Did your child suffer birth trauma?

Childhood diseases, illnesses, and neurological disorders have been on the incline. There are many reasons for this: the increase in the vaccination schedule, the overuse of processed foods, recess being canceled in schools, lack of exercise, and on and on and on…One crucial, yet overlooked culprit is birth trauma which is something a pediatric chiropractor know how to check for.

Can newborns suffer birth trauma?

Yes. Unfortunately, the physical pain incurred during childbirth extends beyond the Mother.

The birth process is one of the most traumatic events any of us will ever go through. Thankfully, we are simply too young to remember it. Since it’s been a long time, let’s run through the natural birth process real quick – a bit of a refresher of where you got your start!

Get a load of this. THIS is what the hospitals consider “natural.”

Mom laying on her back with her legs in the stirrups. On average 85% of women are getting an epidural in this “natural” process. Let’s put a pause here and address just a couple of issues a pediatric chiropractor may be concerned with.

What does that epidural do to Mom?

Short answer: it makes her feel great! Why? Because it numbs her from the waist down. Sounds wonderful, however, to really know what we’re dealing with here, we need the…

Long answer: The epidural numbs Mom from the waist down. So what right? Actually, that is an issue. Because she has lost all feeling from the waist down, she does not have full control of the muscles that were designed to push the baby out. The pelvis (hips), and the sacrum (tailbone) are designed to flare out of the way making the opening nice and big for the baby to come out with ease. If Mom is laying on her back in the stirrups, the sacrum is not going to drop out of the way like it’s supposed to do, leading to a smaller opening for the baby to come out.

Sometimes, the baby can still be delivered like this but if difficulties arise the doctor will now have to come in and intervene in 1 of 3 ways.

  1. Forceps – These are the giant tong looking things that wrap around the baby’s head and turns it 180 degrees to pull the baby out.
  2. Vacuum Extraction – They place a little suction cup on the baby’s head and turn the vacuum on. Afterward, they attempt to suck the baby out of the birth canal just like a vacuum cleaner hoovering up! Forceps and vacuum extraction can lead to strain on the baby’s head that could cause skull fractures, compression of the head, tearing of the vessels in the brain, swelling in the brain, and intracranial hemorrhages (brain bleeds). All of these conditions can cause brain damage with resultant seizure disorders, strokes, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), cerebral palsy, and intellectual and developmental delays.
  3. Caesarian Section – The most common way kids being born today are by C-Section. Just a few years ago over 30% of all births were by C-Section. Another research study done by the medical community also proved that C-Section can cause a whiplash injury to that baby’s neck. There are clinics out there that are pre-scheduling C-Sections to save Mom the hassle of childbirth. This is something I do not agree with. When the baby is ready to come out they will come out. How on earth did the human population make it this far? Don’t get me wrong, C-Section has a time and a place and can save both the mother’s life and the baby’s life when needed, however; C-Sections should never be “scheduled in” as a matter of convenience.

What is the first thing you usually tell someone when you’re passing off a newborn for them to hold?

HOLD THE HEAD! That’s right. Support the neck because it is the lifeline to that newborn. Yet, options 1, 2 and 3 above pretty much neglects this Golden Rule, and right out of the gate too!

What does REAL natural birth look like?

A real natural birth will be done standing or squatting, allowing the pelvis and the sacrum to flare out of the way working with gravity – not against gravity – and allowing for better prospects of a healthy delivery.
Did you know that studies have even shown that pediatric chiropractic care can actually reduce delivery time by upwards of 60%?!
It’s true.

Regardless of your child’s birthing procedure, every baby must be checked for subluxation (Learn what a subluxation is here) by a pediatric chiropractor within their first week of life.

The pediatric chiropractor will assess the nervous system and remove any subluxations that are present that may alter the health outcome of the baby. If the chiropractor does the assessment and finds that the baby is healthy, they will not adjust but just recommend to check the baby again in another month to make sure they are growing without any nerve interference.

With all of the different physical, chemical, and emotional stressors our children encounter it is not only a good idea to get your kids’ checked on a regular basis – it is an absolute necessity! Schedule your newborn appointment.