How chiropractic care can benefit breastfeeding

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Why might babies have trouble breastfeeding??

 

Breastfeeding challenges begin in utero - for nine months, baby’s may develop asymmetrical growth patterns and imbalances. Misalignments in mom’s pelvis throughout pregnancy can cause baby to get stuck in less than ideal positions while labor contractions continue to press on them, exacerbating the stress on baby’s system. This combined with the typical birth experience of baby’s encountering 60-120 lbs of force on their heads and neck when doctors pull on them, along with vacuums, forceps, and c-sections causing unavoidable strain on baby’s head and spine, all contribute to an overstimulated, overhwelmed and stressed nervous system for newborns.

 

As such, we see babies experiencing many challenges when it comes to breastfeeding:

~ Favoring one breast over the other due to trouble turning their head to one side, as a result of a subluxated cervical spine

~ Difficulty latching - in order to get a good latch, babies need to be able to open their mouths wide to take in the entire areola instead of just the nipple, some babies have restrictions in their muscles, joints and fascia of the cranium and oral cavity that prevent them from optimal feeding biomechanics. This can lead to nipple damage and infection as well.

~ Colic/reflux/swallowing & air/gassiness commonly associated with a sympathetic/overstimulated nervous system along with the above mentioned challenges

~ Low milk supply from lack of nipple stimulation - many babies can be stuck in their sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight), causing their little muscles to be overly contracted. As a result, it takes them extra work to breastfeed, and often they become exhausted before they’re done feeding. Oftentimes mom experiences a frustrated, hungry baby and thinks it’s her fault for not being able to produce enough milk. Parents may not know that, really, the baby’s nervous system is having trouble adapting to a parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), which optimizes the ability to relax and feed.

 

Pediatric chiropractic care is a gentle and effective way to unwind fascial patterns in babies that have developed in utero or during birth!

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