The first months with a newborn are full of questions. Is all this crying normal? Why is my baby so gassy? Why do they always turn their head to the same side? A pediatric chiropractor can be a helpful part of the team that supports you and your baby through these early weeks.
What Is a Pediatric Chiropractor?
A pediatric chiropractor, often called a baby chiropractor, is a chiropractor with additional training in caring for infants and children. A baby’s body is very different from an adult’s. Their bones are still forming, their muscles are still developing, and their nervous system is growing rapidly. Pediatric chiropractic care is designed around these differences, using techniques and pressure that are specially adapted for the smallest patients.
The focus is on how your baby’s muscles and joints are moving, how comfortable they are in their body, and how well they are able to feed, settle, and move as they grow. Care is always gentle, unhurried, and centred on your baby’s comfort.
From What Age Can a Baby See a Chiropractor?
We see babies from birth. Your newborn can have their first pediatric chiropractic visit as soon as you feel comfortable leaving the house together. For some families, that is within the first week or two. Others prefer to wait until they have recovered from the birth and settled into a routine at home. Both approaches are perfectly fine, and we welcome you whenever the timing feels right.
Many parents choose an early check-up after a long or difficult labour, a caesarean birth, an assisted delivery with forceps or vacuum, or when their baby was in a tight position in the womb. These experiences can place extra strain on a baby’s head and neck, and a gentle assessment helps you understand how your baby is moving.
Care continues as your baby grows. We support infants, toddlers, and children through every stage of their developmental journey.
What Your Baby’s First Visit Looks Like
Your baby’s first visit is relaxed and unhurried. You are welcome to feed, change, or cuddle your baby at any point, and we work around their naps and moods. Here is what to expect:
- Health history. We start with a conversation about your pregnancy, labour and birth, and how your baby is doing with feeding, sleep, digestion, and settling. Your observations matter, since parents notice the small details first.
- Gentle assessment. I look at how your baby moves their head, neck, spine, and hips, how they hold their body, and how comfortable they are in different positions. I also check their suck and latch, their reflexes, and how they tolerate tummy time.
- What I found, explained. I walk you through what I found in clear, simple language and answer your questions. Together, we decide whether chiropractic care is a good fit for your baby.
- Gentle care, if appropriate. When care is recommended, it may begin during the first visit, using the very light techniques described below.
- Ideas for home. You leave with simple suggestions to support your baby between visits, such as positioning during feeds, tummy time ideas, and helpful ways to hold and carry your baby.
What Is a Newborn Chiropractic Adjustment?
A newborn chiropractic adjustment is very different from an adult adjustment. It uses light, sustained fingertip pressure, about the same pressure you would use to check whether an avocado is ripe. The goal is to encourage comfortable, easy movement in areas where your baby’s muscles and joints feel tight or restricted.
Adjustments for babies are quiet and gentle, with soft holds and slow, light contact. Many babies stay calm and content during their visit, and some drift off to sleep in a parent’s arms. Every technique is adapted to your baby’s age, size, and comfort.
Chiropractor for Newborn Colic
Colic is the name for long, intense periods of crying in a baby who is otherwise healthy, feeding well, and growing. A common guide is crying for more than three hours a day, at least three days a week, for three weeks or more, often in the late afternoon or evening. The Canadian Paediatric Society reassures parents that this crying is a normal phase of development and eases over time. Those evenings can still feel long, and supporting tired parents is a big part of our work.
When a baby with colic comes in, I look for areas of tension in the neck, upper back, and jaw that may make it harder for them to get comfortable, feed easily, or settle. Gentle care aims to help your baby feel more at ease in their body. I always share an honest picture of what care can offer and work alongside your baby’s doctor.
Chiropractor for Newborn Gas
Gas is one of the most common reasons parents visit a baby chiropractor. Babies swallow air while feeding and crying, and their digestive systems are still maturing. A gassy baby may pull their legs up, arch their back, grunt, or seem uncomfortable after feeds.
During a visit, I check how your baby is moving through the spine, ribs, and hips, and how well they are latching or sucking, since a shallow latch can lead to extra swallowed air. I also show you practical techniques you can use at home, including:
- Burping positions that work well for small babies
- Gentle tummy massage in a clockwise direction
- Bicycle leg movements to help move trapped gas
- Supervised tummy time while your baby is awake
Chiropractor for Newborn Reflux
Spitting up is very common. Seattle Children’s Hospital notes that about half of young babies spit up regularly, and that it improves with age. Many of these “happy spitters” grow well and are content between feeds.
