September 28, 2022

Breastfeeding looks like a simple process when you look at mothers and babies doing it. Baby sees breasts, suckles, and everything is done, right? However, it is a very complex system considering a child is only beginning to learn how to move. To breastfeed, an infant has to coordinate 60 muscles, 22 bones, and 34 joints, all under the influence of six cranial nerves. 

Because of the complexity of this process, you will find several young mothers struggling with it at first. Some children may also need a little help to get along and understand how to feed. They must learn to suckle, swallow, and breathe in coordination.

So, how can chiropractic care help your child breastfeed better?

Chiropractic Care for Breastfeeding

Chiropractic care is one of the most effective ways to help your child learn and get comfortable with breastfeeding. You will need to find a chiropractor with experience adjusting infants. Here are some of the ways chiropractic care can benefit breastfeeding babies.
 

Healing From Tongue Ties

Tongue-tied babies are more common than you would think. A tongue tie is when the tongue and facial muscles are very tight. They make the act of breastfeeding a heavy task for a newborn. 

Chiropractic care addresses tongue ties by adjusting the tight muscles. The babies who receive chiropractic care heal faster from tongue ties than those who do not. 
 

Relieving Neck and Jaw Tension

Breastfeeding, as explained earlier, is a process that engages multiple muscles, bones, and joints. Some of these are in the neck and the jaw. A common issue with babies struggling to breastfeed is a tense neck and jaw. They may develop as a result of birthing trauma. A common condition called torticollis is an example: The baby's head tilts down because of tight neck muscles. 

A chiropractor will examine the neck's range of motion and develop a plan to help restore normal movement in the neck. They will use adjustments to correct the misalignments that have led to the tension. 
 

Improving Latching

One of the fundamental parts of the process of breastfeeding is called latching. It is a tight vacuum bond between the child's mouth and the mother's nipple. It allows milk to flow evenly from the mother's breast into the child's mouth. Sometimes, a child may experience trauma during birthing. The trauma can affect their ability to latch effectively. It may have caused misalignments in the jaw muscles, which are necessary for proper latching. Chiropractic adjustments can help restore the movement in the jaw muscles to improve latching.

What Are the Other Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Infants?

 

• Supports and promotes physical development
   

• It boosts recovery time from birthing trauma
   

• Helps reduce colic symptoms
   

• Helps boost the immune system by improving the communication between the body and the central nervous system
   

• It helps make fussy babies much more relaxed
   

• It improves sleeping habits

For more on how chiropractic care can help a baby with breastfeeding, visit Graber Chiropractic Center at our office in Parsippany, New Jersey. Call (973) 335-1100 to book an appointment today.