Craniosacral Therapy is a very gentle and effective form of therapy for both mothers and babies.
Craniosacral Therapy can help with the body changes of pregnancy. Old and new discomforts may appear which can be alleviated and released in order for the mother's body to be in the best condition for birth. After birth, Craniosacral Therapy can help as the mother's body returns to its non-pregnant condition, and particularly if the birth has been difficult or there have been complications or difficult interventions. It works with the innate intelligence of the body to help the the body to do wants to do in its process of preparation and recovery.
An easy gestation and a natural birth are the best start that a baby can have in the world. Unfortunately, not every birth is ideal for a wide variety of reasons, and even before birth a baby may have had difficult experiences in the womb or have been quite compressed in the last days before birth.
Whilst the baby's body is well designed to manage the range of compressive forces of a natural birth, larger compressive forces can be harder for the baby's body to recover from. Often the work of a Craniosacral Therapist is involved in helping the baby's body to recover and release the compressive forces that they have been unable to completely resolve naturally. These compressions can impact normal functioning in a variety of ways, for example compressions at the base of the head can affect the ears and the nerves that affect breathing and digestion.
If a baby cries all the time or is unhappy, then there is usually a good reason and generally parents sense this. Because the baby cannot speak, it is often difficult to determine what the cause might be. If medical causes are ruled out then Craniosacral Therapy is a good avenue to explore. The therapist is able to feel how well the baby's body is expressing the cranial movements, which for a baby should be full and easy. The therapist can feel what areas of the baby's body are affected and can work to help these compressions release thus relieving pressure on nerves, increasing the fluid movement through the area, and letting the baby's body express the cranial movement more freely again. The parent will see whether the treatment is making a difference through their sense of their baby's wellbeing and its state of ease and happiness. Babies generally need only a small number of sessions as their bodies express vitality more fully than in an adult. Craniosacral Therapy may be applicable to a wide range of conditions through the removal of impediments to the free movement of air/fluid/food through the baby's body and by releasing pressure on nerves and organ systems.
Colic affects up to 20% of babies and can be very upsetting to both baby and parents. I recommend a dual approach to managing colic; 1) having cranial work and 2) looking at the baby's diet.
An increasing number of babies have flattened heads and this can be a concern to parents. Here is a useful summary page from the NHS. Cranial work helps take strains out of the base of the head and helps release restrictions that impede the head returning to a normal shape. The article mentions cranial bands/helments. There are both "active" and "passive" cranial bands/helmets. "Passive" cranial bands are slower acting and the shape correction is left more to the babies own body. Cranial work would help that process by releasing any restrictions in the head and neck as the head shape normalises.
The Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics has a 2009 review paper covering the research into the effectiveness of cranial bands/helmets.
Headstart for babies is a parent initiated charity whose aim is to increase awareness of this condition.
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