Baby Osteopaths – Cranial Osteopathy

The birth of your baby is one of life’s amazing experiences. However, during the birth process the baby’s body is subject to enormous pressures, even when no external interventions are required. These pressures can result in stresses in the baby’s body which may, if unresolved, give rise to a variety of symptoms including feeding difficulties, colic, sleep disturbances, excessive crying and irritability.

During a normal anterior presentation birth the baby descends through the birth canal due to strong contractions of the uterus. The bones of the baby’s skull overlap like the arrangement of petals in a rose bud. This allows a change in head shape, helping the baby move through the mother’s restrictive bony pelvis.

As the head is delivered it tilts backwards under the mother’s pubic bone, placing a large amount of pressure on the joints at the top of the baby’s neck. This area has many delicate nerves which communicate with the stomach, intestines and also run over the top of the head. Compression and irritation of these nerves may give rise to disturbances in the digestive system (i.e. colic), headaches and neck pain.

The baby may find turning their head, breastfeeding or sleeping on one side more difficult or uncomfortable than the other. In addition to this, tensions in the throat and around the jaw may make latching on the breast difficult to achieve or maintain. Babies that are breastfed and unable to easily latch on with a good ‘seal’ can become unsettled from excessive wind due to swallowing air when feeding.

Given the tight squeeze the baby’s skull has during birth, it is not surprising that some babies are born with asymmetrical head shapes. Normally, this resolves of its own accord within a week or so. The activities of feeding and crying increase the internal pressure in the skull and often helps free off retained strains by gently pressing out the stuck areas of the head. However if your baby is unsettled or cries more than seems normal they may be trying to communicate that they are in discomfort and may simply have a headache or neck pain.