Childbirth is a miraculous event, but it can also be a physically demanding experience for mom and baby. Even if it is a smooth, vaginal “picture perfect” birth, there is still a lot of stress put on the infant and mother’s bodies during the process of labor and delivery. There is pushing, pulling, squeezing, and stress as the baby is leaving the womb and entering a completely new environment. 

During this crucial transition into the world, a newborn's spine and nervous system can be subjected to significant stress, potentially leading to misalignments or nerve interference. When something like this happens, it’s referred to as  “Traumatic Birth Syndrome” which is what happens when the spine is injured during or right after the delivery, resulting in damage or interference. 

When there is excess stress in the body, it can shift a person into a sympathetic dominant state of their nervous system. This is the “fight or flight” and stress state of the autonomic nervous system. Healing, growth, and development happen when you are in a parasympathetic dominant state, which is your “rest and digest” state. Therefore if a baby is stuck in a stressed state then baby may not be maximizing development opportunity. 

Stress comes in 3 main forms: physical, chemical, and emotional. During labor, a baby is exposed to all 3 of these stressors. The physical stress of traveling through the birth canal, the chemical stress of all medications given to mom or given to baby immediately after birth, and the emotional stress of leaving the womb and being welcomed into the world.

If there are complications with the birth, on top of all these natural stressors, it can shift a baby into a sympathetic dominant state, as well as misalign their spine during the process. 

Unless the doctor specifically looks for signs of trauma, it can be left unnoticed and untreated. Sometimes the symptoms are just too subtle to tell. If these nervous system interferences are left unaddressed, they could impact the infant's development and overall health later in life. 

Birth trauma can occur due to a variety of situations, including things like extra-long labor times, complications during delivery, any kind of pulling or twisting on the head, neck, spice or pelvis during the birthing process, or if the baby was delivered via C-section. It can also happen as a result of the baby’s position within the womb weeks before birth.

This is why many people opt to bring their newborns to a family chiropractor within days of childbirth. Chiropractors are able to check infants for birth trauma and adjust any subluxations found. This can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system to shift the baby’s nervous system into more of a parasympathetic “rest and digest” state. 

Some of the symptoms babies exhibit if they have experienced birth trauma include acid reflux, gassiness and constipations, colic, difficulty sleeping, ear infections, or trouble breastfeeding. If your little one is showing signs of any of these things, we recommend coming in for a check-up. 

Don’t worry; that first adjustment for your newborn is incredibly gentle and only takes about 15 minutes. Your child will be in the best hands with the team at Dr. Gena Chiropractic, the premiere pediatric and family chiropractic clinic serving the Plantation and the greater Fort Lauderdale community in Broward County.

Through gentle manipulations, stretching and massage, we can help reduce the symptoms associated with birth trauma and restore alignment to the spine and nervous system to ensure these babies can start their lives with the best possible foundation.

To book a consultation at Dr. Gena Chiropractic, contact our office at 954-417-5815