Being a new mother is an overwhelming task, and there’s probably nothing you are more worried about than whether your baby is getting everything she needs to be healthy. For many, this includes breastfeeding, as it is known to be the healthiest option for newborns. But while breastfeeding is extremely beneficial, it can often come with challenges. Many women stop breastfeeding earlier than they would like because of the difficulties, even with the help of consultants and supportive families. One option that is not as well-known is seeking the help of a Lithia Springs chiropractor to ensure the spinal health of yourself or your baby is not impacting your ability to nurse well.

Why Nursing Can Be Challenging

Because it is a natural way to feed our babies, many people think that breastfeeding will come easily to them. While this is true for some moms, in many cases, there are unforeseen issues that can cause issues. Some babies have a hard time latching onto the breast in a way that allows them to get the milk they need. When they do latch, some babies will nurse but still seem to be hungry afterwards, or they may refuse to eat on a particular breast.

It can be difficult to have your baby struggle to eat and not know the best way to help him. But if you are invested in breastfeeding, spending the time to uncover the root cause of these issues can be well worth it.

Breastfeeding and the Spine

While it may not seem intuitive that the spine impacts your nursing, there is actually a strong connection. Your spine is key to the health of your central nervous system, and any misalignments in the spine can affect a variety of processes in the body. For many babies, birth can cause their spine to become misaligned, from their time in the birth canal or any traumatic use of interventions that occurred.  When a baby’s spine is misaligned, he may struggle to turn his head the right way or latch well enough to get enough milk. Dr. Ronnie Bolar has worked with a number of nursing babies and moms to correct spinal alignments as a mechanism for improving the nursing relationship.

Chiropractic Care in Infants

For some, the idea of bringing a baby to a chiropractor may seem intimidating, but the best thing we can do for our children is give them the foundation needed to become a healthy adult. Studies show that when infants are given gentle, specific chiropractic adjustments, their breastfeeding ability improves and they are able to get the nutrients they need. Infants as young as 8 days old have been shown to benefit from adjustments.

If you are struggling to nurse, you shouldn’t give up until you have exhausted all of your options. Making an appointment at Vital Life Chiropractic will give you a chance to let Dr. Ronnie Bolar examine your baby to make sure she is not starting out life with any misalignments, and correcting anything that may be present. Just like you, our goal is to give your baby the best start to life possible.

 

 

Sources

Fry, L.M. “Chiropractic and breastfeeding dysfunction: A literature review”, Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics. 2014;14(2):1151-1155. http://jccponline.com/breastfeeding.pdf

Holleman, A., Nee, J., Knapp, S. “Chiropractic management of breast-feeding difficulties: a case report”, J Chiropr Med. 2011 Sep; 10(3): 199–203. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3259991/