You have just had your first or maybe your fourth baby, and your Lactation Consultant, your Doula or Midwife says,
“I think your baby could benefit from some body work”
What does this mean and why are they saying it?
When we are pregnant we envision our babies all snuggled into us safe and warm, which they are, but as your pregnancy progresses, the baby gets larger and the space available becomes less and less. They become more confined and they stay in specific positions for a very long time, for days if not weeks. Though this is what is supposed to happen, babies do become contorted into positions that can cause them discomfort once they are born. Let’s now discuss the actual business of being born!
Babies are an active participant in the birthing process.
The human body is working very hard to make the process of birth happen, and so in turn is your baby. The baby actually has a big part in this whole process and sometimes this is overlooked. Movements, turns, twists and obstacles are maneuvered. This process is considered very precise and complicated and to my amazement as a Doula this happens every hour and every minute of every day! Babies are born and this process is completed over and over. After being a witness to over 100 births as a Doula, I have seen what an absolute miracle it is that we are all here. I have also seen that the birthing process is hard on the birthing person and on the little human that is entering the world and breathing air for their first time.
Enter Craniosacral Therapy! This type of body work allows your child to release tensions that are caused by crowding in the womb and the actual birth that they have experienced. There are many reasons that your baby develops tension in their body after being born such as nuchal cord wrapping, long births, fast births and cesarean births. Medicated and natural births can also contribute to it and though this isn’t necessarily bad, it can cause issues that accumulate over time and become increasingly frustrating for you and your baby.
Craniosacral body work can help to correct those tight areas such as baby preferring one side of the body to feed on, dribbling when drinking from a bottle, or turning their head to one side on a continued basis. Babies do seem gassy or have ‘cholic’ like effects for a very long time after birth and this can be painful for them. After one treatment this can show immediate improvement. Torticollis is a major reason for this happening. Torticollis can have long term effects on the development of your child that continues onto the milestones such as turning over and crawling. Correcting this early can ensure baby your baby will meet these milestones going forward.
Craniosacral therapy does not replace a lactation consultant or other practitioners we work together to get you and your child to the optimal spot for you and new child.
If you have questions and would like to learn more about Craniosacral Therapy I would love to speak with you. A phone consultation is free and we can book your visit if you feel this is something for you and your family. A short intake form would be completed before hand. Our first visit would run about an hour to an hour and a half. We will discuss the pregnancy, the birth story and how your baby has been doing since being born. Last but not least I would do an assessment and treatment. I usually assign fun exercises to complete with your baby afterwards. In most cases 1-3 treatments is required and you will likely see benefits and changes in your babies habits soon after the first visit.