Some babies with reflux are fussy during or after feeds, arch away from the breast or bottle, or seem uncomfortable lying flat. In these cases, I assess the neck, upper back, and jaw for tension that may affect feeding and comfort, and share tips on feeding positions, burping, and keeping your baby upright after feeds. Reflux that affects weight gain, breathing, or feeding needs a medical assessment first, which is covered in the section on referrals below.
Other Reasons Parents Bring Their Baby In
- Latching and breastfeeding difficulties: trouble opening wide, staying on the breast, or feeding comfortably on both sides
- Neck tension: a strong preference for turning the head to one side
- Torticollis: tightness in the neck muscles that affects how your baby holds their head
- Flat head (plagiocephaly): flattening on one side or the back of the head, often linked to a head-turning preference
- Sleep and settling: difficulty getting comfortable on their back or in the car seat
Pediatric chiropractic care for babies is built around gentle, low-force techniques, and reported side effects are most often mild and short-lived. Many parents tell us their little ones seem more comfortable and settled, and sleep more easily, after their visits. Chiropractic care works best as part of your baby’s wider care team, alongside your midwife, family doctor or pediatrician, and lactation consultant.
Supporting Your Baby’s Milestones
Every baby follows their own developmental path, and there is a wide range of typical timing. Movement milestones build on each other, so comfortable, balanced movement in the early months lays the foundation for what comes next. Key motor milestones include:
- Holding up the head during tummy time
- Rolling over
- Sitting up
- Crawling
- Pulling to stand
- Standing independently
- Walking
If your baby seems to be taking longer to reach a milestone, or favours one side of the body when rolling, crawling, or sitting, a chiropractic assessment can check that their muscles and joints are moving freely. The free Looksee Checklist is a helpful way to follow your baby’s development at home, and any concerns about development are always worth raising with your pediatrician or family doctor as well.
When We Send You to Your Pediatrician or Family Doctor First
Your baby’s safety always comes first. Part of every assessment is checking whether your baby needs to see their medical doctor before chiropractic care, or instead of it. If I notice any of the signs below, I will ask you to contact your pediatrician or family doctor first, and I am always happy to coordinate with them.
Contact your doctor promptly if your baby shows any of these signs, and go to the nearest emergency department if your baby seems very unwell:
- Has a fever, especially in the first three months of life
- Vomits forcefully or projectile vomits, particularly in the first few months
- Spits up or vomits green, yellow, red, or brown fluid
- Has blood in their stool
- Is not gaining weight, is losing weight, or is refusing feeds
- Has fewer wet diapers than usual
- Has trouble breathing, chokes during feeds, or turns blue
- Is unusually sleepy, floppy, or difficult to wake
- Has a high-pitched or inconsolable cry that is new or different
- Loses a skill they had already learned
Once your doctor has checked your baby and ruled out a medical cause, gentle chiropractic care can often continue as part of a team approach. Working together with your baby’s doctor, midwife, and lactation consultant gives your baby the most complete support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a newborn chiropractic adjustment safe? Newborn adjustments use very light pressure and techniques adapted for a baby’s developing body. I use only gentle, low-force methods and complete a thorough health history and assessment at every visit, so care is always matched to your baby and any concern that needs a medical doctor is referred promptly.
How many visits will my baby need? Every baby is different. After the first assessment, I will explain what I found and suggest a plan that suits your baby’s needs, and we review progress together at each visit.
Do I need a referral? You can book directly with a chiropractor in Ontario. Many extended health benefit plans include chiropractic care, so it is worth checking your plan’s coverage.
What should I bring? Bring anything that helps your baby feel comfortable, such as a feed, a blanket, and a change of diaper. If you have notes from your midwife, pediatrician, or lactation consultant, those are helpful too.
Book Your Baby’s First Visit
Vienocare welcomes newborns, babies, and growing families in Aurora, Ontario. If you have questions about whether chiropractic care is a good fit for your little one, we would love to hear from you. Visit vienocare.com to book an assessment or get in touch.
Helpful Resources for Parents
Colic and Crying, Canadian Paediatric Society, Caring for Kids
Your Child’s Development: What to Expect, Canadian Paediatric Society, Caring for Kids
Reflux (Spitting Up), Seattle Children’s Hospital
Looksee Checklist, a free Canadian developmental checklist for babies and young children
AboutKidsHealth, trusted child health information from SickKids
Ontario Chiropractic Association, information about chiropractic care in Ontario