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Safe, gentle chiropractic care to soothe colic and help your baby feel comfortable and content.
Colic affects approximately 25 percent of newborns and is typically defined as excessive, inconsolable crying that lasts more than three hours a day, occurs more than three days a week, and persists for at least three weeks. For exhausted parents, the experience can feel overwhelming and isolating. While colic is not considered dangerous, it places significant stress on the entire family and can interfere with feeding, sleeping, and bonding during a critical stage of development. The good news is that gentle, drug-free chiropractic care has helped thousands of families find relief when traditional approaches fall short.
The birth process, even under the best circumstances, places considerable physical stress on an infant's spine and nervous system. Prolonged labor, vacuum-assisted delivery, forceps use, or cesarean birth can all contribute to subtle misalignments in the upper cervical and thoracic regions of the spine. These misalignments may irritate delicate nerves that regulate digestion, breathing, and overall comfort, potentially contributing to the symptoms we recognize as colic. At Advanced Wellness Chiropractic in Bridgeton, MO, our pediatric chiropractic approach focuses on identifying and gently correcting these issues so your baby's nervous system can function at its best.
Dr. JC has extensive experience working with newborns and infants, using only the lightest fingertip-pressure techniques specifically designed for tiny, developing bodies. Our approach is rooted in the understanding that a properly aligned spine supports healthy nervous system communication, which in turn supports better digestion, more restful sleep, and a calmer, happier baby. Every treatment is tailored to your child's unique needs, and parents are welcomed and encouraged to be part of every step of the process.
Colic-like fussiness is almost always benign, but some symptoms are not colic and need urgent pediatric evaluation before any chiropractic visit. Call your pediatrician, an urgent care, or 911 immediately if your baby shows any of the following:
Colic can look different from one baby to the next, but there are several hallmark signs that parents and pediatricians commonly observe. If your baby is experiencing any combination of the following symptoms, gentle chiropractic evaluation may help identify an underlying cause.
Infants cannot do self-tests, but parents can gather meaningful information by watching carefully during daily activities. Bringing these observations to your first visit helps Dr. JC connect fussiness to feeding, positioning, or body-tension patterns. Keep a brief daily log of what you notice, along with times of fussy episodes.
What to look for
Watch for arching back during feeds, clicking or smacking sounds at the breast or bottle, milk leaking from the sides of the mouth, or a shallow latch where only the nipple is in the mouth.
Why it matters
Arching and clicking can point to upper cervical or jaw tension. A shallow latch is often related to oral tie or an asymmetric neck that limits how baby can turn the head to one side.
What it may suggest
A feeding evaluation with a lactation consultant alongside a gentle chiropractic assessment is often the most effective combination for latch-related fussiness.
What to look for
Does baby always look to the same side when lying flat? Is there a flat spot developing on one side of the back or side of the head? Is turning the head to one direction noticeably harder than the other?
Why it matters
A preferred rotation is one of the earliest signs of torticollis, a tightness of the neck muscles that often develops from positioning in utero or during a difficult delivery.
What it may suggest
Torticollis and early plagiocephaly (flat head) respond very well to gentle chiropractic care, stretching, and repositioning when addressed early.
What to look for
Does baby pull knees up to the chest often? Wake from sleep writhing and passing gas? Is the belly firm and distended during fussy episodes and soft between them?
Why it matters
These are classic gas and abdominal discomfort patterns. Tracking the time of day and the relation to feeds helps us distinguish colic from reflux and from feeding intolerances.
What it may suggest
A daily log of fussy episodes, feed times, and bowel movements for one week gives Dr. JC and your pediatrician the single most useful piece of information at the first visit.
Bring your observations and any photos or videos of concerning positions to the first visit. Parents are always the best historian for their baby, and the patterns you notice at home often guide what we focus on in the office.
Pediatric chiropractic care for colic is nothing like the adjustments adults receive. There is no twisting, popping, or forceful manipulation. Instead, Dr. JC uses gentle fingertip pressure, sometimes no more than the weight of a nickel, to encourage proper alignment in the delicate joints of your baby's spine. These precise, gentle adjustments help remove interference in the nervous system, allowing your baby's body to regulate digestion, muscle tension, and overall comfort more effectively.
Published research supports the use of chiropractic care for infantile colic. A systematic review in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that infants receiving chiropractic care showed significant reductions in daily crying time compared to those who did not receive treatment. Studies have also shown improvements in sleep duration, feeding behavior, and overall infant temperament following a course of gentle spinal adjustments. While every baby responds individually, many families notice meaningful improvement within the first few visits.
Misalignment in the upper cervical spine can affect the vagus nerve, which plays a central role in regulating digestive function. When the vagus nerve is irritated or compressed due to spinal misalignment from the birth process, it can contribute to poor gut motility, excessive gas production, and the cramping discomfort associated with colic. By gently restoring proper alignment, chiropractic care helps ensure that the nervous system can communicate clearly with the digestive tract, supporting healthier digestion and reducing the frequency and intensity of colic episodes. Our pediatric chiropractic services are designed with your baby's safety and comfort as the top priority at every visit.
Every baby who visits Advanced Wellness Chiropractic receives individualized care built around their specific needs and developmental stage. Our approach to treating colic and infant discomfort includes:
A thorough yet non-invasive evaluation of your baby's spine, posture, and movement patterns to identify areas of tension or misalignment that may be contributing to discomfort.
Extremely light, precise adjustments using only fingertip pressure to gently guide the spine into proper alignment without any forceful manipulation or discomfort to your baby.
