Chiropractic: It might be the “brest “thing you can do for your nursing child.

If you are new to chiropractic, or have not been to our office, the idea of taking your young child to a chiropractor to help them with feeding might be a foreign concept.  In fact, with all the popular misconceptions and misunderstandings about chiropractic (i.e. that it is limited to being an alternative treatment for back pain and headaches, etc.), the idea of bringing your child to a chiropractor in general may seem peculiar, or maybe even absurd.

Each week, families flood through our office seeking help for various concerns (all of which will be covered at some point on this site).  As of late, one of the more common concerns that we are seeing, and have seen HUGE results with, has been in the realm of breastfeeding. 

I thought it would be a good idea to talk a bit about the “how’s" and "why’s”

So, why chiropractic for a baby that has latching issues and/or breastfeeding difficulties… how does it all work?  While beautiful and natural, the process of breastfeeding is actually quite complex and wondrous.  The combination of a baby latching well and drawing an adequate amount of milk from its’ mother’s breast requires a synchronized and harmonious effort of: 6 Cranial Nerves, 22 Bones, 34 Sutures and/or Joints, and 60 muscles (both voluntary and involuntary).

In dealing with babies/infants that are not breastfeeding well, there are multiple symptoms and causes that we come across.  For today, as this is part one, let’s lay out the symptoms...then in the parts to come we will break them down in detail, specifically addressing where these symptoms come from.  (Side note: our goal in all the care we offer is to always seek out and removed the cause of the health concerns, not treat the symptoms.  With that said, as I mention these symptoms, be mindful that in the continuing parts to come on this topic, I will work backwards from these symptoms listed to show you specifically how Chiropractic Care gets to the root cause of the issue(s).)

 So, on with the symptoms…these are the most frequently expressed concerns we hear from parents when their child is not breastfeeding well:

1. Preferential Side: Baby seems uncomfortable, irritable, or unmotivated on one breast versus the other.

2. Shallow, Pinch, or Lazy Latch: Gassy, irritable, and spitting up (sometimes right after a feeding, but often an hour or so later).

3. Irregular Bowel Movements: Either constipation (usually more common) or loose/watery stool.

4. Sleep Pattern Disturbances: I know, you might be thinking, “well, yeah, it’s a baby”, and I get that, but in all sincerity, the absolute number one praise report we get from parents early on in care is IMPROVED SLEEP (sometimes even through the night). And yes, we have the “why” behind that coming soon too!

I will leave you with a couple thoughts until next time…

• If this describes something you are currently experiencing, do not wait until Part 2 (or 3 or 4). Help and Hope are closer than you think! Let us know, and we will do everything in our power to help (help@straightaheadchiropractic.com).

• If your first reaction or response when reading this has been to think of a friend it could help, then reach out to them, and point them in our direction…the same promise we made to you above stands for them…we are here to help!

• If this resonates with you and you see the value in how this can shape and changes family dynamics, lives, and the trajectory of a kids health for the better, then hop on social media, like our page, and share with your friends.

Next time, as promised, we will dive into the “how’s” (physiology) behind the “what’s” (symptoms), which will lead us to the “why’s” (the causes of the issues)…all of which point to the ways in which we can help.