From Cesarean to HBAC

How Chiropractic Changed My Birth Story

I was in my early twenties, living in Florida, when I became pregnant with my first child. Even then, I was deeply interested in holistic health and natural approaches to wellness. I had chosen a home birth and trusted that I was doing everything possible to prepare for a healthy pregnancy and delivery. But there was one piece of the puzzle I didn't even know existed.

No one ever mentioned chiropractic care. My midwives never recommended it, and I had never heard of the Webster Technique, Spinning Babies, or the many ways the nervous system and pelvis can influence pregnancy and birth. Beyond being told to bounce on a yoga ball, I had very little guidance on preparing my body for labor.

As my pregnancy progressed, I developed intense sacroiliac (SI) joint pain that made walking increasingly difficult. I assumed it was simply part of being pregnant—something every expectant mother was expected to endure. Looking back now, I realize it didn't have to be that way.

At my last home visit, my midwives mentioned that they thought my baby might not be in the correct position but they didn't seem overtly concerned. They scheduled an ultrasound for me the following week but reassured me that if I went into labor before then, it was probably fine. Five days before my estimated due date, labor started and it never progressed. When my birth team finally arrived and did a vaginal check, there was a single foot trying to make its way out of the birth canal. I had no idea my baby was breech.

I ended up being rushed to the hospital. I had been in labor for a day and a half, hadn't slept, and they attempted an ECV before taking me into surgery, so I was already in a great deal of pain and practically delirious. My planned home birth turned into Cesarean and I experienced significant birth trauma as a result. I had a reaction to the epidural and hemorrhaged after my son was born, all of which delayed me getting to hold or feed him. Recovering from the surgery was intense, and I wouldn't recognize until years later, looking back on things like my difficulty bonding with him and our failed attempt at breastfeeding, that I had also suffered from postpartum depression.

Five years later, I became pregnant with my second child while I was living in Virginia. I found an amazing midwifery team whose communication style and warmth immediately put me at ease. She assured me that if the time came and I decided I wasn't comfortable attempting another home birth, she would remain with me in the hospital, and this is when she encouraged me to begin chiropractic care immediately.

For the first time, someone explained to me that chiropractic care during pregnancy wasn't just about relieving pain. It was about supporting the nervous system, creating better balance in the pelvis, and giving baby the best opportunity to get into an optimal position long before labor ever began. The SI joint pain returned, but with regular chiropractic care it was manageable, and I didn't experience nearly the same discomfort I had with my first pregnancy. Most importantly, my baby was head down and beautifully positioned for a home birth, should I choose one.

I birthed my second child—a 9½-pound, 23½-inch giant—in my bed at home with my birth team surrounding me. I remember gasping when they placed him in my arms and exclaiming, “I can't believe I just did that!” It was the most empowering moment I had ever experienced.

The contrast between my first birth and my second couldn't have been greater. Instead of fear and trauma, I felt capable. Instead of wondering what had happened to me, I felt deeply connected to what my body had just accomplished. My son and I had no issues bonding, and we breastfed for two wonderful years.

Another five years later, I did it all over again with his sister. Again, I received chiropractic care from start to finish. Again, I had the support of an incredible birth team. And again, I experienced an empowering home birth after a breech Cesarean.

Looking back now, I often wonder how different my first pregnancy and birth might have been if someone had simply told me about chiropractic care. Maybe nothing would have changed. Or maybe everything would have. I'll never know. What I do know is that no one should go through pregnancy without knowing all of their options.

When I chat with pregnant moms now who are inquiring about coming in for care, my enthusiasm about chiropractic is not performative; it is real lived experience. When I reach out to birth workers in the area to help them understand the importance of referring their clients to us early in pregnancy, it isn't a marketing angle. It is a deep desire to see women experience the positive birth they hope for. When we have a late-term breech mom come into the office, my heart aches because I hope she still has time to correct a situation that, with consistent chiropractic care throughout pregnancy, may have been avoided.

Pregnancy changes every part of a woman's body, but what is happening in the spine, pelvis, and nervous system cannot be understated. The tension patterns we carry influence how the pelvis moves, how baby settles, and how prepared the body is for birth. I would scream it from the rooftops if I could, and many of you have heard me doing exactly that.

Flower of Life Chiropractic isn't just another chiropractic office. Our team genuinely loves what we do because we understand our why, and that why is you. It's every practice member who walks through our doors, trusting us to be part of their healing journey. And when it comes to caring for pregnant mothers and babies, that passion becomes even more personal.

Rae