As part of World Breastfeeding Month, we're shining a light on essential but often overlooked topics in the breastfeeding journey. In this post, Dr. Amy Norman, a qualified Paediatric Chiropractor, explains how chiropractic care can support your baby’s latch, reduce feeding discomfort, and improve overall breastfeeding efficiency. With her expert insights, we aim to provide clarity on this holistic approach and offer tips to enhance your breastfeeding experience.

The Anatomy Behind the Latch

A successful latch is multifactorial, involving factors like posture, muscle tone, reflexes, and comfort. Any discomfort or imbalance in these systems can lead to feeding challenges. Babies rely on coordinated movements between their jaw, tongue, neck, and body to feed effectively. However, physical discomfort or tension - especially after a difficult birth - can hinder this.

How Birth Impacts Baby’s Body

Even a straightforward vaginal delivery can place pressure on a baby’s neck and skull. Factors like a long labour, forceps or vacuum use, or a Caesarean section can result in tight muscles or restricted movement, especially in the neck and upper back. These physical restrictions are often contributors to feeding difficulties.

Two Common Restrictions Affecting Feeding

• Limited Neck Extension: Babies need to tilt their head back slightly to latch well. If their upper neck is stiff or uncomfortable, they may struggle to extend their head enough to achieve a deep, comfortable latch. This often leads to shallow latching, nipple pain for the mother, and inefficient milk transfer.
• Neck Side Preference: Have you noticed your baby always turns their head to one side when feeding, or cries when positioned on a particular breast? This could be a sign of neck preference or muscular asymmetry, often related to a condition called torticollis. This preference can limit feeding on one side, leading to:
  • Incomplete breast drainage
  • Decreased milk supply on the underused side
  • Uneven breast stimulation, affecting pumping outcomes
  • Asymmetries in baby’s head shape and movement patterns

Where Chiropractic Care Fits In

Chiropractic care for infants is gentle, specific, and tailored to the baby’s unique needs. When a chiropractor with experience in paediatric care assesses your baby, they’ll look for small but significant restrictions in mobility that could be affecting your baby’s ability to feed, sleep, and settle. By improving spinal and cranial movement - particularly around the neck, jaw, and shoulders - chiropractic care can:

• Support more symmetrical movement
• Reduce tension limiting neck extension or turning
• Enhance coordination of sucking and swallowing
• Complement lactation consultants’ work, improving feeding efficiency

When to Consider Chiropractic Support

Consider an infant chiropractic assessment if:

• Your baby is fussy or frustrated at the breast
• They struggle more on one side than the other
• You've had latch issues despite expert guidance
• They dribble excessively or slip off the breast
• You’ve noticed a flat spot or head-turning preference

The Holistic Feeding Team

Breastfeeding is a team sport, and every baby is unique. While high-quality breast pumps, correctly fitting feeding bras, and lactation consultants play vital roles, don’t overlook what your baby’s body might be trying to tell you. Sometimes, the key to better latching isn’t just adjusting position - it’s relieving the tension that makes feeding uncomfortable in the first place.

This World Breastfeeding Month, let’s empower families with more tools, more support, and more holistic care. When your baby is comfortable, everything from milk removal to bonding flows more easily. If you’re curious whether chiropractic care might help your little one, speak to a qualified paediatric chiropractor or feel free to reach out with any questions.

You can find Dr. Amy Norman on Instagram HERE