Pregnancy: The Webster Technique
Last week, we launched this three-part blog series on chiropractic care during pregnancy and the year to follow. Last week, we shared three reasons to try newborn chiropractic care. We found that it elongated the newborn’s spine, which is crucial because it is during these first few months that the spine begins its curvature development. We also discovered that chiropractic care helps to build a better immune system for your infant. It optimizes his/her nervous system and can even reduce ear infections. But what about Mom? What if her baby became breached? And what if that breaching caused more birthing traumatic damage?
No need to worry. As more and more women are finding the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy, more and more chiropractors are becoming certified in a specialized, preparation adjustment called the Webster Technique.
What is the Webster Technique?
According to the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA), “The Webster technique is a specific sacral adjustment to help facilitate the mother’s pelvic alignment and nerve system function. This in turn balances pelvic muscles and ligaments, reduces torsion to the uterus. This may offer a greater potential for optimal fetal positioning. Originally used for breech presentations and then posterior presentations, current research is revealing the benefits of receiving the Webster technique throughout pregnancy for the prevention of dystocia.“
Dystocia is what the medical sector refers to difficult labor as. Dystocia could be caused by inadequate uterine function, pelvic contraction, and baby mal-presentation. Adjusting the sacral subluxation potentially improves all of these causes of difficult labor.
History of the Webster Technique
Dr. Larry Webster was the founder of the ICPA and a Life College instructor. He actually started creating the technique after his daughter was born through a difficult labor. While Dr. Webster was present and made a few adjustments during the labor, he felt he could do more, especially in regard to his wife’s pelvis.
After that experience, he dedicated himself to creating an adjustment to ease women during the birthing process. He hypothesized there must be a more specific way of addressing the subluxations during the entirety of the pregnancy, not just during labor. This would create a much easier and safer birth for both the mother and baby.
Dr. Webster first applied the technique to one of his regular patients who had recently become pregnant. He used this technique in hopes of an easier delivery. He saw her for an adjustment once a week over the course of her pregnancy. By the time of the delivery, the baby was ready for safe vaginal delivery. He did this on a few more pregnant patients and began teaching other chiropractors the adjustment. OBGYN’s began referring their patients who presented with breeched babies to see those chiropractors. The doctors all reported those babies turned vertex by the time of the delivery.
Getting the Webster Technique Certification
The Webster Technique has been successful time and time again. So successful that families are now seeking out certified chiropractors to preemptively promote a safer and easier birth. Earning the certification can make a huge difference in a chiropractor’s practice, especially for the pregnancy and birth of patients by optimizing normal physiological function.
At Zock FamilyChiropractice we want to help
Dr. Kerstin Zock has a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Pittsburgh, a doctorate in chiropractic (DC) and is also certified in the Webster Technique. She has used the Webster technique countless times over the course of her practice. Contact us to set up a completely free assessment of your pregnancy thus far. Let me help you in having a safer and easier delivery.
* This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please contact a medical professional for advice.