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Nurture Women’s Wellness - Pregnancy Care

3330 Old Glenview Rd. Ste 2
Evanston, Illinois 60091

847. 461. 9445

info@nurturewomenswellness.com

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NEW MOTHER NEW BABY

THERAPIES & SERVICES

Acupuncture

Chinese or herbal medicine

Chiropractic care

Webster Technique® certified

POSTPARTUM CONCERNS, CHALLENGES & CONDITIONS

Constipation

Digestive discomfort or bloating

Pain or difficulty with bowel movements

Anxiety

Back, hip or neck pain

Carpel tunnel syndrome

Lateral nerve entrapment (secondary)

Pelvic pain / pelvic girdle pain (SPD)

Piriformis-related hip or leg pain

Pubic bone pain (pubic sympysis)

Sacroiliac (SI) pain

Sciatica or nerve pain

Tailbone pain (coccydynia)

Headaches

Sleep problems / fatigue

Weight or metabolic concerns

COVERAGE & PAYMENT OPTIONS

Insurance accepted

Insurance reimbursement guidance available

PREGNANCY CARE

THERAPIES & SERVICES

Acupuncture

Chinese or herbal medicine

Chiropractic care

Webster Technique® certified

PREGNANCY CONCERNS, CHALLENGES & CONDITIONS

Constipation

Heartburn / acid reflux

Nausea or vomiting / "morning sickness"

Severe nausea & vomiting (Hyperemesis gravidarum)

Anxiety

Depression

Back, hip, or neck pain

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Pelvic pain / pelvic girdle pain (SPD)

Piriformis-related hip or leg pain

Pubic bone pain (pubic symphysis)

Round ligament pain

Sacroiliac (SI) pain

Sciatica or nerve pain

Tail bone pain (coccydynia)

Headaches

Sleep problems / fatigue

Breech or baby positioning concerns

Going past due date / alternatives to medical induction

VBAC preparation

COVERAGE & PAYMENT OPTIONS

Accepts insurance

Insurance reimbursement guidance available

SERVICES IN NUTSHELL

We provide personalized care for fertility challenges, hormone imbalance, pregnancy, and postpartum recovery. Using a root-focused approach that integrates functional medicine and hands-on treatment, we help women optimize their health at every stage.

MORE ABOUT US

Acupuncture for Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a beautiful transformation—but it can also bring discomfort, overwhelm, and changing needs week to week. Acupuncture is a safe, evidence-based way to ease many common symptoms and help your body adapt more smoothly.

Prenatal acupuncture can support:

Nausea and fatigue (especially in the first trimester)
Sleep struggles, overwhelm, anxiety, and emotional shifts
Back, hip, and pelvic pain
Digestive issues and swelling
Breech positioning
Labor preparation (3rd trimester)

Each session may include acupuncture, nervous system regulation techniques, or bodywork, based on your trimester and symptoms.

What to expect

Your session is designed to be both focused and supportive.

We start with a brief conversation and assessment to understand what’s going on physically, hormonally, and overall. From there, your treatment is tailored to your specific needs and may include:

Acupuncture
Gentle Webster-based adjustment
Breath work or calming nervous system tools
Nutritional or lifestyle support

prenatal chiropractic care

Pregnancy brings significant physical changes that can lead to discomfort in the back, pelvis, neck, and joints. Chiropractic care offers a safe, gentle, non-invasive approach to help manage these issues and support your body’s natural adaptation.

Chiropractic care during pregnancy is well-established as safe when provided by a trained practitioner, with evidence from clinical reviews showing it effectively addresses common musculoskeletal complaints without drugs or surgery.

Key benefits include:

Relief from back, neck, pelvic, hip, or joint pain
Reduced tension on uterine-supporting ligaments (e.g., round ligaments), which may help minimize intrauterine constraint and support optimal fetal positioning
Improved pelvic mobility and balance to prepare for labor and delivery
Potential for a more comfortable pregnancy and reduced need for certain interventions

Common Conditions:

Neck, low back, and hip pain
Headaches
Sciatica
Pubic symphysis dysfunction
Rib or diaphragm discomfort

Support for Breech or Malpositioned Babies

We don’t “turn” babies or perform medical procedures. But many OBs and midwives in the Chicago and North Shore area refer their patients to us when positioning concerns arise.

Dr. Merkel uses the Webster Technique (a gentle, specific chiropractic method) along with myofascial work, acupuncture, and functional movement—all non-forceful and pregnancy-safe. The focus is on balancing the pelvis, reducing sacral tension, and easing ligament stress to give the baby more room to move into an optimal position naturally.

