As A Certified Infant Craniosacral Therapist ...
Craniosacral therapy is a noninvasive, hands-on technique that uses a very light touch, 5gms of pressure to be exact. It can be used as a stand-alone therapy or in combination with other methods. In my case, I blend craniosacral therapy with my expertise in infant/child development, sleep, reflux, and even sensory processing.I am here for you!
Babies do all sorts of funny things while they are growing in utero, and sometimes they can become twisted in sub-optimal positioning, stuck in a specific place (ahem, like under your ribs - ouch!), or squished due to lack of space (as is the case with multiples and conditions like low amniotic fluid). And then of course, they twist and rotate and twist some more as they make their way down and through the birth canal, sometimes getting stuck on the way out and needing assistance from forceps, vacuum, hands, or even a c-section.
All the twisting and rotating and general stuckness can lead to straining and tightening of the fascia, which is a thin but strong layer that lies on top of (superficial) to the muscles and protects our entire body - from the muscles to all the nerves and organs below them. And this fascia is really good at its job of protecting and will tighten quite easily, but is not so great at releasing. When the fascia is tight, it pulls on everything below it and can cause things like tightness in the tongue (ie. tongue ties, poor latch), tightness in the neck (ie. torticollis), and really tightness in any muscles of the body. Tightness of muscles can pull bones out of alignment and compress nerves, which can lead to other complications like pain, stiffness, discomfort and more.
- Uncoordinated suck, swallow, breathe
- Refusal to feed
- Shallow latch, weak suck
- Favouring one side/position for feeding
- Crying or pushing away at feeds
- Clicking while feeding
- Sensitive gag reflex
- Chomping versus suckin
- Before/After tongue/lip tie releases
- Side preference - head turning/rolling
- Reflux (both GER and GERD)
- Constipation, gassiness, bloated
- Arching or throwing self backwards
- Short nursing sessions
- Falls asleep during feeding
- Very long nursing sessions
- Popping on/off breast/bottle
- Slow or no weight gain
- Funny shaped heads or ridges on head
- Torticollis or plagiocephaly (flat head)
- Body tightness
- Symptoms for Mom:
- Plugged ducts or mastitis
- Sore, painful nipples
- Cracked, bleeding nipples
- Misshapen nipples after unlatch
- Fast birth
- Long birth
- C-section birth
- Breech
- Vacuum or Forceps delivery
- Preemie or NICU baby
- Bruising or swelling
- Shoulder Dystocia
- Resucitated, intubated, or suctioned
- Weak cry
- Twins/multiples
- Sensitive babies
During an appointment, we will chat about conception, pregnancy, birth and the immediate postpartum period. Then I will use my hands to “listen,”and gentle touch your baby's body (their tissues and membranes)to determine if the cerebrospinal fluid is experiencing restrictions. A typical session for a baby may last anywhere from 30-75 minutes and the number of treatments for a specific issue may vary depending on the depth of the restriction, but generally anywhere from 2-6 sessions is all that is needed to see significant changes. This technique is a holistic whole body treatment that works slowly, gently and deeply and therefore may take a few hours or days to settle in. Babies are fully clothed for their sessions and are often treated in the parent’s arms (and yes, sometimes even while baby is nursing or feeding), in the therapist’s arms (if baby allows), or lying on the table in various positions (back, tummy, and side).
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Refer to this article, written by Dr Upledger, an Osteopathic Practitioner who had a big hand in developing craniosacral therapy on his clinical findings on craniosacral for infants.
