According to Dr. Brian Elwartowski, owner of Elwartowski Chiropractic in Marble Falls, TX, his line of work is about much more than the typical pain in the neck. And for pregnant women especially, adding this element to a prenatal care regime ensures that the body is balanced and prepared for the rigors of childbirth.


Q: Explain the philosophy of chiropractic care.
A: The number one thing is that chiropractic is not just about neck and back pain. It’s about helping the body to function to the best of its ability. Chiropractic is all about the brain and the nervous system. The brain sends messages down the spine and out the nerves. What will happen when there is a misalignment or subluxation in the vertebrae is that it puts stress on the nervous system. We remove that stress through the adjustments. The majority of patients I get come in because they have pain. Usually with pregnant women, it’s across the back, down the legs, and sciatic. It’s great for everybody, and sometimes you don’t actually know you need it until you come in. 
 
 

 

 

Q: How do pregnant women benefit from chiropractic care? 
A: Chiropractic care is very valuable for expecting mothers and their babies as well, especially with adjustments to the pelvic girdle where the baby lies. If you have a misalignment in the pelvis then the uterus tends to go with it, and it can constrict the movement and position of the baby. Chiropractic care reduces the pain of labor too, and there are statistics that show that women under chiropractic care during pregnancy have shorter labors because the baby can engage better. Most women probably don’t know that they can get adjusted (while they are pregnant). We have special equipment that a mom can lay on, even on her stomach, until she delivers the baby. 
 
Q: You’ve mentioned that chiropractic support is good for the mother. What about the baby while in utero? I’ve heard that certain techniques can correct breech and posterior presentations.  
A: Yes, that is the Webster Technique. It helps with intrauterine constraint, which allows babies not to be in breech position. Not every chiropractor is trained in the Webster Technique. It’s something that I took special training for after school. We have an 85 to 90 percent success rate for turning babies, which is a lot better than the rate of success for external version.
 
Q: Does it hurt? 
A: No, it’s not painful. It involves putting pressure on a certain contact point on the pelvis, depending on how a patient presents, and also pressure on the round ligament. The amount of time it takes to work depends on the mom and the baby. I did one where I actually felt the baby turn under my hand. 
 
Q: Is there an ideal window of time for a mother who would like to try the Webster Technique? 
A: Ideally, I start the Webster Technique at 32 weeks. 
 
Q: Can it work for mothers who are farther along in their pregnancies? 
A: Yes, those are the fun ones, women who come in at 40 weeks, scheduled for a c-section in two days. If it gets down to that point, I see them every day until the baby turns. I have had success at the end of pregnancy, although the success rate is much better if I catch it early.
 
Q: What about women who are postpartum? Can chiropractic help during this phase? 
A: Yes. The pelvis has to open up pretty wide during birth, and afterwards, you may have to reset it sometimes. 
 
Q: Are there adjustments for babies following birth as well? 
A: Yes. In hospital births with forceps and vacuums and even in c-sections too, there is a lot of torque and force involved in getting the baby out. That can damage the upper neck area. A lot of times if you look at those babies, their head tends to always rotate to one side. This can affect the positions they prefer to nurse in and the latch because sometimes the jaw is misaligned too. They might prefer to sleep in a certain position and end up getting a flat spot on the head. Colic can also be a sign of a misalignment and so can ear infections. 
 
Q: Is the technique different when you treat babies compared to adults? 
A: Absolutely. With a baby it’s a real, real light technique because they don’t have the muscle tension that adults have. It’s literally a tap. After they are seen, if everything is good, I recommend continuing care like you would with dental check ups, about every six months, especially as they grow and develop.

Q: You were born at home and so were all three of your children. You’re obviously a proponent of natural childbirth. 
A: Yes. Pregnancy is by far a natural, healthy thing. It’s one of the most natural things that a woman can do, and when it is done that way it is just incredible. And that’s really what chiropractic is all about too: having faith in the body. We don’t add anything like medicines or interventions. Instead we simply allow it to perform to the best of its ability. 
 
Q: How is the climate between conventional medical doctors and chiropractors in your community? Is there healthy collaboration? 
A: In Phoenix I had a few OBs and a bunch of midwives that referred women to me. Here the relationships aren’t as good, but I’m working on building those. Right now (that progress) is primarily from my patients talking to their doctors. As a result, I’m starting to get some referrals from area doctors.

 
Q: What sorts of changes would you like to see in your community for birthing women? 
A: When we moved (to Marble Falls) finding a midwife was not fun because nobody was local. We had to go into Austin. We would like to see more midwives out here and more birthing centers too. I would love to see a free-standing birthing center that would also offer chiropractic care.

 

 
Dr. Elwartowski was born in Michigan and later moved to Arizona. He attained his degree at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. After several years practicing in Phoenix, AZ, Elwartowski now works and resides in Marble Falls, TX with his wife, Stacy, and three sons, Mitchell, Brady and Andrew. To learn more about chiropractic care, visit www.icpa4kids.org. Dr. Elwartowski can be reached directly at elwartowski@aol.com.