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Pregnancy Chiropractor Melbourne

  • Pregnancy Chiropractor
Pregnancy puts your body through more change in nine months than most people experience in years. Your posture shifts. Your pelvis widens. Your centre of gravity moves forward. And through all of it, your spine, joints, and muscles are quietly working overtime. If you’re feeling the strain — in your lower back, your hips, your pelvis, or even your neck — you’re not imagining it. At My Chiropractic Place, our pregnancy chiropractors in Melbourne have been supporting expectant mothers through exactly this since 2005, from our clinics in Richmond and Caroline Springs. We use the Gonstead Chiropractic approach — a precise, evidence-informed method that’s well suited to the specific demands of prenatal care — and every visit is tailored to where you are in your pregnancy.
Pregnancy Chiropractic Consultation

How Pregnancy Changes Your Body And Why Your Spine Feels It

Pregnancy triggers a cascade of physiological changes. Most of them are completely normal. But that doesn’t mean they’re comfortable — especially on your spine, pelvis, and joints. Here’s what’s actually happening:

Your centre of gravity moves forward, increasing the natural curve of your lower spine and placing extra strain and force through the lower spinal joints.

The hormone relaxin loosens your joints, increasing mobility while reducing stability. This can aggravate previous joint injuries and amplify pelvic imbalances throughout the body.

Your growing baby and increased foetal movement create an expansion of the lower rib cage, which can aggravate the mid-spine joints connected to your ribs.

Increased breast size in preparation for lactation puts additional strain on the upper thoracic joints.

Your walking pattern changes as your gait widens, creating variation in skeletal joint and muscle mobility. This commonly aggravates the pelvic joints, hip joints, and sciatic nerves.

Your shoulder posture adjusts to offset the shift in your centre of gravity, which can cause a loss of the normal neck curve — and lead to persistent headaches.

Chiropractic care can help you better manage these changes as your pregnancy progresses. Not by stopping them, they’re supposed to happen — but by supporting your body to move through them with less pain and better function.

What Melbourne Patients Say

Common Pregnancy Complaints Our Melbourne Chiropractors See

These are the most common reasons pregnant women come to us at our Richmond and Caroline Springs clinics. If you’re experiencing any of the following, you’re in good company:

  • Lower back pain — the most common pregnancy complaint, driven by increased lumbar lordosis and the growing load on your pelvic joints
  • Pelvic girdle pain — a deep ache across the back of the pelvis or buttock, often worse when walking, climbing stairs, or rolling over in bed
  • Round ligament pain — a sharp, pulling sensation on one or both sides of the lower abdomen, usually triggered by sudden movement
  • Sciatic nerve pain — radiating pain, numbness, or tingling that travels from the lower back down into the leg
  • Pubic symphysis discomfort — pain at the front of the pelvis that can make everyday movements surprisingly difficult
  • Mid and upper back tension — commonly linked to breast changes and the forward shoulder posture that often develops during pregnancy
  • Neck pain and headaches — a downstream effect of the postural shift through the shoulders and cervical spine, as described above
  • Hip pain and stiffness — driven by changes in how your sacroiliac joints and hips load as your weight distribution shifts

Every patient presents differently. What’s causing your discomfort may not be the same as the woman sitting next to you in the waiting room. That’s why we assess each patient as an individual before recommending any care.

Is Chiropractic Safe During Pregnancy?

This is the question we’re asked most often — and it deserves a direct answer.

Chiropractic is a non-invasive, drug-free discipline, meaning the risks associated with it are very low. Adverse events are rare, and your chiropractor will assess you individually for any risks before commencing care.

In general, there are no increased risks or side effects with chiropractic care for pregnant women.

Your chiropractor will use special techniques and table modifications to avoid any unnecessary pressure on the abdomen. Even in the third trimester, our pregnancy tables allow you to lie face down comfortably — something most patients don’t expect to be possible.

If you have a high-risk pregnancy, placenta previa, pre-eclampsia, or any complications, please speak with your obstetrician or midwife before booking. We’re happy to liaise with your care team directly if that’s helpful.

We work alongside your GP, midwife, and obstetric team. Chiropractic care is a support to your broader pregnancy care — not a replacement for it.

