Breastfeeding Difficulties and the Upper Cervical Spine

In the upper cervical spine, there are four main structures to focus on. They are:

  1. The Foramen Magnum of the Occipital bone

  2. The Atlas vertebra (1st cervical bone)

  3. The Axis vertebra (2nd cervical bone)

  4. The Brainstem of the Nerve System.

The Brainstem exits from the Foramen Magnum. The Atlas and Axis bones protect and surround the Brainstem. The brainstem connects all the nerves from the brain to the nerves of the body.

The Nerve System in general has four main functions:

  1. It controls all the movements we make

  2. Senses everything we feel

  3. Regulates all our body organs

  4. Relates us to the outside world

With regards to breastfeeding, a well-coordinated sequence of events must happen for a latch and suckling to occur. There are 9 general steps:

  1. The jaw has to open

  2. The tongue has to drop and get out of the way

  3. The nipple has to come in

  4. The jaw closes partway

  5. The tongue comes back up

  6. The lips close and must maintain tension to keep a seal through suction

  7. The sides of the jaw have to come up

  8. The tongue has to ripple from front to back

  9. The infant then has to perform a sucking and swallowing motion

The Nerve System controls all the muscles and joints involved in latching and suckling. All the body parts must be orchestrated in their proper balance to work effectively. Structural distortions in the upper cervical spine can create problems in latch and suckling potential. A major structural distortion of the upper cervical spine is a vertebral subluxation.

A vertebral subluxation locks the upper cervical spine in a misaligned position. This lock leads to spine imbalance and nerve tension. When nerves get stressed, it effects their ability to sense, perceive and behave. The potential to latch and perform the related suckling motion is lessened when there is a vertebral subluxation.

Correcting a vertebral subluxation better optimizes the Nerve System and spine to control the muscles and joints involved in breastfeeding.

- Jarek Esarco, DC, CACCP

Jarek Esarco, DC, CACCP is a pediatric, family wellness and upper cervical specific Chiropractor. He is an active member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). Dr. Jarek has postgraduate certification in Pediatric Chiropractic through the ICPA. Dr. Jarek also has postgraduate certification in the HIO Specific Brain Stem technique through The TIC Institute. Dr. Jarek is happily married to his wife Regina. They live in Youngstown, Ohio with their daughter Ruby.

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