Jack first presented to our office at 9 days old and was having difficulty latching. His parents were seeing a lactation consultant, who observed that his jaw was very tight and he had difficulty opening his mouth to latch. As a result, his mom, Marie, had been pumping and they were feeding him with a syringe, putting a finger in his mouth to make sure he didn’t get oversensitive. They were even switching from holding him on one side to the other to make sure he was getting proper neck mobility, but still he was unable to truly initiate a latch. Both parents were concerned and frustrated, and Marie was also in pain. They were referred to our office by the lactation consultant, as well as a chiropractor that knew the family.
Before we continue with Jack, it’s important to say what an honor it is to be able to check a baby at such a young age. We make sure parents know what a special and important time this is to get adjusted.
In fact, one of the joys about working with babies is that the results tend to be quick and dramatic. There is no placebo: Chiropractic simply works. No coaxing, cajoling, or convincing is needed—there is just pure intentionality. On a deep level, infants seem to understand when something is going to help them, and they relax right into the adjustment.
Marie told me that her pregnancy had been uneventful, but that Jack was born “sunny-side up,” meaning he was born looking forward, or occiput posterior. This position can be extremely painful for the mother, and also can cause some bruising on the baby’s head, and can lead to a more difficult birth. This was the case with Jack.