I met with an LC yesterday and she discovered that my DD has a lip tie. I will be going to pediatric dentist to have it looked at because she also thought there might be a posterior tongue tie.
She also recommended a chiropractor. Has anyone taken their newborn (she's 3 weeks) to one? Or would you take your newborn to one? I don't know what I think about this and don't even know where to start researching on the pros/cons.
I'm going to have to agree to disagree with @littlemoxie. I took DS to a craniosacral therapist after his lip and tongue ties were clipped. I found it immensely helpful. He had learned to compensate for his ties with a truly messed-up latch and even after the ties were corrected, it was really hard to break him out of that latch. The exercises our LC reco'd helped a tiny bit, but I feel like the real difference was made by CST.
I took DS for a couple of initial sessions in a row and then 2 more follow-up sessions further spaced out (so 4 total).
I feel like it really worked for DS in a lot of other ways, too, not just the latch. He had been having constipation issues that seemed to clear up after the first 2 CST sessions, for example. ETA to the ETA: A craniosacral therapist does not need to be a chiro. Many CSTs are not chiros.
I took J as an older infant to the Webster certified chiropractor I had seen when I was pregnant. It wasnt for feeding issues but it did seem to help compliment the pt he was receiving.
Also, just so people aren't completely freaked out by infants at the chiro, it's not all about yanking pulling and back cracking. In fact, over the numerous times J has seen the chiro she never once cracked his back etc.
I took J as an older infant to the Webster certified chiropractor I had seen when I was pregnant. It wasnt for feeding issues but it did seem to help compliment the pt he was receiving.
Also, just so people aren't completely freaked out by infants at the chiro, it's not all about yanking pulling and back cracking. In fact, over the numerous times J has seen the chiro she never once cracked his back etc.
It wouldn't be GBCN if people didn't jump to assuming the worst!
A chiro is very, very gentle with a baby. I tried with with DS when he was about 4 months old, but I didn't really find it helped anything.
The "OMG NO!" camp is always a bit... abrasive for people that have never seen or actually considered what a baby appointment with a chiropractor looks like. It's a long shot, but it's not going to hurt anything.
I would if the child was older. Not new newborn. I never thought they were worth it but I wouldnt have survived my pregnancy without seeing one weekly. I don't go anymore though.
That's really it. I've lived with some degree of back pain and headaches for most of my life. Chiro care helps me feel less pain without adding drugs to my system. It's covered by my private insurance, so the cost is pretty low. It improves the quality of my life.
I'm happy for people that don't live with chronic pain, but I'd be happier if they were less douchey to me about something that helps me live better.
I don't really buy the "whole package" that chiros are selling, but for back and neck issues? I really don't buy what my doctor is selling, either.
Yep. DD was adjusted at 4 days old. My DH is a chiropractor, and has a lot of experience adjusting newborns/infants. He basically does an exam, and if there is a need for an adjustment, he literally uses his pinky to adjust them. Very little force is involved. Here is a picture of her first adjustment. (PDQ, I'll delete the pic later)
Now, obviously a chiropractor isn't going to be able to help with tongue tie, but there are a lot of other things that chiropractic can help with in babies, including frequent ear infections, colic, constipation, etc. DH has had many pediatric patients that had frequent ear infections and were referred to get ear tubes, and with a few adjustments their infections cleared up and they avoid the OR. Here is a link that has more information, as well as a link to where you can search for chiropractors that are experienced in adjusting kids.
@littlemoxie, I didn't realize chiros can also do CST. But you don't need to be a chiro to be a CS therapist. My ETA was more of a point of information than an "OMG, don't go to a chiro!"
I used to think they were quacks. But now I think that people that haven't considered using one are mostly just lucky to have never suffered chronic back pain. I'm sure there are some people out there who have suffered and still wouldn't consider it, but when you are in your 20s and keep throwing out your back for no reason and it's been weeks of nagging pain, and you don't want to be medicated, you'll try something alternative for relief. A lot of chiros use ultrasound machines to help with pain and/or heat to help your muscles relax and a decent one will give you exercises to do at home as well. It's not just like "CRACK! You're healed! Except come back and see me every 2 weeks."
