There is a lot of confident misinformation about this technique online. Here is what it is, what it is not, and what actually happens when you come in for it in downtown Oakland.
Book a prenatal visitThe Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment of the sacrum and pelvis, combined with release of tension in the round ligaments that support the uterus. It was developed for pregnant patients and it is used throughout pregnancy, including the third trimester.
Two things happen in a Webster visit. First, the sacrum, the triangular bone at the base of your spine, is assessed for misalignment and adjusted with low force. Second, the round ligaments running from the uterus down toward the groin are checked for tension and released with sustained light contact.
The reasoning behind it is structural. Your pelvis is a ring, and the uterus is suspended inside that ring by ligaments. If the ring is torqued or the ligaments are pulling unevenly, that changes the shape of the space the baby occupies. Restoring balance to the ring is the entire goal.
Webster is one part of pregnancy care at The Shift, not the whole of it. For what a full pregnancy visit involves, postpartum care and the days Dr. Irina is in, see pregnancy chiropractic care in Oakland.
If you have searched this before, you have probably read that the Webster Technique turns breech babies. That claim is common, it is repeated by clinics that should know better, and it is not accurate.
That the Webster Technique is a breech-turning procedure with a high success rate, and that a chiropractor can move your baby into position.
An adjustment of the mother's pelvis and ligaments. Nobody touches or manipulates the baby. Whether a particular baby changes position is not something this technique controls, and no honest practitioner will promise you it will.
This distinction matters for a practical reason. If you have a breech presentation at 36 weeks, you have real decisions to make with your obstetric provider, including whether to attempt an external cephalic version. Chiropractic care is a reasonable complement to that conversation. It is not a replacement for it, and a clinic that implies otherwise is selling you something.
Most people have never seen this done and have no idea what to expect. Here is the sequence.
How far along you are, what you are feeling and where, how previous pregnancies and births went, what your obstetric provider has told you, and what brought you in. This happens before anything else.
A postural and pelvic assessment, including sacral alignment and the mobility of the pelvic joints. You will be told what is found and what it means in plain language.
You lie face down on bolstered pregnancy pillows that leave your abdomen fully unsupported and free of pressure. The sacral adjustment itself is low force, often using a drop table or a handheld instrument rather than manual thrust.
Sustained light contact on the round ligaments, usually while you are on your back or side. This is not deep pressure. Most patients describe it as unremarkable at the time and notice the difference afterward.
How often to come in given your trimester and what you are dealing with, what to watch for between visits, and what to tell your obstetric provider. You leave knowing the plan rather than guessing at it.
Webster certification is issued by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association after completing their training and passing a practical examination. It is a specific credential with a specific issuing body. It is not the same as a chiropractor saying they are comfortable treating pregnant patients.
Ask any practitioner where and when they certified. A certified practitioner will answer immediately. That question is worth asking whether or not you come here.
If you support birthing families in the East Bay and you are looking for somewhere to refer for pelvic and sacral work, this page is written so you can send it to a client without having to caveat it yourself.
Straight answers, including the ones that are less convenient for us.
No. The Webster Technique is not a method for turning a baby, and no chiropractor should describe it that way. It is an analysis and adjustment of the sacrum and pelvis, plus release of round ligament tension. The reasoning is that when the pelvis is balanced and the supporting ligaments are not under tension, there is less constraint on the uterus. Whether a particular baby changes position is not something the technique controls or predicts. If your baby is breech, the Webster Technique is a complement to your obstetric care, never a substitute for it.
Webster certification is issued by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association after completing their training and passing a practical examination in the technique. It is a specific credential, not a general claim of experience with pregnant patients. Any chiropractor telling you they are Webster certified should be able to tell you where and when they certified. Dr. Irina Velichko is Webster certified through the ICPA and has also completed their two-year post-graduate program in prenatal and pediatric chiropractic.
There is no single right answer. Some patients come in during the first trimester because they already have low back or pelvic pain. Others come in around 30 to 32 weeks specifically to work on pelvic balance ahead of labor. Both are reasonable. If you are being referred because of a breech presentation, most obstetric providers raise it around 34 to 37 weeks, so earlier contact gives you more time.
It should not. The sacral adjustment is low force and the ligament work is sustained light contact rather than pressure. You lie on bolstered pregnancy pillows so nothing rests on your abdomen. If anything is uncomfortable, say so and it gets adjusted. Discomfort is not a sign it is working.
Yes, and we encourage it. Many Bay Area obstetric providers and midwives are familiar with the Webster Technique and some refer for it directly. Telling your provider keeps your care coordinated and means anything we notice can be passed along. We are happy to communicate directly with your provider if you would like.
Yes. Dr. Irina Velichko is fluent in Russian and provides the complete visit in Russian, including history, assessment and consultation. Spanish-language care is also available at the practice. This is full clinical care in your own language, not translation assistance.
Looking for the wider picture on prenatal and postpartum care? See our pregnancy and postnatal chiropractic page, or read about care for babies and children.
Your first visit is a full history, assessment and consultation. You will know what is going on and what we would recommend before you commit to anything. We're a chiropractor in Oakland, CA, at 435 8th Street #203 in Downtown Oakland.
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