Sunday, April 7, 2013

Webster Technique During Pregnancy - How Chiropractic Care Leads To Healthy Babies


The Webster Technique is known after Dr. Larry Webster, who developed this technique in 1978. Dr. Webster was a renowned pediatrician and chiropractor who founded the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, or ICPA. The Webster Technique is one of the most popular of all the chiropractic pediatric treatments. It is a well known technique that has been featured on various Television shows like The Learning Channel. It has also been featured in magazines like Mothering and Midwife Today. The Webster technique addresses the causes of 'intrauterine constraint' which is defined as any external force hampering the development of the fetus by constraining its natural movement. Adopting this technique may help to relieve mental and physical stress on the mother and the unborn child. It helps to convert breech pregnancies to cephalic presentation. American medical practitioners have been using the technique for more than thirty years and it has proven to be very successful.

Intrauterine constraint results in abnormal development of the fetus because it prevents the head-down position which may present complications during birth of the child. The Webster Technique deals with the complications at the outset thus making the birthing and labor process easier for the mother and child. The chiropractor will help to prevent to the potential birth defects which will allow the child to lead a healthy life.

Although the Webster Technique has been successful, it still has its critics. These critics are against using any type of chiropractic care for pregnant women or the unborn child, because they feel that it is detrimental to their growth. Doubts have been raised whether this method actually helps to remove intrauterine constraints during pregnancy. Chiropractic care for newborns aims to correct misalignments in the spine by light pushing of the affected part. It is a gentle way of correcting misalignments that might have occurred during the childbirth. This may prove helpful to prevent scoliosis and other problems of the nervous system occurring in later life. Breech delivery is not something an expectant mother wants and therefore the Webster Technique may prove to be helpful to avoid such type of complications.

It is advisable for the mother-to-be to consult with her gynecologist before deciding to take chiropractic care. Moreover, chiropractic care during pregnancy may not be suitable for all pregnant women because not all criticisms of the technique are unfounded. Some of the concerns raised by the critics are genuine. There may be different positions the fetus may take which may create complications during the later stages of pregnancy and require immediate medical attention. Since the Webster Technique can be used for breech pregnancies only, if other complications arise, it is advisable to proceed with alternate methods of treatment as per the doctor's suggestions.

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