By Dr. Devyn Champagne, DC | Webster Certified | Sisu Coastal Wellness
Pregnancy is one of the most beautifully transformative experiences of a woman’s life. It’s an exciting time and truly amazing to experience your body evolve as you undergo one of the most incredible human feats- creating another human being. With all the beauty and excitement that pregnancy brings, with it can come some new body discomforts. As your body changes to accommodate your growing baby, you may experience back pain, hip discomfort, sciatica, and other aches that can make the journey more challenging than it needs to be.
As a Webster-certified chiropractor, and member of both the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) and the American Pregnancy Association, I’ve supported many expectant moms to experience more comfortable pregnancies and deliveries.
I want to share what the Webster Technique is, how it works, and why it might be the key to a more comfortable pregnancy and birth experience.
What Is Webster Technique?
Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment designed specifically for pregnant women and focuses on the pelvis. In particular, this technique is used to help assist the natural movement of the baby from breech presentation to proper head-down positioning.
Here’s the key thing to understand: Webster Technique is not a “baby turning” procedure. Hands are not placed on your belly or over the baby. In fact, the goal is to indirectly assist in moving your baby’s position.
It’s about re-balancing your pelvis by addressing specific joints, ligaments, and muscles that help to create the optimal open pelvic bowl for your baby, so that they turn themselves on their own following treatment. It encourages your body to hold the ideal space in your pelvis, a comfy nest, that in turn encourages your baby to position themselves in.
When your pelvis and sacroiliac joints are misaligned, there is extra pressure placed onto certain ligaments and muscles that can tighten unequally, and this can create less room for your baby to move into birthing position.
When the pelvis is balanced and there’s adequate room, babies often naturally move into the optimal head-down position on their own.
Even if your baby is in proper positioning, chiropractic care and Webster Technique can be supportive and helpful with a more comfortable pregnancy and decreasing possible dystocia during labor and delivery. Dystocia– slow or difficult labor or delivery.
Is CHIROPRACTIC CARE Safe During Pregnancy?
Yes! According to the American Pregnancy Association, there are no known contraindications to chiropractic care throughout pregnancy.
At our clinic, we use:
- Specialized pregnancy pillows and tables that accommodate your growing belly
- Gentle, low-force adjustments—no “cracking” required
- Positioning that’s comfortable throughout all trimesters
- Techniques adapted to your individual needs and comfort level
What Can CHIROPRACTIC AND the Webster Technique Help With?
Breech Presentation
This is what Webster Technique is most famous for. When a baby is in a breech (bottom-down) or transverse (sideways) position, it can be concerning as the due date approaches. While we don’t manually turn babies, balancing the pelvis and relaxing the surrounding tissues often gives babies the room they need to turn on their own.
The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics published a study showing an 82% success rate for babies turning to vertex (head-down) position after Webster Technique care.
Back Pain
More than 50% of pregnant women experience back pain. As your center of gravity shifts forward and the hormone relaxin loosens your ligaments, your spine and pelvis take on extra stress. Regular chiropractic care can significantly reduce pregnancy-related back pain.
Pelvic Pain & SPD
Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) causes pain at the front of the pelvis and can make walking, climbing stairs, and even turning over in bed excruciating. Balancing the pelvis with chiropractic and Webster Technique often provides significant relief.
Sciatica
That shooting pain down your leg? It’s often caused by pelvic misalignment, ligamentous laxity, or tight gluteal muscles, causing either direct or indirect pressure on the sciatic nerve. Chiropractic adjustments can help take that pressure off.
Round Ligament Pain
Sharp pains in your lower belly or groin area always need to be checked into by your OBGYN careteam first and foremost. If these pains are found to be caused by the round ligament, a ligament on each side of your uterus supporting it as it grows. Webster Technique includes specific work on these ligaments. Kinesiotape, K-tape, can be a helpful tool to support this ligament, and unburden the excess pulling caused by a pregnant belly.
Hip pain
Ligamentous laxity along with center of balance changes tends to be a major culprit of hip pain during pregnancy. As pregnancy continues, there is more demand placed on the hips with the natural change of weight distribution, as well as the body’s need for relaxed ligaments.
GERD/ Heartburn
Often during the last half of pregnancy, you may experience heartburn, also known as GERD. Chiropractic care can help by using breathwork while assisting your diaphragm to expand. This can look like a rib or midback adjustment with diaphragmatic muscle release. Other times it can look like using kinesiotape, also known as K-tape, to help fascia release to create a little more space between your thoracic ribcage and your pregnant belly that is likely pushing upward on the diaphragm.
Preparing for an Easier Birth
Beyond symptom relief, one of the most valuable benefits of Webster Technique care is preparing your body for birth. When your pelvis is properly aligned:
- Baby can engage properly in the pelvis as labor approaches
- The pelvic outlet is optimized for baby to pass through
- Decrease in dystocia– difficult labor and delivery
- Labor may be shorter—studies show women under chiropractic care often have reduced labor times
- There’s less chance of intervention—proper positioning reduces the likelihood of cesarean section
When Should You Start Prenatal Chiropractic Care?
You can benefit from chiropractic care at any point during pregnancy, but many women find the most benefit from starting in the second trimester and continuing through delivery. If you have a breech baby, don’t wait until the last minute—the earlier we can start, the more time baby has to turn.
You Deserve a Comfortable Pregnancy
Pregnancy doesn’t have to mean months of pain and discomfort. And a breech baby doesn’t have to mean automatic cesarean. Perinatal chiropractic care using Webster Technique offers a safe, gentle way to support your body through this incredible journey.
If you’re pregnant and experiencing discomfort—or if you simply want to optimize your body for the healthiest pregnancy and birth possible—I’d be honored to be a part of your care team and support you through your incredible journey. Give us a call at 503-739-2120 to schedule your prenatal evaluation and care.
Dr. Devyn Champagne is a Webster-certified Doctor of Chiropractic at Sisu Coastal Wellness in Astoria, Oregon. She is a member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) and the American Pregnancy Association.