When a mother brings her young baby to see a chiropractor and neither parent has seen a chiropractor before, it is usually a sign of parents that have reached their limit with the child. Such was the case recently. Mom, obviously tired and distraught, brought her 5 week old baby boy to our office. The baby was barely sleeping, constipated, hard to burp, and crying almost constantly. This little bundle had the entire household worn out.
At the end of the baby's initial visit to our office, the mother happened to ask if chiropractic could possibly help the post natal depression she was suffering from. My reply was that perhaps chiropractic could be helpful and we would discuss it on the baby's next visit. When the baby was brought back to see me a few days later, he was sleeping better, pooping better and had a generally happier disposition. (I wish every baby responded that quickly.) I asked Mom how her depression was. She replied, "I haven't noticed it. I think it's gone!" That's exactly what I thought would happen once she got some rest and the anxiety of not knowing why her baby was so uncomfortable was gone. This is a scenario I've seen many times. Baby feels better and sleeps better and Mom's depression subsides. Chiropractic care helped improve Mom's mood even though she never received a chiropractic adjustment herself.
This isn't an observation that only I've had. A recent publication in the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics called "
Mama, please stop crying: lowered postnatal depression scores in mothers after a course of chiropractic care for their infants"
showed there is significant improvement in mother's post natal depression when their children are under chiropractic care. The researchers didn't speculate why the depression subsided, but only recorded that it did. My clinical observation is that the improved rest and peace of mind helps the mother's mood improve. There can certainly be other contributing factors, but this seems to be very key.
It's not only new moms that become depressed when they don't sleep and are anxious about the well being of someone very close to their heart. That can happen to all of us. The conclusion is happy baby = happy mom.
Helping people without the use of drugs or surgery was one of the prime motivations for me becoming a chiropractor. There have been so many situations where people with very difficult conditions have responded wonderfully to my chiropractic care. I am regularly in awe at what the human body can do when given the opportunity to heal itself. Thrilled may be an understatement of my emotion when it happens. As a chiropractor I realize that my role is to simply remove the blockages to the body's healing.
There is one type of condition that thrills me, above all others, when it responds to chiropractic adjustments. This is the very fussy baby. The situation is that the baby isn't sleeping, mom & dad haven't slept in maybe weeks, and everyone is at their wits end. I truly do not know what is making the baby so fussy. There are many possibilities and many theories. What I do know is that if the baby's spine is not functioning properly, the baby cannot be healthy. Seemingly minor spinal dysfunction can cause great distress to a baby. These spinal problems may be the result of the birth process.
If the baby is found to have a spinal problem a very gentle chiropractic adjustment can start the corrective process. Because the problem is new, in comparison to adult problems, it usually responds quickly. There have been so many of these babies I have adjusted over the years who have become different children almost overnight. The crying gives way to cooing. Many moms have told me they had to get up in the night to see if the baby was still alive because they couldn't believe the baby could sleep so well. I guess if we hadn't had a good sleep for weeks we'd be pretty tired too; like the babies seem to be. To see the fussy baby become content and the young parents able to enjoy the baby and life - that is still the greatest thrill I have as a chiropractor.
The thrill goes on because I also know that not only is the baby more comfortable for today, but I have also had a positive influence on it's future health. Absolutely thrilling!
