New parents understandably struggle when their baby is fussy. It’s hard enough to adapt and care for a newborn, but it takes so much energy and patience when that baby is uncomfortable and unwell. Chiropractic care can help.
The Mind-Body Connection
A newborn grows at an incredibly rapid rate the first 6 to 12 weeks of life. Feeding, digesting, and sleeping can be challenging for their developing systems with latch issues, reflux and gas. The infant’s autonomic nervous system, parasympathetics and sympathetics, can be out of balance from the labour and birth which can lead to the following symptoms:
- Inconsolably crying for hours a day, especially in the late afternoon and evening when their nervous systems are fatigued
- A distended abdomen due to gas
- Flexed-up legs and hands held in tight fists due to discomfort
- The infant may seek pain relief through frequent and longer feedings
- The infant may arch his back and pull away from the breast due to gas
- Reflux may be excessive and projectile
- Short-term relief is gained by being held or rocked
How Chiropractic Can Help
Chiropractors assess the intricate functioning of the nervous system through the spine. Tension in the subtle movement of the vertebrae at specific points cause interference in the nervous system and will inhibit its proper function. We call these restrictions vertebral subluxations which lead to an increased fight-or-flight response and an unsettled baby. These subluxations are often due to intra-uterine constraint or physical stress during the birth process.
Chiropractors use light fingertip pressure, called adjustments, to remove these interferences which allows the body to function optimally. This can help the latch by removing the tension in the jaw to allow the infants mouth to open more easily and the tongue and lips to move properly. Adjustments in the lower spine can help the valve between the stomach and esophagus work more efficiently to decrease reflux. These adjustments can also stimulate the nerves to the gut to improve peristalsis and the movement of the gas through the small intestine and colon.
Researchers have conducted a number of studies about the effectiveness of chiropractic adjustments on irritable infants. Studies show that children who were under chiropractic care as infants tended to have fewer temper tantrums and decreased frequency of waking at night 2 to 3 years later. That’s a sure sign of a happy nervous system!