Being born is tough work, there are a lot of pressures and forces being exerted onto your baby during their journey into the world. A current study demonstrated that 90% of newborns suffered misalignments and associated strain through the neck and cranial areas following birth. Left uncorrected, these misalignments continue to impact the baby's spinal growth and development, reducing the healthy function of their nervous system. This can cause many health challenges later in life that could easily have been prevented.
A baby's spine lengthens by 50% by the time they reach one year old. At no other time does this growth happen so rapidly; During this time it's imperative to make sure your baby is in proper alignment allowing for proper symmetrical growth. Bones change shape and slow growth with pressure. Any spinal misalignment changes the balance of pressure across the spinal bones and can lead to asymmetric bone development. This can mean the difference between having a spine that's strong and straight like an Oak tree vs. a gnarly twisted weeping willow.
The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord, and it processes everything that your body does. Movement, a heartbeat, seeing a baby smile, feeling the sun on your skin, laughing, smelling, creativity - all coordinated by the brain and spinal cord. In infants, the central nervous system also controls their growth and development. Being the time of greatest brain and proprioceptor (body position sensors) development, you want to ensure the health of the nervous system. This is what Chiropractic care looks for, disturbances in their nervous system that interfere with healthy growth and development.
When adjusting a newborn, a skilled chiropractor will use no more than the pressure you would comfortably put onto your eyeball. The child gets carefully checked for imbalances and misalignment and then gentle pressure is applied by hand to correct them. That's all there is to it. Simple, safe, effective.