The Webster Technique and Pregnancy
In a normal pregnancy, a mother should expect to feel her unborn child complete several milestones prior to birth, one of which is the turning of her child in-utero around the seventh month of development. Children initially develop in a “head up” position for months 1-7 of development. During the seventh month (and occasionally later) the child will turn “head down” or “vertex” to prepare for descent into the birthing canal during labor. In some cases the fetus will be unable to make this transition from “head up” to “head down” before labor is imminent, and alternative procedures for delivery must be used to preserve the life of the infant. In western medicine, a cesarean-section surgical birth is performed causing severe risks to both mother and child. Intrauterine constraint not only compromises fetal positioning, but can also impair the future health of the baby. The optimal position for birth is anterior vertex (rear-facing, head down). When a baby presents breech or posterior, it often is the result of an imbalance in the mother’s pelvis, forcing the baby to assume a compromised position.
If caught early enough (ideally before 37 weeks of gestation), a trained Webster Chiropractor can identify abnormal pelvic positioning and perform gentle and specific adjustments to the spine, relieving this tension. By releasing the abnormal pressure on the developing child, in the majority of cases the fetus will turn from the breech-presentation (head-up) to vertex (head down) before delivery, allowing for a significantly easier birth for both mother and child.
Dr. Amanda Simone has been certified as a Webster Technique practitioner through the ICPA since 2007. She learned this critical technique from Jeannie Ohm herself, the president of the ICPA.
Learn more about the Webster Technique
Check out these videos to learn more from prominent members of the ICPA (International Chiropractic Pediatric Association).
The first video is of Dr. Claudia Anrig, co-author of the “Pediatric Chiropractic Textbook” among many other publications. She has actually been integral in furthering development of the technique, adding additional analysis for more complicated presentations. She has added greatly to the technique, allowing for adaptation of Facial, Brow, Footling and Complete Breech presentations, as well as multiples (Twins, Triplets, etc.).
The second video is of Dr. Jeanne Ohm explaining The Webster Technique during a series of interview clips. Dr. Ohm worked personally with Dr. Larry Webster, the founder of the technique and has been heavily involved with the ICPA for decades.
Even more information on the Webster Technique can be found from the ICPA website:
http://icpa4kids.org/Chiropractic-Research/webster-technique-defined.html
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