The Benefits of Osteopathy During Pregnancy

Female Speaker: Pregnancy is a time when many women become more aware of their bodies and for many, pregnancy means having to cope with the whole range of symptoms from low-back pain to morning sickness. Osteopathic treatment during pregnancy can help the body adjust to these changes. Carol Smart is 30 weeks pregnant; she gave birth to her first child prematurely and is hoping the Osteopathic Center can help her to cope this time around. Karen Carroll: Well, if we talk about pregnancy as a whole, basically with pregnant women, you've got a lot of changes to adapt to and a lot of hormonal changes as well as physical changes. So we can help the body as it learns to adapt to those things. As your baby grows, not only does your posture change here but often your breast increase in size and that can put a lot of strain through the upper back as well. Carol was actually experiencing some low-back pain and again, often the sacroiliacs can be a source of discomfort for a lot of ladies, as the ligament softens. The ligaments particularly through the pelvis will soften but she was starting to experience some pubic symphysis pain as well. So one of the things that we're going to be doing for the next couple of months through her pregnancy is hopefully to monitor that to help to reduce the stress of the developing growing baby on the low-back and also, on the symphysis pubis. Because baby Chiana (ph) was born three months early, the OCC are keen to keep her closely monitored. She is now 11 months old and doing very well and although just here for a checkup, Carol is concerned about some dry patches appearing on Chiana's back and also, about her general development. Karen Carroll: With a child as early like that, we need to look at their neurological system. So we need see whether or not they are covering all their milestone because some premature babies can be a little bit delayed in those. And she was doing very, very well but the thing that we've really noticed today was the when she was righting herself, just a reaction that we all have, she wasn't righting herself quite as well when she was going over to that right side. So she was losing her balance more easily and when we asked mom, she said yes, that is what happens. And what we actually found was an area of this quite tight, typically on premature babies, at the back of the head was actually quite compressed on her and very, very slightly rotated. So we were trying to release that, which will help the area that affects balance. Female Speaker: Charlotte Reynolds had osteopathic treatment while she was pregnant and has returned to the center to have her 11-month old baby treated for his eczema. Charlotte believes that this complementary therapy has improved Seba's skin condition alongside the conventional treatment from her GP Karen Carroll: Our job ideally is to try and help them to get off the medication, but that's done over a period of time, and patients are -- parents are slowly withdrawing medication, consultation with their GP or their specialist as they can. David: So how's he been? Charlotte Reynolds: Really up and down with this eczema; sometimes it's been fantastic about off the start, it's been so weak. Another time, he has spot. And he is being reacting again; it's the food that I have been eating. Female Speaker: Breastfeeding Seba is beginning to cause a problem as it's hard to isolate his allergies, while he is still relying on Charlotte's milk. David, Seba's osteopath, is looking at ways to isolate his allergies and before he begins the treatment, his consultation is thorough Often pediatric osteopaths can diagnose problem that may have been missed by health visitors or regular GPs. The OCC believes that by treating relatively minor problem in infancy, future health is less vulnerable. Leaving a minor problem without treatment means that even while a child's body adapts to it and even if it clears up eventually, there still remains a long-term negative effect. So although the clinic does not offer miracle cures, sometimes the health of sick children can improve enormously.