“I would be terrified to take my baby to a Chiropractor!”
“WHAT?!? You are taking your baby to a Chiropractor?”
“Well I guess that MIGHT not hurt her…”
“Is that safe?”
Every mother I know would do ANYTHING for their babies. Obviously everyone has their own opinions on medical practices and what is best for their children, but for anyone to question what they are doing with their children is absolutely ludicrous! I wanted to share with all of you our journey with the Chiropractor, because it has honestly changed our lives.
Molly, our youngest, is now the happiest 11-month-old you could imagine. She pretty much never cries; unless you take away her favourite toy (which is currently a blue toothbrush holder) and then she will bite your head off! She smiles at just about anyone and sleeps through the night. We are so blessed to have such a little light in our lives. However, it wasn’t always like this. Molly had a rough start to her little life.
Molly’s labour was beyond intense. It was less than 2 hours long and I pushed for only 8 minutes. Looking back on it now, It would have been a great movie! Jamie was running through the hospital lobby with me screaming at the top of my lungs in a wheelchair. The crowds really did part when we came through the main doors. My midwife also laughed at me when I asked if it was too late for an epidural. So needless to say, Molly came into this world a little too quickly. I had no idea at the time (or even for the first month or two) that there could be some residual effects of a quick delivery.
I am certainly not a doctor and don’t know the ins and outs of exactly what happens, but from my own research into Infant Chiropractic, I know a little bit. The whole idea of Chiropractor is to keep the spine in line so that the nervous system can function at full capacity. The nervous system controls the entire body so it is not just muscular or even to do with pain. A misaligned spine can result in digestive issues and emotional stress. Most people think that a Chiropractor just does a few pops and cracks for a bit of relief and sends you out the door. It is so much more than that if you find one that looks at a more holistic view of health. They look at maintaining a healthy spine so that all parts of your body, controlled by the central nervous system, can work together and ultimately for you to have the healthiest lifestyle possible.
So the first month or so for Molly was pretty good. She didn’t seem too fussy, but it really was a bit of a blur because she was a newborn. After that first month, I started noticing that she was still cluster-feeding for long periods of time in the evening, but seemed uncomfortable while she was actually feeding. I didn’t think she was hungry because she had been feeding for SO long! She seemed to never be able to relax in my arms, would squirm all the time, and wouldn’t settle down and fall asleep for the night until between 11pm-12am. I knew that with Amelia, some newborns don’t go to bed until late because their clocks are all wonky…but midnight?! EVERY NIGHT?! For months!!! I was going nuts! And then she would wake up like every 2 hours after that! I also had a toddler who woke up at 6am, and a baby who would scream from about 7-12 every night if she wasn’t being danced around by Jamie, or feeding every 20 minutes or so. She would arch her back, squirm away from me, want to feed but then scream sometimes when I fed her. I couldn’t cope and there was absolutely no time in the day for me to recharge. I had gone to my doctor multiple times, seen a naturopath, and everyone kept telling me that she had digestive issues. She must have acid reflux. I tried probiotics, not putting her down until 1 or 2 hours after she fed, and then a bunch of different medications. Nothing ever changed! I was out of ideas and I didn’t know what to do.
It was my midwife that recommended that I take her to a Chiropractor. I was super apprehensive because I had never really heard of a baby going to a Chiropractor. I was out of ideas and thought, why not? I knew something was wrong, but no one could tell me what. I took her to Island Family Chiropractic and it was probably the best decision I have ever made for my sweet little Molly. Dr. Misty is now the girls’ Chiropractor and I don’t know what my life would be without her. She began by taking a scan of Molly’s spine that measured the heat at each vertebrae. The heat indicates where there are problem areas and then gives a rating on functionality. I was told that babies shouldn’t be under 80/100, and Molly was 49/100! I was devastated, but grateful that someone could finally give me some answers. Dr. Misty explained why she wasn’t sleeping and why she wasn’t able to relax. Little Miss Molly has a bunch of misalignments in her spine that were causing her so much grief. After her first adjustment that day, she immediately sat in my arms, took a deep breath and was still…for the first time in her life. She melted into me and I will never forget that moment. I cried because I knew that she needed some help and she finally got some relief. After going back weekly for bit, Molly turned a major corner and started going to sleep like a normal baby! Her development had totally stagnated because she was uncomfortable and in so much pain before. She wasn’t smiling or doing the things she should be doing. As soon as she started adjustments, she started ‘learning’ again. I told Dr. Misty about a month into care that I felt like I finally met my daughter for who she really is. She is now the most content little thing and I owe SO much to Dr. Misty. The adjustments are small manipulations with a tiny tool or their fingers. There is no popping, cracking and twisting. It is extremely gentle and both my girls absolutely love getting adjusted. They know it makes them feel better physically and keeps them the happiest.
Not only has Molly benefited from a Chiropractor; Amelia would not have coped with the summer we have had without Dr. Misty. But that is a story for another day…
All Pediatric Chiropractors are trained specifically to work with babies and are part of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. You can go on there and find someone in your local area. Not all chiropractors do infants so it is important to find a certified one. I cannot say enough about how Dr. Misty has helped Molly to grow into the beautiful and happy little girl that she is. Sometimes it takes a mother’s instinct and perseverance to get to the bottom of what is going on. I am so thankful that I didn’t settle for the traditional doctor’s orders on this one. My little Molly now has the best chance.
Have you brought your baby to a Chiropractor? Share your stories!
xo Anna
1 Comment
When my grandson was born his head tilted to the right. We tried everything, yet his head would still tilt to the right.
Having had great results from going to my Chiropractor, I asked if she’d see my grandson for an evaluation?
She was kind enough to see and adjust his neck. It was a simple procedure, my grandson’s neck never tilted to the right again! He’s now 16 still has adjustments when needed. His little brother, after having a little mishap while playing basketball went in for an adjustment and raves as to “how he was adjusted and will never see anyone else but Dr. Z”!