First off, let us congratulate you on the new addition to your family! As a new mother, you want the best for your little miracle, and research shows that “from a nutritional, immunological, digestive, neurological, developmental, mental, psychological, and emotional standpoint, there is no replacement” for breastfeeding. The recommended amount of time to breastfeed your child is for at least the first six months of their life, but unfortunately, many new mothers who plan for that timeframe stop early because of breastfeeding difficulties.
If breastfeeding is a difficult task for you and your newborn, please realize that the problem may not be with you. If your child has issues with latching, sucking, or overall rejecting breastfeeding, the cause could most likely be associated with the spine and/or cranium, which can be damaged during birth. Although each birthing process differs from the next, more often than not the baby receives some sort of physical damage when entering into the world. Many people are unaware of the biomechanical disorders in both the cranium and spine of their infant and their association with difficulty of breastfeeding. Without considering the possibility of these common disorders, mother and child are often medically treated incorrectly, leading to no improvement in the breastfeeding process.
When trying to identify signs of possible biomechanical disorders in the cranium or spine, you are encouraged to look for the following, as outlined in Pathways to Family Wellness :
Babies who cannot latch firmly- Babies who can latch and not sustain sucking
- Babies who are unable to smoothly coordinate suckling, swallowing, and breathing · Babies who can feed in only one position
- Babies who seem dissatisfied when nursing or who remain fussy and distressed throughout the day
- Babies who chew and damage the mother’s nipples
- Babies who may not feed any better from other devices
- Babies who have the need to suck 24/7
If you and your child are experiencing difficulty breastfeeding, we encourage you to make an appointment and see what Well Beings Family Chiropractic can do for the health of your new family member.
Dr. Jacob Fletcher specializes in breastfeeding difficulties and chiropractic care and would love to be of assistance to you and your little one. Please give us a call at 303-238-6500 with questions or to schedule an appointment.