Benefits of Breastfeeding Your Child
While some women are either unable to breastfeed or choose not to, studies show that breastfeeding has a significant number of health benefits for both the mother and child.
To just name a few of the many benefits, breastfeeding:
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Provides the best nutrition for your baby, especially within the first 6 months of life
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Contains antibodies like colostrum that help babies fight off diseases, viruses and bacteria
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Reduces a child’s risk for diseases like ear infections, colds, respiratory tract infections, and SIDS
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Helps prevent childhood obesity
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Promotes healthy weight gain
Difficulties Breastfeeding:
Despite the health benefits of breastfeeding, many mothers who begin breastfeeding stop before the recommended six months due to unforeseen problems and complications.
Part of the reason many women and babies have problems breastfeeding is because the process is actually pretty complicated from an anatomical point of view. Lots of muscles, specific movements and proper alignment is needed in order to breastfeed successfully
Fun fact, breastfeeding requires no less than 6 cranial nerves, 22 bones that connect at 34 different sutures, and 60 voluntary and involuntary muscles.
Add to the fact that complications at birth, positioning in the womb, and the delivery itself can also impact your ability to breastfeed, it’s no wonder that many women stop breastfeeding prior to six months of life.
Most common breastfeeding difficulties:
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Inability to maintain a firm latch
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Cannot sustain sucking
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Difficulty latching on one side
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Nurse only in one position
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Nipple pain or scabbing
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Comforted by constant sucking
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Increased regurgitation following feeding
Because many breastfeeding complications are caused by bio-mechanical problems like vaginal and cesarean delivery, birth trauma, poor sleep postures and improper positioning while nursing, more and more women are looking to chiropractic care to help them breastfeed their children.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help the Breastfeeding Process
Chiropractic care is uniquely suited to help with the specific types of bio-mechanical changes in the infant, as well as the mother.
Studies show that problems with the cervical spine and neck directly affect a child’s ability to successfully nurse.
But through a combination of gentle, noninvasive adjustments, cranial therapy and soft tissue work, chiropractic care can improve a child’s ability to latch, suck, swallow and breath through a feeding.
Additionally, mothers who get chiropractic adjustments will experience improved blood flow, reduced pain and discomfort, and improved posture that can help them breastfeed more effectively and consistently.
Living Hope Chiropractic Services
Whether you’re currently breastfeeding your child or plan to someday in the future, it’s important to know how complications can arise and how to resolve them so you and your child can take full advantage of breastfeeding and its benefits.
To learn more about Living Hope’s Chiropractic services for breastfeeding, be sure to contact us!