why does my baby arch his back?
Some babies arch their back. Your baby tenses the extensor muscles in his back for a long time, stretches his arms, and presses his head back into his neck.
Why does your baby arch his back? What are the consequences of back arching and what can you do about it?
What is back arching?
Sometimes you will see your baby lie tense in a reclined position. He tightens his back muscles vigorously, stretches his arms, and lays his head back on his neck. This happens involuntarily. We call it back arching.
Seeing your baby arch his back can make you feel uncomfortable. It is difficult for your baby to relax because the extensor muscles in his back are constantly tightened.
Your child does not want this, but cannot yet direct itself to get out of this position. This causes stress and your little one may cry a lot. Back arching often occurs in crying babies.
Possible causes of back arching
It is difficult to determine what exactly is the reason that your child is back arching. Often it is your baby’s reaction to negative stimuli, such as pain, crying, or stress. But also noise, bright light, lots of toys, or a loud environment can also cause your baby to tighten his back muscles.
Other reasons for back arching:
Consequences of back arching
Many babies arch their back while crying. This is not an immediate cause for concern. However, if your child arches his back often, it can cause him to lag behind in his motor skills. He trains the wrong muscles and, by back arching, builds up a lot of tension in muscles that should not be nearly as strong.
The abdominal muscles, on the other hand, are not given enough opportunity to be exercised.
Bending is also necessary for proper development. Just think of the curved arms with which your child brings objects with his own hands to his mouth and discovers objects in front of his face. Learning to roll over is also difficult if the back is always stretched back.Back arching can put your baby in a vicious cycle.
Your child expresses his displeasure about something by tightening his back muscles. Then he starts to cry because the back arching position is uncomfortable. This makes him even more restless and he starts to arch his back even more.
As a result, he sleeps poorly and eats less, after which his mood worsens.
What can you do when to prevent your baby arching his back?
If the back arching persists or happens very often, you can visit a pediatric physiotherapist. However, this is not always necessary. You can also do a lot yourself to prevent or stop the back arching.
Some tips:
Conclusion: why does my baby arch his back?
There are many reasons why but most of them need to be taken seriously, and you should contact a doctor, like described below.
If nothing helps…
If your baby continues to arch his back, you can contact your doctor. This can help you determine the cause of the back arching. He also gives tips on postures, ways of picking up and carrying, and how to relax.
You can also request a referral to a pediatrician or pediatric physiotherapist.
This article is not medical advice, if you are in doubt you should always contact a doctor.