06/21/2025                                                                            
                                    
                                    
                                                                        
                                        “The vagus nerve (specifically the portion that innervates the intestinal digestive tract), responds to and mediates distress concerned with the experience of ‘indigestible morsels.’ On one hand, this can be a food morsel that is stuck or hard to transport through the intestines. On the other hand, the distressing feeling can be a sense of ‘lack,’ i.e., of not having the ‘morsels’ that we want or need to survive.
In other words, the vagus nerve (the portion that innervates the intestinal tract) responds to the distress around ‘nourishment,’ of not having or not digesting the food substances that we need to survive. (Later in life, figurative ‘morsels’ like money, clothes, possessions, etc., can be interpreted as the “morsels” that we want or need to survive.)
Let’s now take a moment to empathize with an infant’s early experiences. During the first year of life, this tiny human being’s predominant focus is on obtaining and digesting breast milk or other sources of nourishment. So much of their life revolves around this major drive.” – John Ohm
Infant digestive issues like colic and constipation can be related to emotional distress that affects the nervous system, particularly through the cranial nerves—specifically the 10th (vagus) and 11th (accessory) cranial nerves. Chiropractic adjustments, especially those focused on the head, neck, and spine, can help relieve this stress by restoring mobility and in turn improving nervous system function, addressing the emotional-physical connections that can manifest as digestive symptoms. 
Keep reading “The Cranial Nerves and Infant Digestion: A New Lens for Understanding Constipation” by John Ohm in Issue 85: https://pathwaystofamilywellness.org/breastfeeding/the-cranial-nerves-and-infant-digestion-a-new-lens-for-understanding-constipation.html