The short answer is yes — when it's done properly, by someone trained for it. The longer answer is more useful, because "safe" only tells you what won't happen. The right question is: will it actually help, and for that we need to talk about what changes in your body, what we adjust, what we avoid, and the handful of situations where I'd send you to your GP or obstetrician first.
What changes in your body (and why your back probably hurts)
From about week 12 onwards, your body releases relaxin — a hormone that does exactly what the name suggests. It softens ligaments around the pelvis to make room for the baby and for delivery. Helpful for birth. Less helpful for the SI joints, pubic symphysis and lower back, which are now suddenly less stable than they were a month ago.
Stack that on top of:
- A shifting centre of gravity as the bump grows
- An exaggerated lumbar curve (lordosis) to balance the weight
- Sleeping mostly on one side from the second trimester
- Postural shifts from carrying a toddler if you have one
… and it's not surprising that around 60–70% of pregnant women get meaningful back, hip or pelvic pain at some point. Most of it is mechanical. Most of it is treatable.
What chiropractic actually does during pregnancy
The goal isn't to "put anything back". It's to keep your pelvis and spine moving properly, reduce tension in the muscles working overtime to hold you up, and give the developing baby the most balanced space we can. The adjustments are gentler than non-pregnant care, the table is set up to accommodate the bump (most pregnancy tables have a drop-away belly section by the third trimester), and the technique selection is specifically chosen for prenatal patients.
What I see clinically in our Byford pregnancy patients:
- Less low-back and SI joint pain, particularly second and third trimester
- Less pubic symphysis pain (SPD) when caught early
- Less sciatic-type leg pain
- Better sleep — partly because hip pain settles, partly because the nervous system calms
- Easier movement through the third trimester
Webster technique, explained without the jargon
You'll hear "Webster" mentioned a lot in pregnancy chiropractic. It's a specific, low-force technique developed by Dr Larry Webster in the 1980s. In plain English: it's a careful, gentle approach to balancing the pelvis — bony structure, ligaments and surrounding muscles — so the uterus has the most symmetrical space possible.
Webster is most commonly used in the third trimester. There's some discussion in the research about whether it influences foetal positioning (e.g. helping with breech presentations). The honest answer is: the evidence is suggestive, not conclusive. What we can say confidently is that it's a comfortable, side-effect-free way to address the pelvic and ligamentous tension that almost every pregnant patient has by week 30.
Trimester by trimester
First trimester (0–13 weeks)
Care is gentle and infrequent. Most early-pregnancy patients come in for pre-existing back issues, neck pain, or headaches. Adjustments are low-force, never on the abdomen, and we avoid prone (face-down) positioning later in this stage. If you have a history of miscarriage we usually wait until after the 12-week scan and check in with your GP.
Second trimester (14–27 weeks)
This is when most patients start coming in. The bump is growing, the hormones are doing their job, and the low back, SI joints and hips start protesting. We use side-lying adjustments, pregnancy pillows for prone work, and softer techniques than non-pregnant care.
Third trimester (28 weeks to birth)
The most active phase of care. Weekly visits are common from week 32 onwards. Webster technique features heavily. We work on the pelvic floor's surrounding musculature, the round ligaments, and the SI joints. Some patients keep care up through the day of delivery.
Postnatal
Your pelvis just did something extraordinary. We usually leave you alone for the first 4–6 weeks (longer if you had a caesarean), then start gentle care to help the pelvis re-stabilise. This is also when feeding posture starts wreaking havoc on the upper back and shoulders — easy to address.
When chiropractic isn't the right call
There are a few medical conditions where I'll defer care and send you back to your GP or obstetrician first:
- Placenta previa or placental abruption
- Any vaginal bleeding during the current pregnancy
- Severe pre-eclampsia
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Active labour
If you have any of these, your obstetric team takes the lead. We can absolutely still be involved later — but their call comes first.
What to expect at your first pregnancy visit in Byford
At your first appointment we chat through your pregnancy history, current pain pattern, what your obstetric team is saying, and any past back or pelvic issues. The assessment is gentler than a non-pregnant assessment but no less thorough. You stay clothed, you stay comfortable, and you can pause at any point if anything doesn't feel right. (See the full first-visit walkthrough here.)
Most patients leave the first visit having had a gentle adjustment and a few home stretches — pelvic tilts, cat-cow, and a particular hip-opener that takes thirty seconds and helps the SI joints overnight.
A quick word to partners and Perth obstetric teams
If you're sending a patient our way (or you're a partner reading this trying to figure out if it's a good idea), the door's open for a phone call. We work alongside midwives, obstetricians and GPs across Perth's south-east — Armadale, Mundijong, Byford, Piara Waters, Harrisdale and surrounds — and we'd rather collaborate than freelance.
If you'd like to start, book online or call 0485 554 932. Bring any recent scans and your hand-held maternity record. We'll take it from there.
— Dr Norris
Chiropractor, Uprise Chiropractic Byford