Practical advice on holding positions, tummy time techniques, feeding strategies, and gentle stretches you can do at home to support your baby's comfort between visits.
Regular reassessment of your baby's symptoms, milestones, and response to care so we can adjust the treatment plan and ensure your child continues to improve.
These are the hands-on techniques Dr. JC and our pediatric team teach parents for day-to-day colic, gas, and fussiness. They are safe, well-established, and pair well with in-office care. Work them into the rhythm of your baby's day between feeds, not right after a full feed. Stop any technique that clearly upsets your baby and try it again later.
A gentle way to move gas through baby's intestines. Often helps during the classic evening fussy hour and before or after a bowel movement.
Dosage: 2 to 3 minutes, 2 to 3 times per day between feeds. Stop if baby becomes upset.
A warm-hand tummy massage and the colic carry position both calm an unsettled belly. Many babies relax immediately in the colic hold because of the gentle abdominal pressure.
Dosage: 2 to 5 minutes of tummy massage between feeds, plus the colic hold any time baby is fussy and awake.
Tummy time strengthens the neck, back, and shoulders, helps prevent flat head, and gives the belly gentle pressure that helps move gas. Start early and progress as baby tolerates.
Dosage: A few minutes at a time, several times per day while awake and supervised. Build up toward 20 to 30 total minutes per day by around 3 months.
Dr. Harvey Karp's 5 S's framework mimics the womb environment and is one of the best-evidenced soothing approaches for young infants.
Dosage: Use any time during a fussy episode. Practice 2 to 3 times per day between feeds so the routine becomes second nature.
These techniques help you get through the day, but they are one piece of a larger picture. If your baby is fussy despite consistent soothing, has feeding difficulties, or shows a preferred head rotation, there is often a physical restriction we can address gently. Parental exhaustion is real. Ask for help, take turns, and bring your baby in for an evaluation if nothing is clearly helping after a week or two.
Certain birth experiences and early-life patterns drive most of the infant visits we see at Advanced Wellness Chiropractic. If you recognize your baby in one of these groups, you are not alone, and gentle chiropractic care combined with pediatric and lactation support is often the right next step.
Shallow latch, clicking, or a clear preference for one breast. Often linked to upper cervical and jaw tension from birth or positioning.
A strong head-turn preference to one side, with or without a flat spot developing. Responds very well to early, gentle care and stretching.
Babies delivered by cesarean sometimes show compressed positioning and feeding challenges in the first weeks. A good group for early assessment.
Frequent spit-up, arching, and fussy feeds. Gentle cervical work combined with feeding-position coaching often helps.
Babies with a NICU stay often have feeding, sleep, and positioning patterns worth supporting once cleared by the neonatologist and pediatrician.
Early flat spots on the side or back of the head, often connected to a preferred rotation. Best addressed early, before 4 to 6 months.
New parents who are unsure whether fussiness is within normal limits. We screen gently and refer to pediatrics any time something is out of scope.
We work alongside local IBCLCs in the St. Louis area. When latch and feeding issues are multi-factor, the combined approach works best.
Families sent in after medical causes have been ruled out and colic is considered benign but still distressing. A common path to our office.
We coordinate care with your pediatrician and lactation consultant whenever it helps your baby. We see families from Bridgeton, Maryland Heights, Hazelwood, Florissant, St. Ann, Creve Coeur, and across North County St. Louis.
Yes, chiropractic care for newborns is extremely gentle and safe. Pediatric adjustments use only fingertip pressure, roughly the same amount of force you would use to test the ripeness of a tomato. Dr. JC has extensive training in pediatric techniques and adapts every treatment to the size and developmental stage of your baby. There is no twisting, cracking, or forceful manipulation involved in infant chiropractic care.
Babies can be evaluated and treated from the very first days of life. Many parents bring their newborns in within the first few weeks, especially after a difficult delivery involving vacuum extraction, forceps, or prolonged labor. Early evaluation allows us to identify and address subtle misalignments before they lead to persistent fussiness, feeding difficulties, or colic symptoms.
An infant adjustment involves very light fingertip pressure applied to specific areas along the spine and skull. Most babies remain calm or even fall asleep during treatment. The pressure used is no more than what you would comfortably apply to your own eyelid. Parents are often surprised at how gentle the process is, and many notice their baby appears more relaxed immediately following the visit.
Many parents report noticeable improvement within two to four visits, though every baby responds differently. Some infants show a reduction in crying and fussiness after the very first session. A typical initial care plan involves two to three visits per week for the first two weeks, then gradually spacing visits as symptoms improve. Dr. JC will monitor your baby closely and adjust the plan based on their response.
Yes, chiropractic care can be very helpful for breastfeeding challenges. Tension or misalignment in the upper cervical spine and jaw can make it difficult for a baby to latch properly, turn their head to one side, or maintain a comfortable nursing position. Gentle adjustments to these areas often improve latch quality, reduce feeding-related fussiness, and make breastfeeding a more comfortable experience for both mother and baby.
“Best chiropractor in the greater St. Louis area”
Dr. Bordeaux is hands down the best chiropractor in the greater St. Louis area. He takes the time to understand and treat your specific issue. You'll leave feeling like a million bucks.
“A million times better after one visit”
JC is totally amazing and will make you feel so comfortable and relaxed. I left feeling a million times better after one visit!
Specialized gentle chiropractic care designed for infants, children, and teens at every stage of development.
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