CST for infants

Craniosacral Therapy (CST) For Infants

What Can Craniosacral Therapy Do For Infants?

As a natural part of the birth process, the bones of the skull overlap slightly to make passage through the birth canal easier. This slight overlap usually resolves over time, but if it is extreme or persistent, it can cause problems with nerve compression. This nerve compression can affect babies in a myriad of ways including all manner of feeding issues, gastrointestinal discomfort and generally fussy babies.

CST is an excellent, gentle therapy for babies adjusting after a particularly difficult birth, or who were born with complications or injuries, or as regular health and wellness care for your newborn.

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Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a form of manual therapy which has evolved from osteopathic roots. CST uses an incredibly gentle touch, usually around five grams of pressure (the weight of a nickel) to manipulate the movement of the bones of the skull and the flow of cerebrospinal fluid to greater enhance the mobility, balance and function of the body. The body seeks balance, and needs mobility. When parts of the body don't move independently of their neighbors, pain and loss of function can result. This type of therapy is done fully clothed, and is so gentle it is an excellent choice for babies and small children.

Craniosacral Therapy Can Help:

Asymmetrical head shape
Fussy, hard to soothe babies
Babies who seem uncomfortable in their bodies
Babies who have digestive or elimination difficulties
Reflux
Colic
Spitting up
Breastfeeding problems
Difficult latching
Latch problems that contribute to sore nipples for parents
Babies who favor turning their heads to one side
Babies who favor one breast or position for nursing
Babies who seem overly sensitive
Babies who hate tummy time
Teething babies
Non-sleeping babies

A Typical Infant CST Session

After a thorough history, including questions about your child's birth, behaviors and preferences, the CST takes place with the child fully clothed. Your baby can be sitting in your lap, I can hold your baby, or they may be lying on a massage table or couch. According to their ability, they may sit, crawl, nurse, play, walk or stand during the treatment, they do not need to be still. I adjust to them, their needs and their attention span.

Some babies will tolerate a longer session, while other children may be okay with one big problem being sorted out and may need a break. I use gentle assessment techniques and spend a lot of time checking in with babies to see if they are open to more work, they guide the session.

Every baby responds to treatment differently, ranging from becoming sleepy, being fussy, to releasing big emotions by crying, laughing or burping during the session. Since the work is so gentle, you do not need to worry about anything hurting the baby.

CST is a treatment that sets the stage for the body to heal itself and use its own power most effeciently. For very young babies experiencing many compounded issues, multiple sessions conducted before six months old may be the most helpful.

No baby is too young to receive this gentle work. Ideally all babies would receive CST in the first few hours-days of life.

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