Building a Strong Start: Osteopathy for Your Baby’s Wellness
Why Should I Bring My Baby to an Osteopath?
The physical strains of pregnancy and birth are reduced through newborn and infant care, which is useful for:
- Trauma from challenging deliveries (extremely long or short deliveries, ventouse or forceps interventions).
- Problems with breastfeeding (difficulty latching, preference for feeding on one side).
- Crying, difficulty settling, fussiness, colic, and sleep disruptions.
- Digestive problems (constipation, gas, reflux)
- The cranial bones are compressed.
- Asymmetries in head shape and congenital torticollis.
- Muscle tension in the shoulder or along the spine
- Torsion in the cranio-sacral base
- Strain or irritation within the diaphragm
Parents are always concerned if their infants appear unhappy, especially if they’re young and unable to communicate their problems. Talking to a specialist can help you relax, and you’ll frequently see a change in your child’s behaviour right away.
In fact, it is possible to predict some of the issues that arise during childhood.
Which signs might you be observing in your infant?
- Sleeping issues
- Wind and burping issues
- Looking in one direction more than the other
- Becoming red and stretching their legs as they scream, often after a feed;
Osteopathy can assist in resolving these problems and enhancing the comfort of your infant. Many of our younger patients truly like the experience since we are calm and compassionate when we are treating them.
How old must my child be to see an osteopath?
No minimum age applies to visit an osteopath. You can consult an osteopath for your child right from birth.
The sooner you address any specific issues, the better.
The sooner the child is taken to an osteopath, the easier it will be to identify and relieve the tensions that could disturb his body’s balance and later lead to a variety of problems.
However, it is never too late for your baby to receive osteopathic care.
How does osteopathy benefit your infant?
When a baby is born, they are subject to extreme forces that squeeze, twist, and turn them as they come into the world. This exerts significant pressure on the infant, especially at the base of the skull, where the tongue and guts may get irritated, resulting in difficulty sucking, nausea and discomfort. Additionally, the immature gut and diaphragm are frequently overworked and distorted, which further impairs digestion and lessens the stomach’s capacity to hold its contents. The baby’s nervous system is always on high alert due to tensions in the bony and membranous structures of the skull. As the baby grows, there are frequently no problems, but quite a few babies develop colicky symptoms as a result of these problems, or have silent or productive reflux, are windy, have latching issues, have trouble sleeping, and/or be sobbing uncontrollably, especially at night.
To release any tension or torsions in your baby’s body, such as those in the diaphragm and craniosacral base.
To release any compression that may have developed across your baby’s skull bones during labour.
To relax any tight muscles that might be preventing your infant from looking in one direction or causing constipation.
Osteopaths can also show you how to perform a regular infant massage routine at home. Your infant will feel relaxed as a result, both physically and mentally. It’s a wonderful way to engage with your child and give them your undivided attention.
What Takes Place During an Osteopath Session?
The initial appointment for your infant will last an hour. The mother will first be questioned regarding the pregnancy, delivery, health, feeding, constitution and sleeping habits of the child. We will gather detailed information about your concerns, the pregnancy and birth history, the baby’s health history, and your family history.
Then, we will undertake an examination of your kid, checking all of their joints and muscles as well as their cranial bones and mouth for any tongue ties, for example (and referring them to a specialist if necessary).
Then, in order to allow the kid to continue its healthy development and avert future malfunction, we treat as necessary by gently resolving areas of stress. After the treatment, the baby frequently sleeps like a newborn!
If additional screening or treatment is required, we may recommend you to your general practitioner or a paediatrician.
What Should I Expect Following a Session?
Your baby’s physical dysfunctions are corrected by the treatment, and he or she must then adjust to the new equilibrium.
Your baby will undoubtedly be exhausted after the session. Every baby will respond uniquely.
After their treatment, some newborns will be extremely sleepy, while others will be agitated, have their transit interrupted for a few days, or feel hungry.
Baby’s behaviour will return to normal in 1 to 3 days once she or he has fully recovered from the session.
The outcome may be apparent right away or may require several days to fully manifest.
Case Study
The mother of a four-week-old infant brought her to the clinic because she saw that the infant had problems with passing wind. This made her uncomfortable, especially between 3 and 5 in the morning. The patient had lately been given a new formula, which had helped, but she still had trouble passing gas and occasionally would scream till she was bright red in the face. The mother had also noted that her child tended to look to the left more often than the right.
The patient’s diaphragm was a little tight, and the osteopath also discovered that the left side of the neck was tight after a brief examination. Due to the significant compression, they experience during labour and while in the womb, this is a highly typical occurrence among newborns. We assisted in releasing the tightness in the diaphragm and neck using certain cranial osteopathy procedures and extremely mild massage. We also taught the mother how to massage the baby’s shoulders gently so that she could continue to look after the child at home. The baby was reportedly a bit uneasy for a couple of days before sleeping through the night and being able to move her head more comfortably, according to her mother. This little one was doing considerably better after only two sessions.