Can I suggest a rolfer? Rolfing really helped me with chronic back pain and I went in for a new series of sessions when I developed carpal tunnel after having DD.
I would consider taking an infant to a Webster certified chiropractor. You can find a list of providers here: icpa4kids.org/Find-a-Chiropractor/
They're not shaman that can fix anything, but they are trained to spot adjustment issues and help with alignment. I saw a Webster certified chiro during my second pregnancy (and those adjustments were not traditional back cracking, either) and the results were immediate and wonderful relief. They opened up my pelvis and reduced pain and gave my baby enough room to flip out of her transverse position. I didn't know about chiros for babies when I had my son, and I had to do football hold on the right side and cradle on the left when nursing because he could not settle down unless he was laying on his right side. After the fact, it was suggested to me that chiros routinely fix issues like that and that it was likely a tight back the same way that adults get tight backs. I would have taken DD if she had shown the same symptoms.
Anyone that is weary of chiropractors on principle has never had back issues and been treated by one. They will always try to keep you coming back more often than necessary, but they are not useless.
Good luck with the lip tie correction! I hope it helps.
I used to think they were quacks. But now I think that people that haven't considered using one are mostly just lucky to have never suffered chronic back pain. I'm sure there are some people out there who have suffered and still wouldn't consider it, but when you are in your 20s and keep throwing out your back for no reason and it's been weeks of nagging pain, and you don't want to be medicated, you'll try something alternative for relief. A lot of chiros use ultrasound machines to help with pain and/or heat to help your muscles relax and a decent one will give you exercises to do at home as well. It's not just like "CRACK! You're healed! Except come back and see me every 2 weeks."
I have chronic back pain and I wouldn't set foot in a chiro's office because I've read about the scientific evidence for chiropractery and found it to be unconvincing. To put it mildly. For lower back pain (only. not upper back or feet or hands and certainly not the neck) it can be almost as effective as PT, but PT carries fewer risks and is usually cheaper in the long-run. And doesn't come with a heaping pile of quackery such as supplements, anti-vax BS, unnecessary X-rays and all the other voodoo so many Chiros are known for.
ETAmy DS2 also had a tongue tie and both my kids had reflux. I can see why oral exercises would be really beneficial. I can't imagine why a massage or stretching would cure either of those issues, and I doubt there is any empirical evidence that shows it does.
Interesting assumption that people who don't believe in chiropractics don't have experience with chronic pain. I mentioned the last time this came up that many chiros are also physical therapists. PT works. Subluxations and the like aren't real things.
I've had to go to PT for my back before. It worked for me as well.
I'm not seeing anyone in here saying that people who don't believe in chiropractics don't have experience with chronic pain, nor do I see anyone saying that it is better or worse than PT.
I'm not seeing anyone in here saying that people who don't believe in chiropractics don't have experience with chronic pain, nor do I see anyone saying that it is better or worse than PT.
Little moxie modified the statement, but @tokenhoser definitely made a statement about peoe who don't have chronic pain.
Mostly, I just don't want you to tell me what my experience is.
In return, I won't tell you what yours is.
That's it. I'm not going to apologize for a generalization that is generally true.
I'm not seeing anyone in here saying that people who don't believe in chiropractics don't have experience with chronic pain, nor do I see anyone saying that it is better or worse than PT.
Little moxie modified the statement, but @tokenhoser definitely made a statement about peoe who don't have chronic pain.
Meh, I'm still not seeing it. Token said "That's really it. I've lived with some degree of back pain and headaches for most of my life. Chiro care helps me feel less pain without adding drugs to my system. It's covered by my private insurance, so the cost is pretty low. It improves the quality of my life.
I'm happy for people that don't live with chronic pain, but I'd be happier if they were less douchey to me about something that helps me live better."
You don't live with chronic pain because of your PT. She doesn't live with it because of her chiro. If you don't feel comfortable with chiro, that's fine. Don't choose to go to one. You don't have to come in and be an asshole about it to people who have found it to work for them.
