Quantcast
Channel: Breastfeeding – Peak Performance Chiropractic
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 8

Maximize Your New Baby's Brain Development

0
0

You probably already know that, as a Chiropractor who specializes in nerve system function, I am fairly obsessed with the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS is comprised of the brain and spinal cord. From here, nerves branch out into our bodies, signaling to and from the brain, controlling every possible function, cell, organ and tissue in our body. By trade, I take the stress off that system so that it can communicate to and from the brain and give you the best health possible.

I deal with the spinal cord every day. But the brain sits above that, and is the master control of everything. While research shows that adjustments do have some neurologic effect on the brain, the majority of the effect of Chiropractic is on the brainstem and spinal cord. So, naturally, as a new mom, I want to give my baby the best chance at great brain development for a strong central nervous system foundation, for that part of the CNS that sits above the top vertebrae. That part which I cannot adjust – the brain and MIND. Couple that with adjustments to his spine, and I hope he will be off to a great start. Your child can be, too!

So, to that end, I am listening to a book called “Brain Rules for Baby“, by John Medina. Here are his tips for “brain fertilizer”. I found them to be fantastic, and I hope you like them too:

  1. Breastfeeding – Great nutrition and GREAT brain food for those developing neurons! Also a fantastic source of antibodies to keep baby healthy during the formative years.
  2. Guided play – Let those creative juices flow. Get really involved with the play. Be engaged. Adult participation in play helps develop social skills and knowledge.
  3. Talking to your baby – Much better than hearing words from a tablet or TV, words from YOU help baby navigate the nuances of our language and social interactions. More exposure to a variety of words means a better vocabulary and ability to express oneself.
  4. Praising effort rather than accomplishment – It’s okay to be proud of your baby. You should be. But praise his EFFORTS rather than telling him he is naturally SMART or GOOD at something. Effort can be learned, practiced, worked on and repeated. Thus, if he puts in effort and fails, he learns he can do better if he tries harder next time. If he believes he is smart or things come easily to him, as a static personality trait, and then fails, he will see it as a character flaw and contradiction.

Here are his warnings about “brain toxins”, or things that detract from optimal brain development:

  1. Pushing your baby to preform tasks his brain is not developmentally ready for. Every baby develops at his own pace. And that’s okay! Don’t compare.
  2. Stressing your baby to a psychological state called learned helplessness. If a child has to endure chronic pain or stress in a situation in which they have no control over, they stop trying.
  3. Screen time, such as TV, under the age of 2. Very young babies develop more readily when they learn from YOU – an actual real life human 🙂 Minimize their screen time in those early first years.

baby's brain development with chiropractic

I would, of course, encourage an additional “fertilizer” be added to the list. Get regular Chiropractic adjustments. This will aid in the brain being able to do its job even better. Plus, better input to the brain from the external sources, stimuli, and exploration helps baby learn. As I re-read over the list of “fertilizers”, the one thing that jumps out at me is this: Enjoy your baby, spend time with them, learn about them as much as they learn from and about you. It all goes so fast!


Want to get Dr. Jenn’s blog via email?

Subscribe here!

The post Maximize Your New Baby's Brain Development appeared first on Peak Performance Chiropractic.


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 8

Latest Images

Trending Articles





Latest Images