Home/Blog/Pregnant, or bringing your child? A first-visit checklist for parents
Tips for patients · October 17, 2026
Pregnant, or bringing your child? A first-visit checklist for parents
Some parents look for a chiropractor during pregnancy or for their children. This checklist covers the practical side: the license, training, questions to ask and what to bring.
Some parents look for a chiropractor during pregnancy, or for their children. This checklist is about the practical side: who you are seeing, what to ask and what to bring. It is not advice on whether chiropractic is right for you or your child. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) encourages people to discuss decisions about care with their health care provider, so talk with your obstetrician, midwife or pediatrician first.
1. Check the license
Every state requires chiropractors to be licensed, which includes passing an exam. Look the chiropractor up on your state board’s official lookup and check for an active status. Our license guide links every state’s lookup.
2. Ask about training with pregnancy and children
A state license is the legal requirement. Some chiropractors add certifications from professional associations. For example, the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) describes the Webster Technique as “a specific chiropractic analysis and diversified adjustment” and has offered a Webster certification since 2000. These certifications come from an association, not the state, so ask what training the chiropractor has and how often they see pregnant patients or children.
3. Know the common side effects
About spinal manipulation in general, NCCIH says mild-to-moderate side effects such as more discomfort, stiffness or headache are common and usually go away within 24 hours. It says serious problems have been reported but are very rare. Ask the chiropractor how they adapt their approach during pregnancy and for children.
4. Ask the practical questions
- How long is the first visit, and what happens during it?
- Can I stay in the room with my child?
- What does a visit cost, and do you take my insurance?
- Do you need anything from my obstetrician, midwife or pediatrician?
- How will you decide how many visits to suggest?
5. What to bring
- Your insurance card, and a referral if your plan requires one
- A photo ID
- Your list of questions
- Something to keep a young child busy in the waiting room
Finding a practice
On our city and state pages, each listing shows what the practice says on its own website, including Prenatal care and Children, and you can filter by them. Browse by city or state.
Related guides
Sources
- NCCIH – Chiropractic: In Depth
- NCCIH – Spinal manipulation: what you need to know
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Chiropractors
- ICPA – About the Webster Technique
Published October 17, 2026 by the ChiroScience editorial team, with sources fetched in October 2026. General information, not medical, legal or insurance advice. More from the blog