By Dr. Joe Thompson | Rhythm Health & Performance | Santa Cruz, CA
Here's something I wish more parents knew before they ever started trying for a baby.
Your child's health story begins long before they're born. In fact, some of the most important groundwork is happening before you even know you're pregnant.
Your baby's brain and spinal cord begin developing within the first few weeks after conception. From that point forward, their nervous system is constantly growing, developing, and adapting.
But here's the part I really want to talk about: You are a huge part of that environment.
Your health before conception matters. Your well-being during pregnancy matters. Your baby's birth experience matters. And throughout those first years of life, you become their home base for learning how to navigate the world and regulate within it.
At Rhythm Health & Performance in Santa Cruz, I focus on nervous system health and how our bodies process and respond to the world around and within us.
And when we're talking about growing a healthy family, that's a pretty important place to start.
Before Conception: Your Health Is Already Part of the Picture
Most people start making changes once they find out they're pregnant. Prenatal vitamins, nutrition, exercise, preparing for birth. All important things.
But what about the months leading up to conception?
Both parents contribute to a baby's biological starting point. Nutrition, metabolic health, certain environmental exposures, and existing medical conditions can influence reproductive health, conception ability, and pregnancy outcomes.
For the parent carrying the baby, adequate folic acid intake before conception is particularly important because the earliest stages of nervous system development happen so quickly.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends preconception counseling to identify health concerns and address modifiable risks before pregnancy begins.
I think this opens up a bigger conversation.
Instead of only asking, "What can we do to give our baby a healthy start?" what if we also asked, "How are we doing?"
How are we sleeping? How are we handling stress? Are we taking care of our bodies? Do we feel supported?
Not because you need to be in perfect health to become a parent. Far from it.
Rather because your health is part of the picture long before your baby arrives.
Your Baby's Nervous System Develops Earlier Than You Think
This is one of my favorite things about human development.
Around the third and fourth weeks after conception, a structure called the neural tube forms and closes. That structure eventually develops into the brain and spinal cord.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this happens so early that many parents don't yet know they're expecting.
Think about that.
Before your baby has recognizable arms and legs, the foundation of their nervous system is already taking shape.
From there, nerve cells develop, migrate, and begin forming connections. The brain and body are gradually building the communication networks that will support movement, sensation, learning, and countless automatic functions.
And this development doesn't happen in isolation.
Your baby's developing nervous system is influenced by the biological environment surrounding it.
Pregnancy, Stress, and Your Baby's Developing Nervous System
When I talk about stress, I'm not just talking about feeling overwhelmed after a long day.
Stress comes in many forms. Physical, emotional, environmental. And our nervous systems are constantly working to process and respond to those demands.
Pregnancy brings its own set of physical and physiological changes, all while life continues happening around you.
Maybe you're navigating morning sickness, physical discomfort, or sleepless nights. Maybe you're balancing work, financial pressures, and the emotional ups and downs of preparing for a new baby. And for some parents, previous pregnancy experiences or concerns about birth can add another layer of stress.
There's a lot happening, and not all of it is within your control.
A 2024 systematic review published in Early Human Development examined 71 studies investigating prenatal maternal distress and fetal or infant brain development.
Researchers identified associations between maternal distress and differences in brain regions involved in emotion, memory, and stress responses.
Does that mean having a stressful week during pregnancy is going to harm your baby? No.
These studies largely identify associations, not direct cause and effect. And development is influenced by many factors.
But they reinforce something I think deserves more attention.
When we're talking about supporting a healthy pregnancy, we need to be talking about the parent's health and well-being, too.
At Rhythm Health & Performance, I approach chiropractic care through the lens of nervous system function and adaptability, considering each person's health history, physical concerns, and the demands they're navigating.
Chiropractic care may help address certain musculoskeletal concerns during pregnancy, although research on its effectiveness is limited. It isn't a proven treatment for prenatal stress or a way to improve fetal nervous system development.
We also use INSiGHT technology as part of our assessment process to gather information about certain physiological responses, including measures related to heart rate variability. These findings help inform my approach to care, but they don't directly measure how well a pregnant parent's body handles stress or predict their baby's neurological development.
Birth Is an Important Chapter, Not the Entire Story
Birth is an extraordinary transition.
A baby goes from life inside the womb to breathing air, feeding, regulating body temperature, and responding to an entirely new environment.
Some babies enter the world after relatively uncomplicated deliveries. Others experience prolonged labor, medical interventions, emergency procedures, or complications.
Certain serious birth complications can affect a newborn's neurological health, particularly when oxygen deprivation or injury occurs.
But a difficult birth doesn't automatically mean a baby has experienced neurological damage. And an uncomplicated birth doesn't guarantee that every aspect of development will be straightforward.
I believe a child's birth history is worth understanding. It gives us context about their earliest experiences and helps identify concerns that may need further evaluation.
If a baby has feeding difficulties, unusual movements, or developmental concerns, an appropriate pediatric assessment is essential.
Birth matters. But it's one part of a much longer story.
Ages 0–7: You Are Your Child's Home Base
Here's something I really want parents to understand.
During the first several years of life, your child's brain is developing at an incredible pace.
