Is it time your baby saw a chiropractor?
Having a new baby brings a range of emotions, especially worry. If you are worried about your baby suffering from colic, sleeping problems, or irritable baby syndrome; chiropractic might be the answer for you. Babies and children around the world are benefiting and thriving from seeing a chiropractor! So, is it time your baby saw a chiropractor?
As many mothers know, during pregnancy and childbirth the mother and infant are exposed to a large amount of stress on the body. An infant’s neck is exposed to around 27- 41 kgs of force during a ‘normal’ delivery. Different delivery techniques, especially forceful ones, can increase the risk of nerve damage to the baby. Within the past decade, there have been more instruments used during delivery, causing strain on the baby and can specifically affect nerves in the upper neck. A baby’s spine is flexible and mobile in order to travel through the birth canal, but stresses can cause tension and subluxations. Research has shown that up to 80% of babies have subluxations in their spines. This affects proper function of the nervous system and can affect development.
So, what problems can subluxations cause in my baby? The main problems in babies with misaligned spines and imbalanced nervous systems are sleeping, eating, and digestion. Subluxations can cause sleeping problems, colic, reflux, irritability, earaches, learning difficulties, limited range of motion, and infections. Colic is caused by a disruption in digestion, adjustments can help with movement of milk through the bowels, ultimately helping relieve colic. Every parent wants to keep their baby as healthy as possible, and adjustments can help optimize their health. A healthy spine helps improve the connection between the brain and nervous system. This is important for babies since their nervous systems and body generate more neural pathways within the first five years of life than at any other time.
Not only will chiropractic help babies with sleep, but it will also help sleep-derived parents. Adjustments can help treat irritable baby syndrome and allow for parents to get some rest and enjoy their new baby. Research has shown chiropractic care results in improving infant’s health and dealing with a range of health concerns. Chiropractic care has been shown to help with ear infections, respiratory issues, and behavioural and learning difficulties.
So, how old should my baby be before I can bring them in for an adjustment? You can bring your baby in to see us at Balanced Spine Chiropractic as soon as they are born! Even one of our chiropractors was adjusted at birth! It is also important to continue these adjustments as advised by the chiropractor throughout their childhood.
Although chiropractic has many benefits for our babies and children, the thought of someone adjusting our baby’s spines may still be a little nerve wrecking. Our chiropractors at Balanced Spine Chiropractic have received specific training that taught them to modify and adapt techniques to be appropriate and safe for infants and children. Adjustments are safe for patients of all ages, from new-borns to the elderly. Chiropractors will assess your baby’s spine and will gently adjust their body to reduce pain and get rid of their subluxations. Adjustments will help reverse the potential injuries from birth and allow the nervous system to develop normally. Our main goal is to help your baby flourish and develop to their best potential!