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Feeding becomes less of a battle. Your baby isn’t arching their back in discomfort or crying through every meal. The constant spit-up slows down, and you’re not changing outfits three times before noon.
Sleep improves because your baby can actually lie flat without pain. You’re not spending hours trying to get them comfortable or wondering if every sound means another sleepless night.
The difference shows up in how your baby moves through the day. Less fussiness. More calm. Fewer moments where you feel completely helpless watching them struggle. That’s what happens when you address the nervous system interference causing the reflux instead of just masking symptoms with medication.
Dr. Paul Roses has been practicing chiropractic in New Jersey since 1981. He initially wanted to be a pediatrician, and that focus on helping children has shaped how we approach infant care today.
His work at St. Clare’s Home for Children gave him direct experience with vulnerable infant populations. He saw firsthand how gentle adjustments could create meaningful changes in babies who were struggling.
Harrison families come to us because pediatricians and lactation consultants in Hudson County refer to us. They know we specialize in craniopathy and neurological-focused care, not just spinal adjustments. That distinction matters when you’re treating a baby spitting up after every feeding in Harrison, NJ or dealing with painful gas in newborns in Harrison, NJ.
The first visit starts with questions about your baby’s birth, feeding patterns, and specific symptoms. Was it a long labor? Were forceps or vacuum used? How often is your baby spitting up? These details help identify where nervous system interference might be occurring.
The examination is gentle. Dr. Roses checks for misalignments in the upper neck and mid-back where nerves control the digestive tract. He also evaluates cranial tension that can affect the vagus nerve, which plays a major role in digestion and reflux.
Adjustments use about the same pressure you’d use to test a tomato’s ripeness. There’s no twisting or popping. The goal is to remove interference so the nervous system can regulate digestion properly. Most babies relax during treatment, and some even fall asleep.
You’ll typically see changes within the first few visits. Many parents notice decreased reflux symptoms after just one session. Full resolution usually happens within three months of consistent care, though every baby responds at their own pace.
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Reflux peaks around four months and usually resolves by the first birthday. But waiting it out means months of struggle for both you and your baby. Chiropractic care speeds up that timeline by addressing why the reflux is happening.
Birth trauma is common, even in uncomplicated deliveries. The pressure on an infant’s spine during birth can create misalignments that interfere with nerve signals to the digestive system. That interference shows up as reflux, colic, or painful gas.
In Harrison, NJ, many parents come to us after their pediatrician suggested medication at the one-month checkup. They’re not comfortable giving drugs to such a young baby, especially when those medications only manage symptoms without fixing the underlying problem.
Our approach targets the root cause. We correct subluxations in the upper spine and release cranial tension affecting the vagus nerve. When the nervous system functions properly, digestion improves. The lower esophageal sphincter works better. Reflux decreases naturally.
You’re not choosing between conventional care and chiropractic care. Many of our patients continue seeing their pediatrician while receiving adjustments here. The difference is we’re giving your baby’s body the chance to heal itself instead of relying on long-term medication.
Most babies show noticeable improvement within the first four visits. You might see changes after the first adjustment—less arching during feeds, longer stretches of sleep, or reduced spit-up frequency.
Complete resolution typically happens within three months of care. That timeline depends on several factors: how severe the reflux is, whether there was birth trauma, and how consistently you bring your baby in for adjustments.
Some babies respond faster than others. The ones with mild reflux and minimal birth complications often improve quickest. Babies who had difficult deliveries, especially those involving forceps or vacuum extraction, may need more time because there’s more structural work to address. We’ll give you a realistic timeline after the initial evaluation based on what we find.
The adjustment uses fingertip pressure—about what you’d use to check if fruit is ripe. There’s no cracking, popping, or twisting involved. Dr. Roses applies gentle pressure to specific points on the spine and skull where misalignments are affecting nerve function.
For infant reflux, the focus is usually on the upper cervical spine and mid-back where nerves control the digestive tract. He also works with the cranial bones to release tension affecting the vagus nerve, which regulates digestion.
Most babies stay calm during the adjustment. Many fall asleep. The whole process takes just a few minutes. You’ll hold your baby or they’ll lie on a specialized pillow, and you can watch everything that’s happening. Parents are often surprised by how gentle it is—nothing like what they picture when they think of chiropractic adjustments for adults.
Frequent spit-up after every feeding is one of the clearest signs. If your baby arches their back during or after eating, that’s another indicator. The arching happens because they’re trying to relieve discomfort caused by acid coming back up.
Difficulty sleeping flat is common. Babies with reflux often only sleep well when held upright or in a car seat because gravity helps keep stomach contents down. If your baby seems uncomfortable lying on their back, that points to a nervous system issue affecting digestion.
Fussiness that doesn’t have an obvious cause also suggests imbalance. Some babies have silent reflux—they’re swallowing the acid back down instead of spitting up, so you don’t see the obvious symptom. But they’re still in pain. You’ll notice excessive crying, trouble latching during breastfeeding, or resistance to feeding altogether. Painful gas, constant hiccups, and wet burps are other signs worth paying attention to.
Yes. Studies on pediatric chiropractic care show that adverse reactions are extremely rare. The techniques we use for infants are completely different from adult adjustments—gentler, more precise, and specifically designed for developing bodies.
Dr. Roses has worked with infants since early in his career, including time at St. Clare’s Home for Children. That experience with vulnerable populations taught him how to work safely with the smallest patients. The pressure used during infant adjustments is minimal, and the approach is always adapted to your baby’s size and condition.
Research shows that many parents report improvements in reflux symptoms after chiropractic treatment, with no serious adverse effects observed. The safety record speaks for itself. That’s why pediatricians and lactation consultants in the Harrison area refer patients to us—they’ve seen the results and trust the approach.
The digestive system is still developing. The lower esophageal sphincter—the muscle that keeps stomach contents from coming back up—isn’t fully mature yet. That’s why over half of babies under three months show some reflux symptoms.
Birth adds another layer. Even in straightforward deliveries, your baby’s spine undergoes significant pressure. The upper cervical vertebrae can shift slightly, creating interference with the nerves that control digestion. When forceps or vacuum extraction are involved, or when labor is prolonged, the likelihood of misalignment increases.
Those misalignments affect how the nervous system communicates with the digestive tract. The vagus nerve, which regulates stomach acid production and the movement of food through the digestive system, can be compressed by cranial tension or spinal subluxations. When that nerve isn’t functioning optimally, reflux happens. Chiropractic care removes the interference so the body can regulate digestion the way it’s supposed to.
Regular reflux is obvious—your baby spits up frequently, and you’re going through multiple outfit changes daily. You can see the stomach contents coming back up, which makes it easier to identify what’s happening.
Silent reflux is harder to spot because your baby swallows the acid back down instead of spitting it up. They’re experiencing the same pain and discomfort, but without the visible symptom. Parents often don’t realize it’s reflux because there’s no spit-up to point to.
Signs of silent reflux include excessive fussiness, arching during feeds, difficulty swallowing, chronic cough or congestion, and resistance to eating. Your baby might seem hungry but then pull away from the breast or bottle after just a few minutes. They might have trouble sleeping or only sleep well when held upright. Both types of reflux respond to chiropractic care because the root cause is the same—nervous system interference affecting digestive function.
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