The Best Mom Hack for Colic (and So Much More)

Have you ever noticed how your baby seems completely content in your arms, but the moment someone else holds them, the tears begin? Or how your little one seems to pick up on your stress and mirror it? Or why skin-to-skin contact is one of the very first things your provider encourages after birth?

It’s not a coincidence—it’s co-regulation. And it might just be one of the most powerful tools in your parenting toolkit.

Let me share with you what might be the single best “hack” for soothing a colicky baby, helping ease fevers naturally, and even supporting milk supply. Would you believe it’s all the same thing?

What Is Co-Regulation (And Why It’s Your Parenting Superpower)

Here’s a little secret: your nervous system runs the show—and your baby’s nervous system is purposefully underdeveloped at birth. It’s not a flaw; it’s part of the beautiful design that allows your baby to lean on you for regulation, comfort, and connection.

Your calm presence isn’t just emotionally supportive—it’s neurologically essential. When you hold your baby close, their breathing, heart rate, and stress hormone levels literally begin to mirror yours. It’s a stunning biological rhythm that lays the foundation for healthy emotional development and lifelong well-being.

In fact, the first three years of life are a critical window for brain development, with more than one million new neural connections forming every second. Research shows that babies who receive regular skin-to-skin contact have better temperature regulation, nurse more successfully, and cry significantly less.

This is co-regulation—and it’s truly one of the most effective and natural ways to support your baby.

The Nervous System Connection

Think of your nervous system like a car:

• The sympathetic system is your gas pedal—activating during stress or perceived danger

• The parasympathetic system, largely regulated by the vagus nerve, is your brake—helping your body calm, digest, and recover

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Your baby isn’t responding to your words or even your intentions—they’re picking up on subtle signals: your tone of voice, your facial expressions, your breathing, your heart rate, and the energy behind your touch.

So when you’re stressed, your baby feels that. When you’re calm, they can borrow that calm until their own regulatory systems mature.

Why Co-Regulation Doesn’t Always Come Naturally

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, co-regulation just doesn’t seem to click. Your baby stays fussy in your arms, or you find it hard to access the calmness they’re trying to mirror.

This isn’t a failure on your part.

Several common early-life stressors can interfere with co-regulation:

• Fertility struggles and associated stress

• High maternal stress during pregnancy (which affects baby via the placenta and umbilical cord)

• Birth interventions like C-sections, forceps, or vacuum extractions that can create physical stress in mom or baby

  
  

These stressors can lead to subluxations—areas of neurological tension that disrupt proper nerve communication, especially in the vagus nerve and autonomic nervous system.

And without addressing these deeper nervous system imbalances, babies often don’t “grow out of” regulation challenges—they may grow into other issues like sensory sensitivities, digestive troubles, or difficulties with emotional self-regulation.

How Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care Can Help

When co-regulation isn’t coming naturally, Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care can be a game-changer for both mom and baby.

• INSiGHT Scans provide objective data on nervous system stress in both you and your baby

• Gentle adjustments help reduce subluxations and restore proper brain-body communication

• As nervous system function improves, so does co-regulation—often leading to noticeable changes in sleep, feeding, digestion, mood, and overall calm

  
  

It’s not about “fixing” you or your baby—it’s about supporting both of your systems so you can reconnect and thrive together.

Moving Forward, Together

Motherhood is an incredible journey—and a deeply challenging one at times. You’re not meant to do it alone. Seeking support isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom.

Co-regulation isn’t just a nice idea—it’s a biological need during your baby’s most formative years. And by nurturing that connection, you’re giving your child the very best start in life: a strong, resilient nervous system and a foundation of emotional security.

At Bright Futures Chiropractic we believe that when the whole family is regulated, everyone benefits. When your nervous system is calm and connected, your baby’s can be too—and that’s where real healing and harmony begin.

You already have what it takes to be the steady, calming force your baby needs. Trust your instincts, honor your connection, and remember: when your baby finds peace in your arms, you’re not just comforting them—you’re helping build their brain in the most beautiful way.

Now that is a superpower worth celebrating. 💛

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914 S Arthur Ave, Arlington Heights, IL 60005

Phone: 224.764.1644