Few things are more heartbreaking than watching your baby cry endlessly without being able to soothe them. If you’ve been told that it’s “just colic” and that there’s nothing you can do but wait it out—know that there is hope.

At Pinnacle Chiropractic, we specialize in helping families uncover the deeper reasons behind colic and offer natural, gentle support through nervous system-based infant chiropractic care. Let’s dive into what colic really is, what causes it, and how chiropractic care can help your baby (and your family) find relief.

What Is Colic?

Colic is typically defined as excessive, unexplained crying in an otherwise healthy infant.
The classic "rule of threes" is often used:

• Crying for more than 3 hours a day
• For more than 3 days a week
• For more than 3 weeks

Colic tends to peak around 6 weeks of age and often improves by 3 to 4 months, but for many families, those months feel overwhelming, isolating, and exhausting.

What’s important to understand is that colic isn’t the root cause itself—it’s a symptom that something deeper is going on inside your baby’s body.

What Causes Colic?

Colic typically stems from one (or both) of these underlying issues:

1. Tension within the Spine and Nervous System

Your baby's nervous system is the master control system for everything — digestion, immune function, sleep cycles, and emotional regulation. When there is tension within the spine or cranial bones, it can create stress signals that overwhelm your baby's ability to regulate and calm themselves.

What Can Cause Spinal Tension in Infants?

• Abnormal In-Utero Positioning:
  Babies who were breech, transverse, or "sunny side up" (posterior presentation) may have experienced unusual pressure on their neck, spine, or skull even before birth.
• Difficult or Prolonged Labor:
  A long, intense birth can put significant stress on a baby’s delicate spine and nervous system, even if no interventions were used.
• Birth Interventions:
  The use of forceps, vacuum extraction, or even cesarean section can add mechanical stress to a baby's head, neck, and spine, leading to tension patterns that affect nervous system function.

Even a "natural," uncomplicated birth can sometimes result in subtle shifts or restrictions that create stress signals for a newborn’s developing body.

2. Gut and Gastrointestinal (GI) Discomfort

The second major contributor to colic is often gut discomfort. Babies’ digestive systems are immature and sensitive, especially in the first few months of life.

What Can Cause Gut/GI Discomfort in Infants?

• Imbalanced Gut Flora:
  Babies are meant to develop a healthy microbiome from birth, but factors like C-section deliveries, lack of breastfeeding, or early antibiotic exposure can disrupt this delicate balance.
• Food Sensitivities:
  Some babies are sensitive to proteins like dairy or soy, either from formula or through breast milk if the mother’s diet contains these allergens.
• Poor Digestive Motility:
  If the nervous system is under stress, it can impact the function of the vagus nerve, which controls digestion. This can lead to slow digestion, reflux, gas buildup, and overall discomfort.
• Tongue or Lip Ties:
  Oral restrictions can affect how a baby latches and swallows, potentially leading to more air intake, gas, and GI upset.

How Infant Chiropractic Care Helps Babies with Colic

Infant chiropractic care is incredibly gentle, specific, and focused on helping a baby's nervous system function at its best.

Here’s how chiropractic care can support a colicky baby:

1. Releasing Tension in the Spine and Cranial Bones

Gentle adjustments help correct subtle misalignments or restrictions that create tension on the nervous system. By restoring proper motion and alignment, chiropractic care helps calm stress signals and supports better regulation of sleep, digestion, and emotional soothing.

2. Supporting Healthy Vagus Nerve Function

The vagus nerve plays a major role in digestion and calming the body. Chiropractic adjustments help enhance vagal tone, promoting better digestive motility, improved reflux symptoms, and easier bowel movements.

3. Improving Gut-Brain Communication

When the nervous system is balanced, signals between the brain and gut improve. This can help regulate digestion, reduce gas and bloating, and decrease the irritability associated with discomfort.

4. Reducing Sympathetic Stress

Many colicky babies are stuck in a "fight or flight" mode, where their little bodies are tense and overwhelmed. Chiropractic care helps shift the nervous system toward a "rest and digest" state, allowing for more relaxed, comfortable days—and nights.

What to Expect at a Pediatric Chiropractic Visit

At Pinnacle Chiropractic, our approach is incredibly gentle. There’s no twisting, cracking, or forceful movement.

During an infant chiropractic visit:

• We perform a thorough health history and gentle assessment of spinal and cranial tension.
• Adjustments use only the amount of pressure you would use to check the ripeness of a tomato.
• Care is always tailored to your baby's individual needs.

Many parents notice changes such as improved sleep, less irritability, better digestion, and overall happier babies after just a few visits.

Final Thoughts

If your baby is struggling with colic, please know that it’s not your fault—and you don’t have to just "wait it out."
By addressing the nervous system and gut health, we can often help babies experience more comfort, better regulation, and less distress.

Infant chiropractic care offers a safe, natural, and effective way to support your baby's developing body and help your entire family find relief and rest again.

If you're looking for a trusted infant chiropractor near you, visit www.pdcnearme.com to find a qualified provider specializing in nervous system-based care for babies and children.

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