They're learning how to move, communicate, explore, interact with others, and eventually manage their own emotions and responses.
And where are they learning so much of this?
From you.
Parents are their child's home base.
Your child learns from how you respond to situations. Your tone of voice, facial expressions, how you comfort them, and how you interact with the world.
Think about a toddler who falls down and immediately looks toward their parent.
They're not just checking whether they got hurt. They're also looking for information about what happened and how to respond.
Or think about a baby who's upset and settles when a familiar caregiver holds them.
Those interactions are part of how children begin developing the ability to manage their own responses.
Researchers call this co-regulation.
Before children can consistently regulate their own emotions, they rely on caring adults to help them navigate difficult experiences.
Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child describes another process called serve and return.
These everyday back-and-forth interactions between children and caregivers help build neural connections involved in communication, social development, and emotional well-being.
And this is why I think parents need to look at their own health during these years, too.
Not just their child's.
Your Child Is Learning From You. So How Are You Doing?
We spend a lot of time asking questions about our kids.
Are they sleeping enough? Eating well? Meeting their milestones? Getting enough movement and stimulation?
But how often do we turn those questions around?
How are you sleeping? How are you managing stress? Are you getting the support you need?
Our nervous systems are constantly responding to physical, emotional, and environmental demands. Those demands can interact and accumulate over time.
Stress isn't inherently bad. It's part of how we learn, grow, and adapt.
But when the demands we're facing consistently exceed the resources and support available to us, it can become harder to recover and respond the way we'd like.
For parents, that can affect everything from patience and sleep to how available we feel for our children.
Research from Harvard's Center on the Developing Child emphasizes that stable, responsive relationships help children develop resilience and buffer the effects of significant adversity.
That doesn't mean you need to be calm every moment or shield your child from every stressful experience.
It means your well-being matters, too.
Taking care of yourself isn't separate from raising a healthy child. It's part of creating the environment in which your child learns and grows.
Why Nervous System Health Is at the Center of Rhythm
If you've spent any time talking with me about chiropractic care, you know I tend to come back to one thing: adaptability.
To me, health isn't about reaching some perfect, static state where nothing ever goes wrong.
We're dynamic beings. Our bodies are constantly responding to changes in our environment, routines, relationships, and the demands of everyday life.
There are periods of growth, plateaus, challenges, and recovery.
That's a big part of why I named my practice Rhythm.
Nature operates in rhythms. The sun, the moon, the ocean, the seasons. Our bodies have rhythms, too.
At Rhythm, I use neurological assessments and INSiGHT technology as part of my chiropractic approach. These assessments include heart rate variability (HRV), thermography, and surface electromyography (sEMG), which provide information about specific physiological measurements.
For me, these tools are one piece of a much bigger picture. I consider the findings alongside each person's health history, symptoms, development, and individual needs.
It's important to understand what these assessments can and can't tell us. They aren't established diagnostic tests for developmental disorders or a child's overall neurological health. And research hasn't established that chiropractic adjustments improve infant brain development or prevent neurodevelopmental conditions.
What they can offer is additional information that I use within my clinical assessment process, including tracking certain measurements over time.
My goal is to understand each person's individual needs, provide appropriate chiropractic care, and help families find the support and resources that make sense for them.
Learn more about our approach to family wellness and chiropractic services in Santa Cruz..
Your Child's Health Story Begins With You
Your child's health and development don't happen in isolation.
They begin before conception, continue through pregnancy and birth, and unfold through years of experiences, relationships, and growth.
And throughout that process, you play an incredibly important role.
You don't need a perfect pregnancy, an uncomplicated birth, or a stress-free home to raise a healthy child.
But you can pay attention to your own health, build habits that support your well-being, seek help when you need it, and recognize that caring for yourself is part of caring for your family.
At Rhythm Health & Performance in Santa Cruz, I love working with families who are curious about their health and want to understand the bigger picture.
Whether you're preparing for your first baby, navigating pregnancy, or raising young kids, I'm here to help you explore how chiropractic care may fit into your family's health journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does a baby's nervous system begin developing?
The neural tube, which eventually becomes the brain and spinal cord, begins forming during the earliest weeks after conception. It typically closes by around four weeks after conception, often before someone realizes they're pregnant.
Can a parent's stress affect their baby's nervous system?
Research has identified associations between significant prenatal maternal distress and differences in fetal and infant brain development. Occasional stress is normal, and these findings don't mean that experiencing stress causes developmental problems.
How does a parent's nervous system influence their child's development?
Young children learn through their relationships and interactions with caregivers. Responsive caregiving and co-regulation help children gradually develop emotional regulation skills. Supporting parental well-being can make it easier to provide consistent, responsive care.
About the Author • Dr. Joe Thompson
Dr. Joe Thompson is the founder of Rhythm Health & Performance in Santa Cruz, where he helps parents, kids, and families find their rhythm through nervous system-focused chiropractic care. With a background in biological sciences from Cornell University and advanced training in pediatric and perinatal care, Joe believes there's more to health than chasing symptoms. His approach is all about understanding the bigger picture, supporting the body's natural ability to adapt, and helping families feel heard, cared for, and confident in their health.
Curious about what care at Rhythm could look like for you or your family?
