Dr Joseph Merckling is certified in the Webster technique, a specific chiropractic analysis and treatment approach for Pregnant women.

What we cannot see are the millions of different hormonal changes and chemical reactions occurring both in the mother and the developing baby, all of which are controlled and coordinated through the nervous system. Now more than ever, during pregnancy you need a nervous system that responds immediately and accurately to changing requirements in all parts of your body, and therefore you need a healthy spine!  

Chiropractic care prior to conception promotes a more regular menstrual cycle and optimal uterine function. It prepares the body to be strong, supple, and as balanced as possible to carry the pregnancy. Restoring proper nerve supply to reproductive organs has helped many couples who thought they were infertile. And adjusting women throughout pregnancy is one of the most rewarding parts of our work, because a healthier pregnancy means an easier labor and delivery, and a better transition for the baby into this life.

  A person’s spine is made of 24 moveable bones called vertebrae, plus the sacrum (tailbone), pelvis, and skull. From the brain, nerve impulses travel down the spinal cord, branch out into nerves, and exit between the vertebrae. When the vertebrae become misaligned or unable to move properly a condition called vertebral subluxation, it irritates and interferes with the nerves. The message from the brain is slowed down and the life-energy carried by the nerve is unable to reach the organs and tissues at full potential. A doctor of chiropractic aligns the vertebrae and pelvis through gentle adjustments to the spine, relieving the pressure on the nerves and allowing the full nerve energy to reach the tissues it serves.  

As you gain weight, especially in the abdomen, this exerts a downward, forward pull on the lower spine. This extra weight combined with changes in your gait and center of gravity can set the stage for backache and neck pain. Additionally, as labor approaches, your body secretes a hormone called relaxin, which loosens ligaments. This may exaggerate the effects of an existing spinal or pelvis problem. The positioning of the baby and its movement as well as expansion of the lower part of the ribcage to accommodate your growing baby can also cause discomfort in the ribs and upper portion of the lower back. Additionally, your increasing breast size in preparation for lactation can create upper back subluxations.  

According to recent studies, chiropractic care may result in easier pregnancy including increased comfort during the third trimester and delivery and reduced need for analgesics (pain medication). In one study, women receiving chiropractic care through their first pregnancy had 24% reduction in labor times and subjects giving birth for the second or third time reported 39% reduction in shorter labor times. In another study, the need for analgesics was reduced by 50% in the patients who received adjustments. In addition, 84% of women report relief of back pain during pregnancy with chiropractic care. When women receive chiropractic care throughout pregnancy, the sacroiliac joints of the pelvis function better. As a result, there is significantly less likelihood of back labor (contractions and sharp pain felt in the lower back during labor). Chiropractic care has helped new mothers become more comfortable breastfeeding (posture-wise) as well as to produce more milk. Chiropractic care has also been shown to reduce the likelihood of postpartum depression.  

Dr Joseph Merckling is certified in the Webster technique, a specific chiropractic analysis and treatment approach for Pregnant women.  Our office works with pregnant women throughout their pregnancy and after delivery to correct pelvic and other spinal imbalances and improve the quality of their lives.  Many area doctors and midwives refer their patients for co-management in our office with great success and positive outcomes. Dr Merckling is currently a member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, American Chiropractic Association and New York State Chiropractic Association Vice President for Suffolk County.    


Excerpts take from the Pregnancy, Issue #20, Stacey Rosenberg, DC  

Dr. Joseph Merckling NYSCA, District 7 Vice President/State Delegate

Merckling Family Chiropractic P.C. 16 Station Road, Suite 2 Bellport, NY 11713 (631)286-2300 Fax (631)286-4615 Mercklingdc@optonline.net

www.mercklingdc.com Take Shape for Life Health Advisor ID# 20341001 www.Bellport.TSFL.com