Supporting methods may include myofascial release, acupuncture, and functional movement exercises—all non-forceful and tailored to pregnancy.

Many moms have seen positive results with this approach, often leading to easier labors and better positioning before birth.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES WE OFFER

Preparing for Pregnancy & TTC New Parent, New Baby

People

Dr. Brook Merkel

Board certified chiropractor and acupuncturist

TRAINING & CERTIFICATIONS

Dr. Brook Merkel

Hi, I’m Dr. Brook.

I’m a women’s health practitioner specializing in chiropractic and acupuncture with a passion for supporting women’s wellness at every stage.

As a mother of three energetic boys, I understand the unique physical and emotional demands women face—whether you are trying to conceive, navigating pregnancy, recovering postpartum, or simply seeking better balance in daily life.

At Nurture, we offer personalized, evidence-informed care that combines chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, nutritional guidance, and holistic lifestyle support. My focus is on hormone balance, reproductive health, cycle regularity, and whole-body wellness.

I believe women deserve empowering and compassionate support and they deserve to be listened to without judgement

If you’re ready to feel more balanced, more supported, and more like yourself, I’d be honored to help support you.

What makes us different?

This isn’t just Webster technique or symptom relief.
Our approach blends clinical tools with whole-body support:

Gentle chiropractic + nervous system care
Acupuncture + hormone balancing
Personalized nutrition & lifestyle guidance – Practical, individualized strategies to optimize labs, reduce inflammation, and support long-term wellness.
Collaborative model – We work alongside your OB, midwife, or fertility specialist to provide complementary care that fits seamlessly into your medical plan.
We focus on addressing root contributors—not just masking symptoms

EDUCATION
BA, Sports Medicine and Athletic Training, University of the Pacific
Doctor of Chiropractic, National University of Health Sciences

CERTIFICATIONS
Webster Technique, ICPA
Mercier Therapy Practitioner

Testimonials

Dr. Merkel was instrumental in helping me have a smooth, enjoyable pregnancy experiencing. She also helped connect me to lots of amazing providers in other areas of support who were critical to my journey of achieving a natural birth! Even post-birth, she treated my new baby boy to ensure everything was progressing as needed. Cannot recommend her more!

-Jessica

Seeing Dr. Merkel was absolutely the best thing I did for myself during my pregnancy. It helped me be comfortable and confident throughout. She will always give you the time and space to talk through anything going on and come up with helpful and practical advice.

-Alexis

Dr. Brook was a big reason why I was able to achieve a VBAC and I couldn’t be more thankful for everything she did for me! I had terrible lower back pain before I came to see Dr. Brook – it was keeping me up at night and I was so uncomfortable. From the very first session she almost completely eliminated my pain, and my body just kept feeling better and better. She gave me a lot of stretches to do at home (so I wouldn’t have to come in so many times) to help my baby’s positioning and open things up. When my baby eventually got into the right position she gave me more stretches to help get labor going. The day I went into labor I went to her office to get acupuncture. Hours later I had strong contractions and had my baby the next day. I can’t thank Dr. Brook enough for her kindness, knowledge and help throughout my pregnancy and would recommend her to anyone looking to achieve a VBAC or get their baby into the correct position before delivery!

-Kristin

“Dr. Brook is amazing at what she does! She helped me recover from some serious hip/SI joint pain and back discomfort during my pregnancy. She also got my body aligned and prepared for a natural birth. Going to see her is always a pleasure as she is friendly and very easy to talk to. I highly recommend her!”
— R. C

“Dr. Brook is by far the best chiropractor I’ve ever been to and her services were enormously helpful for the back & hip pain I experienced with my second pregnancy. (And she was pregnant herself during that time – our sons were due within a few weeks of each other!) I can’t recommend her highly enough!”
— Autumn R.

“Dr. Brook was my chiropractor throughout my recent pregnancy and she was amazing to work with! I’ve never been to a chiropractor before but Dr. Brook took the time to explain what was going on with my changing body and joints and gave me exercises each week to help with my adjustments. I very much appreciated her calm, friendly demeanor and always felt better after a session. I had an unmedicated birth and going to Dr. Brook was part of my prep.”

— C.D.

“Right around the start of my third trimester running and even walking started to become painful. Dr. Brook figured out what was going on right away and helped me to keep moving for the rest of my pregnancy. She not only made me feel great at each visit but helped me maintain this feeling during the week with exercises I could do at home and at work. I still find myself doing her exercises five months postpartum after a long day of sitting. Best of all, Dr. Brook is fun to talk to – making appointments more like going to see a friend than going to a doctor’s office.”

— Emily B.