What to Expect at Your First Pregnancy Chiropractic Appointment

If you’ve never seen a chiropractor before, the first visit can feel like a bit of a mystery. Here’s exactly what happens:

  1. Health history review: We’ll ask about your pregnancy stage, current symptoms, any complications, and the care you’re already receiving. Nothing is rushed.
  2. Gentle postural and spinal assessment: We use a Gonstead-informed analysis to identify where your spine and pelvis are under stress. This is thorough but entirely gentle — no sudden movements, no surprises.
  3. A specific, gentle adjustment: If chiropractic care is appropriate for you, we’ll make precise adjustments only where clinically indicated. Everything is adapted to your trimester and your comfort level.
  4. Aftercare guidance: Before you leave, we’ll give you practical advice — how to position yourself when sleeping, sitting, or resting; simple movements that support your body between visits; and anything else relevant to your stage of pregnancy.
  5. An honest care recommendation: We’ll suggest a visit schedule based on what we actually find — not a one-size-fits-all programme. Some patients benefit from fortnightly visits; others come monthly for maintenance. You choose what works for you.

Dr Nam Nguyen and Dr David Addie together bring 49 years of chiropractic experience between them, both holding double bachelor’s degrees from RMIT University and membership in the Australian Gonstead Chiropractic Society for over two decades. You’re in experienced hands.

Pregnancy Chiropractic Care at Our Melbourne Clinics

My Chiropractic Place has two convenient locations in Melbourne:

Richmond — our inner-city clinic has been serving the Richmond community since 2005, making it easy to access from the CBD and surrounding inner suburbs.

Caroline Springs — established in 2007, our western suburbs clinic was the first chiropractic practice to serve the Caroline Springs community. It remains a trusted part of the local healthcare landscape.

Both clinics are set up specifically to accommodate pregnant patients, including pregnancy-friendly chiropractic care tables and flexible appointment times. We keep our schedule deliberately open to minimise waiting times — and you can contact our practitioners directly if you have questions before booking.

Book Online — Richmond
Book Online — Caroline Springs
03 9428 1836

Frequently Asked Questions — Pregnancy Chiropractor Melbourne

Yes. Many women begin chiropractic care early in pregnancy as a proactive step rather than waiting until pain sets in. Our approach is adapted to your stage of pregnancy from the very first visit, whether you're eight weeks or thirty-eight weeks along.
This depends on your symptoms and how your body responds. Some patients benefit from fortnightly visits; others find monthly check-ins are enough. We'll give you an honest recommendation at your initial appointment — and you're always free to adjust the frequency as your pregnancy progresses.
No referral is needed. You can book directly. We do encourage you to let your GP or midwife know you're including chiropractic as part of your pregnancy care — and we're happy to communicate with them directly if it's helpful.
Chiropractic is covered by most Australian private health insurance extras policies. The amount varies between funds and levels of cover, so it's worth checking with your provider before your visit.
Chiropractors most commonly support pregnant women experiencing lower back pain, pelvic girdle pain, round ligament discomfort, sciatic pain, and neck tension. Care is always tailored to what's safe and appropriate for your individual situation — we never take a blanket approach.
Yes, we do accept Medicare Care Plans for chiropractic care from your GP. For first-time patients with a Care Plan, there is a $50 gap payable upon the initial consultation, and a $20 gap payable on subsequent Care Plan consultations.

Feeling the strain? Melbourne pregnancy chiropractic care is one booking away.

Book a consultation at My Chiropractic Place in Richmond or Caroline Springs. Our experienced pregnancy chiropractors are here to support you — at whatever stage you’re at, and whatever your goals are.
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References

Anrig, C. Plaugher, G. (2013). Pediatric Chiropractic. Philadelphia PA. Lipincott Williams & Wilkins.

Bagnell, K. (2005). Pre-Natal Chiropractic Care. USA: Instantpublisher.com

Barham-Floreani, J. (2009). Well Adjusted Babies. South Melbourne, Victoria Australia. Well Adjusted Pty Ltd.

Liss, A. J. (2006). Chiropractic spinal Manipulation for low back pain of pregnancy: a retrospective case series. The Journal of Midwifery Womens Health, 51(1), 7-10.

Ohm, J. (2009). Chiropractic Care for an easier Pregnancy and Safer Birth. http://icpa4kids.org/Wellness-Articles/chiropractic-care-for-an-easier-pregnancy-and-safer-birth.html

Pistolese, R. A. (2002). The Webster Technique: a chiropractic technique with obstetric implications. Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics,25(6), E1-E9.

Rosenburg, S. (2008). Natural Pregnancy, Natural Baby. USA: Xlibris.com

Stapleton DB, MacLennan AH, Kristiansson P. (2002). The Prevalence of Recalled Low Back Pain During and After Pregnancy: A South Australian Population Survey. Australian New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 42(5), 482-584.