Prenatal Chiropractic Care in Mission Viejo, CA
Gentle care for the back and pelvic pain that pregnancy brings with it.
Prenatal chiropractic care at Foudy Chiropractic in Mission Viejo addresses the low back, sacroiliac, and pelvic pain that comes with the postural and ligamentous changes of pregnancy. Relaxin loosens the ligaments that normally stabilise the pelvis while a shifting centre of gravity increases the load on the low back — a combination that produces pain in a large proportion of pregnancies. Techniques are low-force and adapted to each trimester, and licensed prenatal massage is available with Stacy Smith, who is trained specifically in prenatal work. A Serola sacroiliac belt is frequently recommended alongside care.
What it feels like
If several of these sound like you, they are worth measuring rather than guessing at.
- Low back pain that arrived with the second or third trimester
- Sharp pain across the back of the pelvis
- Pubic bone pain when rolling over in bed or climbing stairs
- Sciatica-type pain down one leg
- Rib or mid-back pain as the bump grows
- Difficulty finding any comfortable sleeping position
| Relief | Correction | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Quiet the symptom | Address the cause |
| Typical length | A few visits | A course of care, then maintenance |
| What is included | Adjustment and modalities | Adjustment, modalities, and corrective exercise |
| Re-testing | Not usually | Progress exam against your own baseline |
| Likelihood it returns | Higher | Lower, if the exercise work is done |
What this means for you: both are legitimate choices, and Dr. Foudy will not push you toward the longer one. You just make the choice knowing which one you picked, and what it does and does not buy you.
Why pregnancy does this
Relaxin loosens the ligaments that hold the sacroiliac joints stable, in preparation for delivery. At the same time your centre of gravity moves forward and the lumbar curve deepens to compensate. Loosened stabilisers plus increased load is a predictable recipe for pelvic and low back pain.
It is common, and it is not something you simply have to endure for six months.
How care is adapted
Low-force technique, including the Activator method where appropriate, and positioning adapted to the trimester. Nothing about prenatal care resembles the adjustment a marathon runner receives.
Stacy Smith is trained in prenatal massage specifically. A Serola sacroiliac belt is frequently recommended to support the joint between visits, and Melanie can provide safe stretches for the muscles doing the compensating.
In summary: pregnancy & prenatal care at Foudy Chiropractic
- What it is. Gentle care for the back and pelvic pain that pregnancy brings with it.
- How it is found. Surface EMG reads nerve-root function level by level, digital X-rays show the structure, and palpation validates both — so the cause is measured rather than guessed at.
- How it is treated. Chiropractic adjustment, the open-floor modalities, and where discs are involved, AccuSpina spinal decompression. Corrective exercise follows so the correction holds.
- What it costs. An adjustment visit is $90 with every modality included. Decompression plans are quoted in person after your exam.
- Where. Foudy Chiropractic, 28892 Marguerite Pkwy #150, Mission Viejo, CA 92692 — (949) 365-0403.
Pregnancy & Prenatal Care — questions people ask
Is chiropractic safe during pregnancy?
Chiropractic care is widely used during pregnancy, with technique and positioning adapted for each trimester. As with any care during pregnancy, discuss it with the provider managing your pregnancy, and tell the office how far along you are when you book.
Which trimester can I start?
Patients come in during all three. Care is adapted to where you are; call and describe your situation and the office will tell you what to expect.
Do you offer prenatal massage?
Yes. Stacy Smith is trained in prenatal massage. Sessions are $90 an hour or $55 for a half hour.
What is a Serola belt?
A sacroiliac support belt that stabilises the pelvic joint when relaxin has loosened the ligaments that normally do that job. It is carried in the office.
Other things this office sees every week
Sciatica
Pain running from the low back into the buttock and down the leg. Dr. Foudy hears this almost every day — and can almost always help.
Read more →Lower Back Pain
The most common reason people walk through this door — and the one Dr. Foudy says he can almost always help.
Read more →Neck Pain
“Every time I turn my neck a certain way, I get this shooting pain into my shoulder blades.” He hears it constantly.
Read more →Headaches & Migraines
“I'm getting these headaches that are kind of all over my head.” Many of them start at the top of the neck.
Read more →Herniated & Bulging Discs
A gentler alternative to medication or surgery — decompression with oscillation at maximum load.
Read more →Numbness & Tingling
Where you feel it is rarely where it starts. The scan finds where it starts.
Read more →Forward Head Posture
The posture your desk gave you — measurable, and correctable.
Read more →Sports Injuries & Performance
The chiropractor behind a gold medal team. What the athletes got is what you get.
Read more →Whiplash & Auto Injury
Symptoms often arrive days after the collision. The exam finds what the adrenaline hid.
Read more →Scoliosis
A curve that is measured, tracked, and worked on — not just watched.
Read more →Shoulder & Hip Pain
Almost every joint in the body can be adjusted — not just the spine.
Read more →Get an answer, not a guess.
One visit tells you whether pregnancy & prenatal care is something this office can help with. You will see your own scan and your own X-rays before any plan is proposed.