Why Do Babies Need Osteopathy

A baby can develop problems long before it is born. As it is growing in the uterus the baby’s head may grow in a distorted way if it is fixed in an awkward position such as held against the mothers ribs or pubic bone.

When a baby is born, not only its head, but also its whole body will go through a complex and very stressful process. The cranial bones have the ability to overlap and bend somewhat to accommodate this process.

However, in many cases the baby's head retains some of the compressive and twisting forces of the labour. This happens particularly when forceps or ventouse are used, or when the delivery has been long. A very short delivery also can create problems, as the head doesn't have time to accommodate. The baby may be shocked leading to an over stimulated nervous system. Babies who have been born by C-sections can also have problems. The caesarean is often performed as an emergency because the baby is experiencing difficulties with its passage through the pelvis.

In very young babies these might include crying or irritability, windiness and colic, sleep difficulties, feeding difficulties or early developmental problems such as lack of head control.

As the baby grows the tissues become less pliable and any structural changes become more difficult to deal with. Therefore it is advisable for new-borns to be checked osteopathically.
See also Cranial Osteopathy