Newborn babies are subject to enormous forces when they are born, being squeezed, twisted and turned as they come into the world. This puts a lot of pressure onto the baby, particularly its head at the base of the skull where the tongue and guts may be irritated causing problems with suckling, discomfort and nausea. The immature gut and diaphragm are often also stressed and distorted which further compromises digestion and reduces the ability of the stomach to retain its contents. Tensions on the bony and membranous structures of the skull may, in turn, be keeping the baby’s nervous system in a constant state of high alert. In a lot of cases there are no issues with the baby as it grows, however, quite a number of babies experience colicky symptoms as a result of these issues – the baby may be regurgitating milk between feeds, be windy, have difficulty sleeping and be crying uncontrollably, especially in the evening.

Initially the mother will be asked about the pregnancy, the birth and the baby’s health, constitution, feeding and sleeping patterns. The cranial osteopath will then assess the problem and subtly and gently release any pressure that remains from the birth using very gentle techniques and their highly developed sense of palpation. Often the baby sleeps like a baby after the treatment!

Do email or phone me for more information about this type of treatment, or if you would like to arrange an osteopathic check-up following birth as it can help to pin-point potential problems and help ease the dramatic transition from life inside the womb to the outside world. Please note that cranial Osteopathy can also be a very effective and relaxing treatment for adults!