3 Reasons to Consider Newborn Chiropractic Care
Newborn chiropractic care provides parents with supportive assistance in their baby’s overall wellness. And just like chiropractic care for adults, chiropractic work on newborns and infants addresses an abundance of issues with the human body.
At Jewell Chiropractic, we love supporting parents and their children through gentle chiropractic care, new parent support groups, and more. We are here to help! Connect with us today to learn more about chiropractic care for you or your child. And if you’re ready to book your appointment at our Portland area practice, you can schedule here.
Many parents are surprised to learn that their newborn can receive chiropractic treatments. Here are three ways that newborn chiropractic care can help your child.
1. Supporting Your Infant’s Oral Motor Function
Given the well-established benefits of breastfeeding, issues that interfere with newborn feeding can be a big problem. When an infant is having trouble breastfeeding, it’s often due to difficulty with latching. Some newborns don’t yet have the motor skills to latch onto the breast properly.
One key area of newborn chiropractic care is assessing your baby’s oral motor function. This assessment provides insight into issues your baby might have with the muscles, soft tissue, and head or neck positioning that contribute to proper feeding.
When assessing oral motor function in infants, a chiropractor will determine the relative strength or weakness of the face and neck muscles, as well as the skeletal and joint positioning of the shoulders, neck, and back. According to this study, working on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) was specifically helpful in addressing latching issues.
2. Correcting Torticollis
Torticollis, also called wryneck, is when a newborn or infant tends to turn their head in only one direction. Tight and restricted muscles and soft tissues along one side of the head and neck are often to blame for this situation.
These restrictions in newborns are often due to in-utero positioning and the birthing process, which can cause strain on your baby’s shoulders and neck. Chiropractic adjustments for torticollis are gentle maneuvers that are safe and effective.
Unlike chiropractic work on adults which can sometimes require a bit of force, chiropractic treatment for newborns and infants requires much less pressure to be effective.
3. Alleviating Newborn Digestive Issues
One surprising benefit of newborn chiropractic adjustments is the alleviation of tummy troubles babies often have. Difficulties such as gassiness, colic, and constipation often respond well to chiropractic care.
Adjustments and manipulation help ensure proper spinal alignment so that nerve signals flow freely along the pathways to your baby’s digestive tract. By utilizing chiropractic care, you may be able to avoid medications and other interventions for your child.
Jewell Chiropractic Supports You and Your Child
Although newborn chiropractic care may not be as common as its adult counterpart, it can be highly impactful for babies and their caregivers. Our Jewell team of providers is eager to support you and your child’s overall wellness.
In addition to our in-office treatments, we often provide at-home exercises you can do with your baby. These simple, gentle stretches encourage muscle relaxation and proper musculoskeletal alignment.
And don’t forget about yourself! Pregnancy and labor can put your body through the wringer. Be sure to take care of your needs by joining the new parent support group, taking a baby-wearing class, or scheduling a treatment for yourself.
