Empowered Chiropractic + Massage

I remember as a child going to a class where I was taught how to swaddle a baby. Maybe as a new parent you have been to a similar class. As a mom of six and a perinatal and pediatric chiropractor, I have a bit of a squabble with this teaching.

If you’re a new parent, and you have realized that your baby has a natural reflex that causes them to startle when you lay them down or when their head shifts or when they hear a loud sound, then you probably think not swaddling is a horrible idea.

Let’s talk a little bit about why that reflex develops in the first place. Early in the third trimester, the Moro reflex develops as part of the nervous systems survival mechanism for our body. When a baby is born that sudden change in environment and support triggers this reflex to occur, causing an expansion of the lungs and chest for them to begin breathing, something they didn’t need to do before now. Amazing!

Swaddling limits that reflex, and is great for keeping a baby calm and quiet, but it might actually be doing more harm than good. When your baby is wrapped up, they can’t perform this reflex and we miss the opportunity to integrate it properly.

What does that mean?
It means that between 4 to 6 months of age, this reflex should begin to diminish and eventually stop. If it doesn’t, it can lead to developmental delays and a retained reflex that can show up in different ways in their body.

Swaddling also contributes to more tension in your baby’s body by preventing free movement.

So what do I suggest instead? Place your baby in positions where they stretch their body out and back on purpose. Letting a baby hang back over your leg with some gentle support, tummy time and different strengthening activities like rolling and normal movement create balance as voluntary movement over powers involuntary movement like this startle response. Regular chiropractic care with a pediatric chiropractor helps support their nervous system development and teaches parents how to support their baby at home with stretches and exercises appropriate to their age and development.

#braindevelopment #milestones #pediatricchiropractor #sanantoniomoms