Q:

Hi doc,

I am trying to find a resource of how to adjust a baby.  We have a new baby girl and I am 
not sure how to evaluate her properly.  I remember learning from Maxine McMullen to hold 
the baby upside down and swing them and look to see what side they turn their head is
the side of atlas rotation? Any ideas? Thanks...I am dying to adjust her...she wheezes a 
little but other than that she is in great health.  Thanks a lot!!

A:

Thanks for the e-mail. It is great to hold a newborn especially your own. I have three kids. 
The oldest is 27, 24 and 20 but they were once as young as your and in fact I delivered 
them at home and my wife and I helped delivered another 8 babies at home births. So .. I 
adjusted a number with the cord still attached .. how's that for an experience. 

Okay .. I am not sure what school you graduated from or what techniques you use but 
there are no cervical rotary moves on newborns or very young kids unless there are special 
circumstances that warrant it. At this stage of the game light pressure works well.

I never held them by the ankles and swung them between my legs although I know of it 
and would probably might consider that at a later date. The primary and secondary spinal 
curves are still getting used to each other and straightening the spine would not be a good 
idea (my opinion) especially with a violent anti gravity swing

Instead .. hold the baby in a rocking chair and do the spinal walk. Gently palpate and run 
your fingers up and down their back and when they squirm a bit just rotate your finger in 
the area to break up the trigger point. Feel their atlas/axis area and if there seems some light 
taut muscles do the same thing .. gentle pulsating movements as if you were toggling the 
child. Checking their leg length is quite easy. While they are on their backs and the diaper 
is being changed you will find their legs go straight out .. probably from the change of 
temperature without the diaper. If not hold onto their ankles and gentle attempt to straighten 
their legs and then look at the creases at the knee area. You'll find the right crease is often 
higher than the left .. just like a supine leg check. If the right leg crease is higher then 
pressure check their atlas area with a gentle pressure lateral to medial at the fossa and 
recheck the legs. Usually a right gentle push will straighten the leg and that should do it. It 
may also be a sacral problem and the same thing .. pressure check the area by gently 
sweeping your hand under their pelvis right to left and left to right and use a gentle push or 
pulsating move in the corrective motion .. opposite where the legs deviated. I also have 
them on their back and mildly place my hands beneath their body and as I sweep across 
their body .. they are supine .. a quick leg check tells me I am at an area that needs some 
assistance and I could again use gentle rotating pressure to make the change. If I have the 
parents assiting I will have the parent hold the child and I feel their spine and use a gentle 
position on the Activator and this also works. 

As the child gets older and able to withstand more aggressive adjusting I do it as an adult 
but simplier and easier.

You also need to go to the webpage of the Warners. You can e-mail them at: 
drswarner@chiropediatrics.com .. in fact I will have them e-mail you.

Have a Great Day

Dr. M