Congratulations on the birth of your baby! The only unfortunate thing was that there was no owner’s manual that arrived with the baby.

Learning to care and intuitate your baby’s needs can take some time, especially when trying to work out if they are hungry, wet or just need to burb. Like learning to ride a bike, don’t expect miracles straight away.

Remember, they are trying to get used to things as much as you are, so be patient and enjoy the experience.

Remember, mum will have the hormone “relaxin” still in her system  for at least another 9 months. This means that the pelvic musculature and ligaments can be somewhat lax for an extended period of time. Getting on top of things by getting adjusted can relieve some of the common problems such as back ache, tight neck and shoulders, tiredness, pubic pain and so on.

What factors may influence my child during feeding?  

Babies, like adults, will tend to avoid things that cause them pain. If their neck is stiff and tight due to the birth process or how they were positioned in the womb, this can lead to muscular tightness and restriction. When it comes to treating babies, our office has substantial experience in using non-manipulative and low-force treatments which may be suitable for little ones.

Having this addressed as soon as possible may reduce the chance of mum’s milk drying up and/or possible situation of engorgement of the breast, which can be very painful.

Why does my child vomit after they feed?

Vomiting can occur for several reasons:

• Their stomach is displaced upwards into the chest cavity. This can reduce the size of the stomach and make digestion very difficult because of the reduced size of what can be contained. Also, if there is tightness of their diaphragm or breathing muscle, could also put extra pressure towards the stomach resulting in vomiting. Since the diaphragm is controlled by a nerve called the phrenic nerve, any pressure that bub has in his or her neck can affect the function of the nerve supply to the diaphragm.
• The quality of the milk has changed. This could be result of mum’s diet which could include spicy foods, alcohol, caffeine such as coffee, tea, or energy drinks, even stress from mum can affect milk quality. Many of the stress hormones that mum produces if under stress can be passed on in breast milk.

Chiropractic treatment may be effective in the management of digestive issues for some people. including the use of Sacro-Occipital Technic (SOT) and Neuro-Emotional Technique (NET).

Wind!  

Excess production of wind or gas can come about if bub’s attachment to the breast is not ideal. This can create a pocket where they can draw back too much air to their tummy. When there has been a misalignment to the skull, especially the bones that sit around the ears (temporal), they can affect the movement of the jaw. When this happens this can affect the seal that bub has on the breast, resulting in too much wind.

In addition, having a child who may be reacting to something that mum has either consumed or eaten can cause a baby to produce too much wind. Remember the quality of the milk is as important as the quantity. This may be the product of fermentation that is occurring within bub’s tummy which is producing gas, like how beer is produced.

Is it okay that my child only poo’s once every 2-3 days?  

Pooing or defecation is a normal and rhythmic eliminatory process that is initiated with feeding. Once food enters the alimentary canal or mouth and chewing has begun, the stomach and intestines produce a wave-like motion called “peristalsis”. This is to allow the food that has already begun the digestive process to move to allow for the incoming food. Ideally, if a child is pooing following a feed this is the most ideal and consistent with the function of the gastrointestinal tract.

Chiropractic may be effective in the management of poor bowel movement for some people, which may support the detoxification process. The more stagnant a baby’s bowel is, the more congested they become. This could affect sleep patterns, moods, flexibility and ease in their body. Remember, having a child that either sleeps too much or not enough is not the most ideal.