I mean, a chiro assumes that you are out of balance and attempts to adjust your spine. I don't want anyone trying to adjust my infants spine. "but they are so gentle!" = whats the point then anyway? I mean I'm not paying somebody a bunch of money to touch my baby with their fingertip and be like... CURED. That will be 100 dollars, and I'll see you twice a week for the rest of forever.
"but my nipples still hurt!"
"three times a week then"
If I were you I'd stick with the pediatric dentist. they can fix the issue with a simple snip. I've heard it is no big deal at all when they are this young.
Post by Queen Mamadala on Apr 1, 2015 10:08:31 GMT -5
I haven't taken my kids to see a chiro, but I went during my last pregnancy for the Webster and it worked really well. I felt better, she flipped and stayed vertex and with other daily exercises she stayed in an optimal position for labor/birth.
My ds2 had an anterior and posterior (class 4) tongue tie as well as a labial lip tie. They created a lot of issues, but were eventually resolved. His anterior was clipped by a second opinion ped, and the posterior and lip by a second opinion ENT.
I have got to learn more about these lip ties. I push tongues around all day long and I swear we never discussed lip and tongue ties in my Pediatric Dentistry classes the way they are discussed on mommy boards. Any tongue ties I observe on patients (ages 6 and up) are always anterior. It's almost like I don't believe some of these exist... but I will research it before making final conclusions.
I haven't personally but I wouldn't rule it out. I think chiros have a place, and there is plenty is conventional medicine that's not based on science either, like inducing labor because a baby looks big on an ultrasound. Or giving antibiotics for a URI. There are quacks everywhere, but chiro has a reputation for having a higher proportion of them, which I'm not sure is fair.
I've seen a chiro for neck, back, and hip pain at various times including during pregnancy. If my child were having some issue that might be helped by it, I'm not opposed.
I am planning to take DD soon. She is 6 months. I have heard that it can help with Colic and other muscle/neck issues. The chiros I was referred to is a pedi chiro that specialize with kids of all ages. (especially babies) Three of my friends took their infants and they helped a ton.
I am also surprised about the abrasive never ever take a infant to a chiro stance of some people in this post.
I have got to learn more about these lip ties. I push tongues around all day long and I swear we never discussed lip and tongue ties in my Pediatric Dentistry classes the way they are discussed on mommy boards. Any tongue ties I observe on patients (ages 6 and up) are always anterior. It's almost like I don't believe some of these exist... but I will research it before making final conclusions.
Google image "breastfeeding lip tie". I think ties in general are hard to diagnose because it's a spectrum - we all have those body parts connecting our tongues to our mouth and our lips to our gums. It's a matter of how much is too much, and there isn't a simple hard line answer to that.
Meh, I'm still not seeing it. Token said "That's really it. I've lived with some degree of back pain and headaches for most of my life. Chiro care helps me feel less pain without adding drugs to my system. It's covered by my private insurance, so the cost is pretty low. It improves the quality of my life.
I'm happy for people that don't live with chronic pain, but I'd be happier if they were less douchey to me about something that helps me live better."
You don't live with chronic pain because of your PT. She doesn't live with it because of her chiro. If you don't feel comfortable with chiro, that's fine. Don't choose to go to one. You don't have to come in and be an asshole about it to people who have found it to work for them.
I will admit to being generally wary of chiropractors, but plenty of people obviously find them helpful in dealing with chronic back pain, and I am not going to dispute that. But is there really any solid evidence to support the use of chiropractic care as a treatment for lip tie in an infant? That just seems like a stretch to me.
I mean, a chiro assumes that you are out of balance and attempts to adjust your spine. I don't want anyone trying to adjust my infants spine. "but they are so gentle!" = whats the point then anyway? I mean I'm not paying somebody a bunch of money to touch my baby with their fingertip and be like... CURED. That will be 100 dollars, and I'll see you twice a week for the rest of forever.
"but my nipples still hurt!"
"three times a week then"
If I were you I'd stick with the pediatric dentist. they can fix the issue with a simple snip. I've heard it is no big deal at all when they are this young.