When should you bring your baby to see a Chiropractor?

The birth process is a beautiful thing, but it can also be quite traumatic. It can be traumatic for both the baby and the mother. The baby must squeeze through a little canal and sometimes gets pulled or suctioned out of their mother. This experience can lead to broken bones, strained or torn muscles, cranial stresses and spinal fixations.  Chiropractic care can be an important part in making sure your child grows up functioning at their best by addressing these issues that may be present after birth.

Colic

Ten to thirty percent of newborns suffer from infant colic. This is an unexplained condition that causes excessive crying in otherwise healthy babies. Research has found that chiropractic care can significantly reduce crying time. One study found that crying time is reduced up to three hours over ten days of care. That’s good amount of time for a nice long nap for the parents!

Breastfeeding difficulties

There can be different causes for issues with breastfeeding. Some babies may have difficulty latching, only latching on one side or short feeding times. Chiropractors can evaluate your baby and determine what may be causing these difficulties. They will look at cranial alignments, posture, muscle tone, spinal joints as well as the jaw. With gentle chiropractic care, many mothers notice a difference in their baby after the first visit.

Support Healthy Growth

Babies grow and develop quickly. From holding their own head, to sitting up, to crawling, walking, and then running, their bodies change quickly. It can be beneficial at these milestones to have a check up done by a chiropractor. The chiropractor will make sure that the musculoskeletal system is balanced which will allow for optimal functioning of your child.

There have been lots of case studies showing that some babies may benefit from chiropractic care regarding ear infections, digestive difficulties and constipation, but more research needs to be done on these topics.

If you have any questions, comments or would like to book an appointment for your newborn contact us here or book online.

References

1. Alcantara J, Alcantara JD, Alcantara J. The chiropractic care of infants with colic: a systematic review of the literature. Explore (New York, NY) [Internet]. 2011 May [cited 2019 Jan 31];7(3):168–74. Available from: http://ezproxy.cmcc.ca/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mnh&AN=21571236&site=eds-live
2. Dobson D, Lucassen PLBJ, Miller JJ, Vlieger AM, Prescott P, Lewith G. Manipulative therapies for infantile colic. The Cochrane Database Of Systematic Reviews [Internet]. 2012 Dec 12 [cited 2019 Jan 31];12:CD004796. Available from: http://ezproxy.cmcc.ca/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mnh&AN=23235617&site=eds-live
3. Alcantara J, Alcantara JD, Alcantara J. The Chiropractic Care of Infants with Breastfeeding Difficulties. Explore (New York, NY) [Internet]. 2015 Nov [cited 2019 Jan 31];11(6):468–74. Available from: http://ezproxy.cmcc.ca/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mnh&AN=26439932&site=eds-live