Milestones and the Nervous System: Why Baby Adjustments Matter | Franklin TN Pediatric Chiropractor
Learn how nervous system stress can delay milestones—and how chiropractic care in Franklin, TN can help.
PEDIATRICS
Milestones and the Nervous System: Why Baby Adjustments Matter
Every parent watches for that first head lift, that first roll, the first time your baby sits, crawls, or walks. But what happens when those milestones don’t come on time?
Whether you’ve been told “they’ll catch up” or you’re already pursuing therapies, there’s one system most providers are missing when it comes to milestone delays: the nervous system.
At Three Nails Chiropractic in Franklin, TN, we help parents across Brentwood, Spring Hill, Nolensville, and Thompson’s Station uncover and address the neurological root of milestone delays—often with incredible results.
What Controls Milestones?
Your baby’s ability to hold their head up, roll, crawl, sit, and walk isn’t just a physical process—it’s a neurological one.
Every movement milestone your baby hits requires:
Brain-body communication
Postural control from the spine
Muscle tone regulation
Sensory processing and integration
Balance and reflex development
These all happen through your baby’s central nervous system—particularly their brainstem and spinal cord. And when there’s stress or interference in those systems (a condition we call subluxation), it can delay everything else that follows.
How Birth Can Disrupt the Nervous System
Many babies are born into stress—not just emotionally, but neurologically.
Common causes of nervous system stress in babies include:
Long or traumatic labor
C-section deliveries
Forceps or vacuum assistance
Breech positioning or in-utero constraint
Induction or very fast labors
These experiences can cause tension in the upper neck and spine—especially around the vagus nerve and brainstem—areas critical for motor tone, coordination, reflexes, digestion, and sleep.
If your baby has struggled with latching, reflux, torticollis, or sleep issues… it’s often a sign of deeper neurological imbalance.
Signs Your Baby May Have Nervous System Stress
If you’re noticing milestone delays, check for these nervous system red flags:
Difficulty with tummy time
Flat head or head tilt (torticollis)
Preference to turn one direction
Startles easily or seems fussy with movement
Poor core strength or “floppy” tone
Constant tight fists or curled toes
Doesn’t like lying flat on their back
These are all signs your baby’s nervous system is struggling to regulate, making it hard for their body to coordinate and develop properly.
How Pediatric Chiropractic Helps
At Three Nails Chiropractic, we use INSiGHT Scans—a gentle, non-invasive technology that reads how your baby’s nervous system is functioning.
Once we identify areas of stress or subluxation, we use gentle, specific adjustments (no popping or cracking!) to:
Release tension in the spine and muscles
Improve brain-body communication
Support reflex integration and motor development
Allow the nervous system to shift out of “stress mode” and into healing
Chiropractic care doesn’t “make” your baby hit milestones. It removes the interference so they can develop the way they were designed to.
Real Results: What Franklin Families See
Parents are amazed at the difference even a few adjustments can make:
Babies finally enjoying tummy time
Increased head control and eye tracking
Starting to roll, crawl, or pull up for the first time
Better sleep and digestion
More alert, engaged, and content babies
This is what happens when we support the root system—the nervous system.
🎯 Don’t Wait and See—Get Answers Now
Many milestone delays get dismissed with “wait and see.” But the earlier we intervene, the easier it is to help the brain and body connect and grow.
✨ This month, we’re offering free neurological INSiGHT Scans for infants and toddlers who are behind on milestones.
➡️ Click here to book your free baby scan
📍 Not near Franklin, TN? Find a PX Doc near you →
At Three Nails Chiropractic, we’re here to help your child build the healthiest foundation possible—one milestone at a time. If you’re concerned about your baby’s development, we’d love to help you get the answers and solutions you deserve.