Babies are often brought to osteopaths after their birth because they are showing signs of distress. Local midwives and health visitors regularly refer babies for treatment post-partum.

Common conditions

• inability to breast feed
• reflux
• colic and digestive dysfunction
• constant crying
• sleeplessness
• distortion of the head (plagiocephaly)

The journey out of the womb and through the birth canal is one of the most stressful that we will encounter. The use of forceps, Ventouse and Caesarean section are all too often necessary in today's maternity units. They are often life saving procedures but as with any traumatic birth, the effect on the baby is often only noticed once the baby is brought home.

The infant cranium is designed to accommodate the forces of labour protecting the infant's brain from trauma, and then allow complete restoration of free mobility to all its parts once the baby is born. However, sometimes the recoil of the cranium post compression is not complete; this can impact on cranial function and cause a variety of problems.

It is quite true that babies will often cry their way through mild birth trauma within the first twelve weeks of life. If they are seen early, treatment can aid the resolution of full movement of the cranial bones and much of the distress of the first few weeks can be avoided.

How we treat babies

Treatment of the baby is aimed at restoring full balance to the alignment of the body in the long axis. We gently ensure that the diaphragm and chest are moving freely with each breath. If the breathing movements are full, this transmits movement to the pelvis and head of the baby. The rhythmic respiratory movements will then work to release the tension in the joints and muscles after a difficult birth. The baby is gently held with one hand under the head and neck and the other hand under the pelvis. If there is any twist or compression along the long axis of the baby it can be gently released. We then check the compression and alignment across the hips and shoulders before we check the head.

The head is examined for asymmetry, misalignment of cranial bones (causing ridges between the bones), muscular tension at the base of the skull down into the neck and for the quality of the involuntary movement or cranial rhythm in the cranium. The treatment is very gentle in nature. The hands are seeking to help the baby find its centre of equilibrium and a state of balanced tissue tension in all parts of the body. The membranes around the brain and the tissues which anchor the brain within the skull are of particular interest when we are dealing with symptoms arising from pressure on the cranial nerves. Once the point of balanced membranous tension has been found, it is held at that point permitting the inherent healing force within to normalise the body.

It was once said by Dr W G Sutherland, a pioneer in Cranial Osteopathy, "as the twig is bent, so the tree is inclined." It is easy for the skilled practitioner to straighten bent twigs!