Happy Baby, Happy Family

There’s an old adage that says “happy wife, happy life” that implies for a man to be happy, he should try to make his wife happy. Other than the obvious reasoning, it dictates that our happiness is somewhat dependent on the happiness of those closest to us. Never has that been truer than when applied to new additions to the family.

Newborn infants trump the wife, every time. They are quite often the limiting factor to whether the house is filled with peace or chaos. Infants require an incredible amount of attention and constant care, which can be draining if they are miserable. An irritable baby doesn’t sleep well, doesn’t eat consistently and cries constantly. This can create both physical and mental stress within the home, both for mom and the rest of the family. This can also create problems with emotional attachment during these sensitive times. Lasting from days to months, this strain on the family unit is not sustainable.

Sleep deprivation, digestive complications and birth trauma can all contribute to irritability of the newborn. Unfortunately, since infants are unable to communicate that they are in pain or that something is wrong, they show us in other ways. This can include crying, fussing, refusing to turn or nurse on one side, squirming incessantly, struggling to have a bowel movement, screaming in the car seat, wailing during diaper changes and many other instances.

Some of these causes can be helped with chiropractic care. If there is any kind of spinal or cranial dysfunction, the infant could either be feeling discomfort or displaying other symptoms of pain. An assessment, diagnosis and subsequent treatment of the infant can relieve some of the symptoms and potentially help foster a happy baby. Having that happy baby is vital not just to help the newborn but also to create a more harmonious environment in the home life.