Unlike in previous decades, more mothers today are opting to breastfeed. Not only that, but they are opting to breastfeed for longer – sometimes for more than a year – as compared to mothers from one or two previous decades. There’s no question that breastfeeding provides infants with valuable nutrients that they will not get from being bottle-fed. New mothers also benefit from breastfeeding, as it provides them with the opportunity to form a strong bond with their infant.

Under ideal circumstances, breastfeeding would be easy and simple for both mother and baby. Unfortunately, that is not the case. A number of babies may have difficulty properly latching on to the nipple to feed, or are unable to settle into a comfortable position. Mothers may not be able to produce enough milk, or have difficulty settling into a proper position for feeding.

Fortunately, chiropractic care can improve the breastfeeding experience for both mother and baby. Below, Dr. Nathen Horst provides some examples of how chiropractic care is a vital part of those all-important first few days after birth for both mother and infant.

Chiropractic Care for Mothers

Induced labor or emergency cesarean sections are often necessary after the mother has been in labor for a long time without any progress being made. Unfortunately, this means that her entire spine is pushed out of alignment due to the repetitive, prolonged force of contractions. This will put a tremendous stress on the entire body, which means that it will take longer for her to recover than if she did not require induced labor or an emergency cesarean section.

Such stress may affect the mother’s ability to produce enough milk, as the thoracic, or middle, area of the spine can be affected. In these cases, Dr. Horst recommends gentle chiropractic adjustments to the middle and lower portions of the spine in order to release pressure that may have built up due to prolonged periods of labor. In many cases, mothers may find that their ability to produce milk will increase almost immediately after an adjustment.

Chiropractic Care for Infants

Prolonged labor is also difficult for newborns. It puts a great deal of pressure along the spine. As a result, the baby may not be able to hold its head in the proper position to be able to properly latch onto the nipple and form a seal with the mouth to get enough milk. As a result, the baby may not be getting enough nourishment and may require supplementation with formula. In other instances, infants may have difficulty opening their mouth properly to nurse as a result of pressure placed on the head during delivery.

Despite what many people may think, even newborns can benefit from chiropractic adjustments. Dr. Horst suggests adjustments to the upper and middle spine, as well as to the jaw area for infants that have difficulty opening and closing their mouth.

New motherhood is often a challenging time, and breastfeeding is often one of the biggest difficulties women face. Fortunately, chiropractic care can help ease women and babies through those first few weeks.