Wired to Thrive: Your Baby’s Cranial Nerves Explained

In this episode of The Popped Podcast, Dr. Emily Muery dives into one of the most overlooked but essential systems in a newborn’s body — the cranial nerves. These tiny-but-mighty nerves control everything from latching and swallowing to bonding, calming, and early movement.The episode opens with a fun “POP Quiz” to test what’s innate and what’s learned in early baby development — and uses those questions as a guide to explore how babies are wired to survive, and how those reflexes can sometimes need a little extra support.Dr. Emily breaks down:What cranial nerves are and why they matter in the newborn periodHow they influence feeding, facial expression, sleep, and regulationWhat birth experiences (long labor, cesarean, vacuum-assisted, etc.) can do to impact their functionSigns of cranial nerve dysfunction and how to spot them earlyGentle, effective ways to support your baby’s nervous system — from chiropractic care and CST to feeding therapy and babywearingWhether you're a parent, doula, or just birth-curious — this episode will change the way you see newborn behavior. It’s not about memorizing anatomy — it’s about understanding how your baby’s nervous system is already working hard to connect with you.