How Chiropractic Helps With Latching
November 28, 2019 Posted in: ASK AN EXPERT
Breast is Best…But Not Always Easiest! Unfortunately, breastfeeding can be a challenging task for newborns, or even those moms who have been there had done that and never had issues before. ??????????????
There are actually a lot of things that need to be working in order for normal nursing to take place. Fortunately, a trained Paediatric Chiropractor knows what to look for, and how to correct the issues that may arise if breastfeeding is your chosen form of feeding.
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Dr. J has extensive experience with newborns, infants, and expecting moms. A few things she looks for are:
1️⃣Do they have a rooting reflex? All babies are born with innate reflexes with some being more prominent than others. Any time something brushes an infant’s cheek, they should turn their head to that side and start looking for somewhere to latch.
2️⃣Do they have a sucking reflex? Much like the rooting reflex, the sucking reflex is one with which a baby should be born. This is why the baby will start sucking on anything that comes near its mouth, including your hand, shoulder, foot, etc. They literally can’t help it.
3️⃣Is their jaw aligned properly?
If the baby’s jaw is not tracking properly, the signs are not always so obvious. Many times, the biggest clue can be that their latch will be weakened. This is sometimes the case on only one side and maybe seen with an infant who likes to nurse on one side but not the other.
4️⃣Can the baby fully rotate their head to nurse? Finally, we have to look at the ability of the baby to get into the proper position to nurse. This involves a good amount of rotation of the neck. If the bones that make up this joint are misaligned then the baby’s range of motion will be decreased. ??????????????
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