Breastfeeding

Feeding time for your newborn can be a stressful event. If your child has trouble latching on, or isn’t latching on at all, it can create tension for both mother and child. Feeding shouldn’t be a strain – for either person involved.

Chiropractic care for newborns has been known to help with issues such as earaches, reflux and colic, but it can also assist in the breastfeeding process.

Delivering a baby is hard on the mother’s body, of course, but it also takes a toll on the little one’s body, as well. During birth, a baby’s spinal alignment can get knocked awry. That misalignment can cause discomfort or pain during the feeding process, causing breastfeeding to be uncomfortable.

Trouble latching is a common problem, and that difficulty can come from something as simple as the baby cannot get into a comfortable position because of a minor misalignment with the neck, head, or spine. Also, pain in the mother’s nipple or breast can often be attributed to the lack of a good latch.

A pediatric chiropractor can adjust your newborn’s neck and spine through noninvasive adjustments. If the neck and spine are out of alignment, it can cause your child to either experience discomfort during the process or not want to breastfeed altogether.

Your baby is still getting accustomed to its brand new life. There are muscles developing and your baby is growing – which is why breastfeeding time is so important. From getting the correct position, to getting your child to latch on, to maintaining your child’s comfort while breastfeeding – there is a lot going on. Chiropractic care can ensure that everything is line up to give the best chance of success.

Unsuccessful breastfeeding can cause mountains of stress for the mother. Breastfeeding can be a bonding time between mother and child, and it can take its toll mentally if the mother feels like the baby is rejecting her. That isn’t the case. The baby wants to bond with mother, too, but the process can be trying if one or both of you is experiencing pain or discomfort.

While the focus is usually on the baby during feeding time, it’s also important that the mother is comfortable, too. Just like the child can experience discomfort if not aligned correctly, the breastfeeding process might be painful for mother, as well.

Making sure the mother’s nervous system is communicating correctly with her whole body is imperative because it aids in proper milk letdown. Like everything, the nerves that regulate this important function are connected to the spine.

Also, feeding time can happen multiple times throughout the day – and at various times. Just like your child doesn’t want to be uncomfortable during feeding time, neither do you! Proper posture and spine alignment during feeding can help alleviate a lot of this pain, and that creates better feeding sessions all around – for both mother and child.

Breastfeeding is recommended by multiple medical organizations, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. It also doesn’t mean that mothers are alone in their struggles with breastfeeding. Like anything, it’s not something that just happens automatically, and most mothers and children learn the best procedure that works for them.