New moms are well aware of the importance of
breastfeeding. Moms who are eager to breastfeed
their newborns often find themselves disheartened if
they run into difficulties with nursing.
They may find the infant is having trouble
maintaining suction, or chewing on the nipple, or
becoming irritable during and after nursing. An infant
may tire from the added effort and fall asleep before
eating enough. Insufficient weight gain may become
a concern. The mother, in turn, may suffer from
blocked milk ducts, painful breasts or cracked
nipples, and may become frustrated and discontinue
nursing. Often this leads to the mother feeling
depressed and believing that if she cannot meet her
child’s needs she is not a good mother.
Breastfeeding is by far the best choice for infant
feeding for numerous reasons. In an article in
Pathways No. 11 titled “Breastfeeding Difficulties and
Chiropractic,” author Jeanne Ohm, D.C., offers the
chiropractic perspective: “Significant research shows
that from a nutritional, immunological, digestive,
neurological, developmental, mental, psychological
and emotional standpoint, there is no replacement.”
Chiropractic care offers a conservative approach that
appeals to many parents. It is gentle, non-invasive
and proven safe for children. As chiropractors we
assume the structural makeup of the infant is intact
and then we look for what is obstructing normal
function. Chiropractic care facilitates the child’s body
to heal on its own. In her article, Ohm states, “In the
case of breastfeeding difficulty, as with many
childhood disorders, the cause of the problem often
traces back to undetected biomechanical injuries to
the spine and cranium at birth. The failure to
recognize these biomechanical injuries and their
relationship to difficulty in breastfeeding leads to
incorrect conclusions and, therefore, inadequate
recommendations and treatments.”
These “biomechanical injuries” are termed
subluxations. Subluxations are misalignments of
the bones that interfere with the nerve
transmission (communication) to the area and in
turn the function of a joint. The spinal bones
(vertebrae), bones of the skull (cranial bones) and
facial bones including the TMJ (temporomandibular
joint) all participate in the process of latching and
sucking. A baby that is having difficulties nursing
most likely has subluxation in one or more of these
areas. It has been my experience that when an infant
is subluxated in these areas and adjusted, these
obstacles to nursing are corrected and normal
function returns. Breastfeeding is then resumed.
Subluxations can occur in a number of ways
exacerbated by physical, chemical or emotional
stresses. Williams Obstetrics, the “bible of
obstetrics,” parallels chiropractic theory by stating,
“the diameter of the woman’s pelvis is decreased
when the sacrum is displaced.” In this circumstance
the mother has a misalignment or subluxation of the
pelvis. This may interfere with the baby’s ability to
attain the optimal positioning. Compression on
developing fetal structures and the nerves they
protect may occur with this alteration in positioning.
Additionally, the birth process is a traumatic event
for the newborn even under normal circumstances.
Even when the baby is in the optimal position,
obstetric intervention to extract the baby may cause
undue force to the baby’s head and neck. Another
article by Ohm, “Birthing with the Wisdom of the
Ages” (published in Pathways No. 40), reports: “One
medical study, published in Developmental Medicine
& Child Neurology, addresses this issue even further.
The study’s author, Dr. Abraham Towbin, writes, ‘The
birth process even under optimal controlled
conditions is potentially a traumatic, crippling event
for the fetus…. Moreover during the last part of
delivery, during the final extraction of the fetus,
mechanical stress imposed by obstetrical
manipulation—even the application of standard
orthodox procedures—may prove intolerable to the
fetus.’” The resulting subluxations in the cranium and
upper neck region may have a negative impact on
breastfeeding. Deliveries employing mechanical
devices, such as forceps and vacuum extractions, use
excessive force and add extreme stress to the baby’s
cranium, spine and nervous system.
Frequently, present-day obstetricians advocate C-sections
as a comparable alternative to vaginal birth.
However, many prospective parents and
practitioners are aware of the traumatic effects of C-section
on the newborn and mother. Extracting the
baby through layers of the mother’s muscles puts
even greater force on the baby’s head and spine and
may result in changes in alignment of the spine or
the cranium. Additionally, a C-section delivery
deprives the baby of an essential process called
molding. The cranium of an infant is made up of
separate bones held together by cartilage. During the
birth process the bones overlap and return to an
optimal position that allows them to be freely
moveable. The mobility of the cranial bones is
important because subluxated cranial bones can
interfere with the child’s ability to latch and suck.
Chiropractors are interested in educating our
communities as to the effectiveness of chiropractic
care in restoring the baby’s normal ability to
breastfeed. Presently, ankyloglossia is diagnosed in 5
percent of newborns. There is no clear evidence in
the literature that surgery for tongue-tie is the
answer for latching issues or that it occurs as often as
it is diagnosed.
Moms who receive this diagnosis for their child
should look further into the possible cause of distress
and seek out chiropractic care before resorting to
surgery. This alternative approach can be their “Plan
A,” before moving to an invasive “Plan B.”
I encourage you to learn about the many benefits of
chiropractic care as part of a wellness and healthy
lifestyle program as your children develop and grow
into young adults.
—Andrea Auerbach, DC, CACCP
