The Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics (vol. 4, No. 1, 1999) reports on two case studies where two infants with dysfunctional nursing abilities were able to breastfeed normally after chiropractic care.
In the first case, an eight week old girl was unable to maintain a proper amount of suction while feeding. She had been unable to do so since her birth. After receiving two chiropractic adjustments in a fourteen day period, she was able to feed normally. Follow-up revealed that at thirty-eight weeks of age, the baby was still feeding normally.
The second case involved a four week old boy who had been unable to effectively suckle since birth. The child breastfed immediately after his first adjustment. He went on to receive a total of four adjustments in twenty-one days. Follow-up in this case found that the baby was still doing fine at three months of age.
According to the author, chiropractor Elise G. Hewitt, “breastfeeding is important for a healthy infant.” Not only does breast milk reduce both mortality and morbidity among infants, but the act of nursing creates an important bond between mother and child. Dysfunctional nursing can negatively impact the mother, creating feelings of guilt, depression and anger, all of which may negatively affect the mother-child bonding relationship.”
Hewitt mentions a 1980 study of 239 mothers who chose to breastfeed their infants. The study found that only 46% of the mothers continued to breastfeed at 22 weeks of age…59% of the reasons they gave to discontinue breastfeeding were related to the child not being able to nurse properly.