pregnancy is still developing, but chiropractic care is commonly used for pregnancy-related musculoskeletal discomfort, particularly low-back and pelvic pain. Research supports that low back pain throughout pregnancy can lead to a longer labour time (Matsuda et al., 2024). The women that have been treated throughout their pregnancy at Chiropractic On Winston, often report short and less pain throughout their labour. 

It's not about "turning" your baby

One of the biggest misconceptions about Spinning Babies® is that it is simply about trying to turn a baby into a particular position.

It's much broader than that. Spinning Babies® focuses on understanding the physiology of birth and creating conditions that may support comfort, balance, movement and the baby's ability to move through the pelvis during birth.

Your baby's position is just one part of the picture. The way your body moves, the balance of your pelvis, the surrounding muscles and fascia, your nervous system and your individual pregnancy all matter too.

When can you start?

There isn't one "perfect" time to begin. Some women seek care early in pregnancy to help their body adapt to the changes ahead. Others come in because they're experiencing discomfort, or because they want to prepare their body for birth.

Your care should always be individualised to you, your stage of pregnancy and your needs.

And importantly, Spinning Babies® Aware Practitioner care is not a replacement for your midwife, obstetrician or other maternity care provider. It can be used as part of a broader team supporting you throughout pregnancy.

Pregnancy care doesn't have to be about waiting until something hurts

One of the biggest benefits of combining these approaches is taking a proactive approach to pregnancy.

Rather than only addressing discomfort once it becomes significant, pregnancy-focused care can help you understand how your body is changing and give you strategies to support movement, comfort and confidence along the way.

Your pregnancy is unique. Your body is unique. And your care should be too.

If you're pregnant and wondering whether Spinning Babies® Aware Practitioner care and chiropractic care could be right for you, we'd love to chat with you about your individual needs and how we can support you throughout your pregnancy.

References:

Matsuda Y, Tsushima E, Yo K, Oishi Y, Murase M. Relationship among Childbirth, Onset of Lower Back Pain, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Female Patients with Lower Back Pain: A Retrospective Study. Spine Surg Relat Res. 2024 Mar 11;8(5):528-533. doi: 10.22603/ssrr.2023-0295. PMID: 39399460; PMCID: PMC11464832.