Do babies really need newborn chiropractic care? Can babies be adjusted? Is it safe to adjust a baby? These are the three most popular questions that I get when I tell people that I specialize in chiropractic care for pregnant mamas, babies, and children. With certainty, I always answer these questions with, “Yes!”
So why does a baby need newborn chiropractic care? Consider how a newborn baby is handled. A parent would never pick up a baby by their head. Why? Picking up a baby that way might hurt their neck. However, that was already done to the newborn during the birth process. In fact, normal, uncomplicated births (including c-sections) exert 90-120 lbs. of force on a newborn’s neck. That’s over 10 times the baby’s weight exerted on their neck! And if the pregnancy involved a malposition (breech) and/or the birth involved dystocia (difficult labor), forceps, or vacuum extraction, then the stress on the baby’s neck increases further.
The force on a newborn’s neck during birth is more than enough to subluxate (misalign) their vertebrae and to disrupt proper nervous system activity. When this happens, a newborn can present in a variety of ways: difficulty latching, problems nursing, spitting up after nursing, acid reflux, colic, restlessness, and poor sleeping.
Many of the newborns that I see come in for support for these conditions, after other forms of conventional and alternative remedies proved unsuccessful. Parents are often pleased with the results generated through chiropractic.
One misconception about adjusting newborns is that the adjustment is similar to the high-velocity, low amplitude adjustment performed on adults. This is not the case. Adjustments on babies are both gentle and safe. When I adjust newborns, I use the same amount of force it takes to push your cheek in with your finger. In fact, parents often don’t realize that I’m adjusting their child when I’m supporting the baby’s head and neck with my hands. In addition, I can adjust the child while their parent is still holding them.
Newborns are born with a wealth of potential and possibility for their life. Chiropractic enables them to function optimally, so that they can achieve their greatest potential. Who wouldn’t want that for their child?
So why does a baby need newborn chiropractic care? Consider how a newborn baby is handled. A parent would never pick up a baby by their head. Why? Picking up a baby that way might hurt their neck. However, that was already done to the newborn during the birth process. In fact, normal, uncomplicated births (including c-sections) exert 90-120 lbs. of force on a newborn’s neck. That’s over 10 times the baby’s weight exerted on their neck! And if the pregnancy involved a malposition (breech) and/or the birth involved dystocia (difficult labor), forceps, or vacuum extraction, then the stress on the baby’s neck increases further.
The force on a newborn’s neck during birth is more than enough to subluxate (misalign) their vertebrae and to disrupt proper nervous system activity. When this happens, a newborn can present in a variety of ways: difficulty latching, problems nursing, spitting up after nursing, acid reflux, colic, restlessness, and poor sleeping.
Many of the newborns that I see come in for support for these conditions, after other forms of conventional and alternative remedies proved unsuccessful. Parents are often pleased with the results generated through chiropractic.
One misconception about adjusting newborns is that the adjustment is similar to the high-velocity, low amplitude adjustment performed on adults. This is not the case. Adjustments on babies are both gentle and safe. When I adjust newborns, I use the same amount of force it takes to push your cheek in with your finger. In fact, parents often don’t realize that I’m adjusting their child when I’m supporting the baby’s head and neck with my hands. In addition, I can adjust the child while their parent is still holding them.
Newborns are born with a wealth of potential and possibility for their life. Chiropractic enables them to function optimally, so that they can achieve their greatest potential. Who wouldn’t want that for their child?
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