Modern birthing procedures, even those with
seemingly minimal intervention, are known to cause
trauma and stress to the infant’s cranium and spine.
In a leading pediatric textbook on manual therapy
for children, one author tells us, “When considering
injuries and dysfunctions of the spine and its
associated structures, the significance of birth
trauma is often underestimated, and the resulting
symptoms frequently misinterpreted.”
In the case of breastfeeding difficulty, as with many
childhood disorders, the cause of the problem often
traces back to undetected biomechanical injuries to
the spine and cranium at birth. The failure to
recognize these biomechanical injuries and their
relationship to difficulty in breastfeeding leads to
incorrect conclusions and therefore, inadequate
recommendations and treatments. Without real
solutions, mothers become discouraged, successful
breastfeeding is not achieved, and women stop
trying out of frustration.
Breastfeeding is by far the best choice for infant
feeding for numerous reasons. Significant research
shows that, from a nutritional, immunological,
digestive, neurological, developmental, mental,
psychological, and emotional standpoint, there is no
replacement. Today, more and more women are
choosing the healthy, natural benefits of
breastfeeding. Exclusive breastfeeding is the
optimal feeding mode for an infant’s first 6 months
of life. Many women initially plan to breastfeed for that length of time, yet fall short because of
difficulties that seem to have no solution. Many of
the care-providers they consult are unaware of the
biomechanical disorders in the infant’s spines and
craniums that cause the difficulty in breastfeeding.
This lack of knowledge leads to ineffective
recommendations with unsatisfactory results. In
these instances, it is imperative that parents seek
family chiropractors who offer mothers and infants
the care appropriate to their needs.
In 24 years of practice, it has been my experience
that when infants presented in our office with any of
the indicated difficulties (see below), once
evaluated and adjusted accordingly, they
responded favorably with chiropractic care. Normal
function in the infant was restored and
breastfeeding continued without further
complications and hindrances. Among other
numerous benefits of chiropractic care for infants,
the ability to successfully breastfeed has lifelong
consequences for the baby’s future health potential.
Including chiropractic care for your newborn may
very well be one of the most important choices you
make in support of the family wellness lifestyle.
