Adjustments for kids

It’s been a whirlwind of a holiday season this year. Right before Thanksgiving, we welcomed our baby boy Marshall into the world so I had someone to be extra thankful for this year. Fatherhood has brought some big changes, but I’ve been loving every minute of it. Throughout my years as a chiropractor, I have adjusted many newborn babies and toddlers but to be honest, there is something very cool about being able to adjust your own baby after they’re born. 

A lot of people have asked me why would a baby be out of alignment in the first place? The answer is… birth. 

Babies have to navigate an almost 90 degree turn in their mama’s pelvis as they are entering the world. Then you add in possible pulling, twisting, or guiding by care-providers’ hands. Sometimes babies and mom need some extra guidance with forceps or vacuum extraction and this also adds a level of trauma to the baby’s birth. It really is a lot for a little body. I encourage you to look at some pictures if you have not witnessed it yourself. We’re always told to be careful of supporting a baby’s head and neck when we hold them because they can’t do this themselves. So it would make sense that after a birth where there is a lot of force applied to the baby’s head, neck, and shoulders that a being assessed by a pediatric chiropractor may be beneficial. 

I’ve also been asked, what about a C-section birth? Depending on the care provider you may still have a fair amount of traction (pulling) on the baby’s head and neck during the birth process. What C-section babies also miss out on is the squeezing effect of the birth canal on their bodies which actually plays an important role in primitive reflex integration.

Regardless of how your baby entered the world, Pediatric Chiropractic is a beautiful aspect to consider in your baby’s holistic health care while they grow and thrive. Studies have shown that pediatric chiropractic can help babies and toddlers with colic, ear infections, reflux, constipation, and delays in physical milestones like rolling over, crawling, or walking. 

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