Chiropractic for Children
Breastfeeding and Bodywork
Breastfeeding is an innate and instinctive skill of a newborn, however, it can come with many difficulties. The birthing process places a great deal of stress on a newborn’s body, regardless of the type of delivery. Even if you had a smooth delivery, your baby may have been under physical stress due to poor positioning in-utero. This is why we encourage all parents to have a bodywork appointment for their baby. We often co-manage our cases with lactation consultants, pediatricians, physiotherapists, midwives, medical doctors and dentists.
A bodywork appointment involves a thorough assessment of the infant’s spine, hips, shoulders, neck and jaw. The appointment also involves a suck assessment to identify any issues related to the latch and/or swallowing mechanism of the infant. Our chiropractors are looking for subtle imbalances in these areas that may affect an infant’s ability to latch or feed properly. We also look at breastfeeding positions and treat the mother and baby as a unit. Subtle tweaks can make a world of a difference.
The treatment techniques that we use to treat infants are much different than those used on adults. We use very gentle touch and pressure to release joint restrictions and muscle tension. We often prescribe stretching and strengthening exercises that the parents can do with the infant to help them respond faster to treatment. Usually babies sleep during their entire appointment and also sleep very well after.
Here are some signs that your infant may need bodywork:
- baby only turns head to one side and/or has a head tilt
- facial and or cranial asymmetry (flat spots on head)
- difficulty latching on one side vs. the other
- inability to maintain a firm latch (unlatching and/or smacking)
- difficulty opening mouth wide
- clicking sound heard while nursing
- yawn to one side and/or facial drooping on one side noted with cry/yawn
- poor weight gain
- nipple pain, cracking, scabbing or bleeding nipples
- digestive issues- colic, reflux, gassy baby
- premature babies
- infants with a tongue or lip tie (bodywork is important before and after a clip)
- use of forceps and or vacuum during delivery
- shoulder dystocia (shoulders become stuck during birth)