Brisbane Osteopathic Centre

When a baby is born, the soft skull is deliberately designed to close in so that the baby’s head can pass through the pelvis. However, this and the general experience of childbirth can leave a baby with short- or long-term stress points such as headaches which are worse when they lay down (making it hard to settle or sleep) or in their nose and throat (making it hard to feed). 

During childbirth, a large amount of pressure is placed on the joints at the top of the baby's neck. This area has many delicate nerves which run over the top of the head, and communicate with the stomach and intestines . Compression and irritation of these nerves may cause difficulties such as colic or constipation, 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 either breastfed or bottle fed and are unable to easily latch on with a good 'seal' can become unsettled from excessive wind due to swallowing air when feeding.

Cranial Osteopathic treatment is aimed at helping to release the changed stresses and tension build up. There is no clicking or cracking of joints, treament uses only very gentle pressure to release any strains (and you can even feed your baby if they are upset). As the treatment has a generally cumulative effect, a series of sessions may be of increasing benefit.