Pregnancy and Beyond
Aches and pains are common during pregnancy, as the body changes and adapts to the increasing size and weight of the uterus, and the ligaments of the whole body soften. These postural and ligamentous changes, while absolutely normal in the course of a pregnancy, may cause some discomfort, such as back pain or pelvic pain. If the mother has existing strains in her body from past accidents or trauma, she may find it more difficult to accommodate these changes and there may be discomfort as a result.
Cranio-sacral therapy can gently and effectively help to relieve these aches and pains. Learning about the changes that happen to a woman’s body during preganancy and as a result of childbirth, have formed an important part of my training, both as an undergraduate and post-graduate. I have treated many women through their pregnancies over the years and in my experience treatment can help the body to adapt to the changes, and make pregnancy more comfortable.
Some of the problems that can be helped during pregnancy are:
- Backache
- Aching legs
- Heartburn
- Headaches
- Breathing difficulties
- Neck and shoulder pain
- Pelvic or groin pain
- Preparing for birth
An important part of preparing for childbirth is to ensure that the mother’s pelvis is structurally balanced and able to allow the passage of the baby down the birth canal. Trauma to the pelvic bones, coccyx or sacrum at any time in a mother’s life can leave increased tension in the muscles and strain in the ligaments of the pelvis. I have found cranio-sacral treatment is very effective at releasing old strains within the pelvis, thus giving the best chance of an easy and uncomplicated birth.
After Child Birth
After giving birth the body has to recover both from the changes it made during pregnancy and also from the effects of delivery. This can be a demanding time both physically and emotionally. The physical demands of caring for the new baby can sometimes lead to aches and pains in the back and neck, especially if the breast-feeding position is awkward or the baby is being carried on one hip, for example.
Cranio-sacral treatment after childbirth can help you as a mother to return to normal, physically and emotionally, by releasing strains from pregnancy and from labour, allowing you to relax and enjoy your new baby.
Treatment using the craniosacral mechanism, based on the principles of osteopathy can be wonderfully beneficial for all ages and indeed for the whole family, including babies and children. Over my 30 years in practice I have seen many children respond really well to this kind of treatment, helping them to grow and develop to their fullest potential. It is a safe, gentle and effective way of relieving many issues.
Craniosacral Treatment for Babies
During a normal delivery a baby’s head has a remarkable ability to absorb the forces placed on it as the baby descends the birth canal. Sometimes the babies head gets moulded into a particular shape during either the later stages of pregnancy and/or birth. Usually as the baby suckles, cries and yawns during the first few days, this moulded shape resolves and any compressive forces retained in the soft bones and tissues of the head will gradually free up. However, sometimes, especially if the birth has been difficult, the baby may retain some of stresses and strains from birth in his/her body leading to a variety of problems such as:
- Lots of crying, irritability, unhappy babies
- Feeding difficulties
- Sickness, colic
- Sleep disturbances
Although there are a number of reasons why a baby might be having feeding problems, sometimes it can be due to the retained stresses and strains of birth in the tissues around the head, face and neck. These same mechanical strains can also disturb the baby’s ability to relax and to sleep.
If you’re not sure whether cranial treatment is suitable for your baby, do please give me a call to discuss any questions you might have.
Older Children
As the child grows the effects of a retained injury in the child’s body, or a stress from some other trauma can lead to problems, the most common of which are:
- Persistent ear infections, sinus problems
- Recurrent illnesses
- Back, neck, joint pain
- Headaches
- Behavioral problems
- Learning difficulties
- Developmental delay
- Coordination problems
- Growing pains
- Hyperactivity/ADHD/ADD
- Asthma
- and more….