Dr. Jennie specializes in the care of infants, children and pregnant women. She is board-certified in pediatric care and is the only chiropractor in Montevideo, and the surrounding area, that has completed this training.
Pregnancy Care
Chiropractic care offers many benefits for pregnant women. Dr. Jennie will assess the spine, pelvis and ligaments of the pregnant woman. When all of these structures are aligned properly, it is more likely that the uterus will be in an ideal position to grow and expand without restriction. For this reason, women who receive regular chiropractic adjustments during their pregnancy tend to be much more comfortable as their bodies grow and change.
An added benefit of chiropractic care for pregnant women may be decreased labor time. According to the research available on the topic, women under regular chiropractic care can have labor times up to 35-45% shorter than those who are not.
Proper alignment of the mother’s pelvis is also beneficial to her unborn child. In-utero constraint is one of the first traumas that can cause changes to a baby’s spine. A baby might have in-utero constraint if the mother’s pelvis and sacrum are misaligned. When not constrained in the uterus, the baby’s spine has the best chance to develop normally.
Dr. Jennie has her certification in the Webster technique, which is a specific chiropractic adjustment designed for pregnant women. The Webster technique involves checking the sacrum for misalignment as well as finding tight points in the ligaments. By correcting these two things, the uterus is able to be ideally positioned for the baby’s growth, development and delivery. The Webster technique has also been found to be 85-90% effective in allowing proper space and nerve communication for breech babies to turn head down.
Pediatric Care
Children have many injuries to their bodies, even in the first few years of life. As a parent, you want to do everything you can to ensure that their spines grow and develop normally.
Numerous factors can contribute to spinal changes in babies and children. Diaper changing, walkers, jumpers, swings and car seats all tend to place extra stress on their little spines. As your child grows, activities like learning how to walk, falls, running, jumping, sports, etc. can all affect their growing spines.
Today we know that changes to your baby’s spine can begin with the birth process and even before they are born. Babies who are in a breech position, transverse lie or facial presentation all have significant stress to their spines as they remain in these positions over time. In addition, the birth process itself can cause spinal changes with the use of medical interventions, such as vacuum, forceps, c-section, or strong pulling. Even in the most ideal births, spinal trauma can occur.
Since the spine surrounds the spinal cord and exiting spinal nerves, stress to a growing spine can affect each child differently. A child may experience back or neck pain, decreased immune function, ear infections, colic, constipation, bedwetting, scoliosis and more. However, in some cases, children show few, if any, symptoms until they reach adulthood.
Because spinal stressors are so common, we believe regular chiropractic care should be a part of your approach to life-long health for your child.