Biodynamic Craniosacral (BCST) for Infants
Peggy has specialized training in diagnosing and treating for lip and tongue ties in infants. Using Craniosacral Therapy, she can help your baby release the patterns of tension that sometimes accompany these issues and this will help them with breastfeeding as well as colic/reflux and digestive disorders. She can also help with torticollis, plagiocephaly, ear infections, lactation issues, failure to thrive, and developmental delays.
You may have noticed some of the following in your baby.
- Baby’s head or face looks uneven
- They like to tilt to one side more than the other
- The cranial molding from birth is still present days after birth
- Their tone is lacking or tense
- They have trouble sleeping, feeding, or eliminating.
If the labor was stressful, either too long or too fast this can leave the baby with alignment issues.
Why is this important?
Fascia is connective tissue that unites skin to the underlying tissues. Fascia also surrounds and separates many of the muscles, and sometimes holds them together. Ligaments are bands of tissue that bind bones together or support organs. The head is made up of a number of bony plates. Ligaments hold the bones of the head in position. Fascia connects skin to the bones of the head, connects the bones to the Dura mater covering the brain and spinal cord, and surrounds other structures in the face and head. The hard palate is formed by two palatal bones, and the soft palate is muscle covered by mucous membrane. Because of connective tissues such as ligaments and fascia, the structure and alignment of the palate are influenced by the alignment of the other skull bones.
If there is misalignment and imbalance of the skull bones, this can affect the function of the palate, tongue, and other structures of the head. This can cause the palate to be too high or uneven, and the facial muscles to be too tight. Imbalance of the structures of the head, as well as trauma from the birth process itself, can cause constant irritation to the nervous system. This constant irritation may also cause hypersensitivity, which can sometimes be the underlying cause for babies who gag and can not accept anything in the center or back of the mouth. This creates a shallow latch that can hurt mom and have an effect on her milk supply. Any misalignment in the body can create feeding, sleeping, and digestion issues. A baby who is not comfortable in their body may cry more and have trouble relaxing.
Baby’s response to Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy
Children respond well to BCST because it is gentle, non-invasive, and effective in ways they can intuitively recognize. Even small children quickly get used to the work as they develop trust in Peggy. Pre-verbal children may actually direct Peggy’s hands to areas of discomfort. It is particularly beneficial to rebalance the whole body system within the first year. Children easily show the dynamics of their experience through movement and sounds. Much subtle work can be done by the practitioner during “playtime” in which the child is observed and assisted in completing unresolved challenges. Parents are often astounded at the way a crabby, hyperactive, or miserable child will fall into deep relaxation or sleep during treatment.
Many babies experience strong compressive forces during birth, which can cause a contraction within their system. This can manifest as shock and trauma, leading to other conditions. If treated at this early stage the birth trauma can be resolved before traumatic holding patterns become set within the physical body.
The challenge, of course, is the busy toddler who won’t lie still. Here the parent can help out by holding the child as Peggy makes even brief contacts on the spine, head, and sacrum. A little goes a long way with a child. Whatever can be resolved during infancy or childhood, often in only a few sessions, can potentially prevent decades of medical and psychological treatment later on. Resolution of misaligned forces makes us less accident-prone because we are not “off-balance”.
Birth trauma can lead to a myriad of conditions experienced by babies and if not corrected these can lead to significant lifelong health issues. The wisdom of dealing with any trauma experienced during birth, as soon as possible after birth, is obvious.
The following is a session with a baby focused on Craniosacral Therapy.
[VIDEO Mp4 – file on 13″ mac > Peggy folder > Old Site > Baby Videos Part 1]
[VIDEO MP4 – file on 13″ mac > Peggy folder > Old Site > Baby Videos Part 2]
Conditions in infants that can benefit from Craniosacral Therapy
- Breastfeeding difficulties
- Tongue and lip ties
- Colic
- Digestion Issues: Reflux, Constipation
- Sleep issues
- Distress/crying
- Difficulty settling
- Irregular head shape
- Shock, overwhelm, or discomfort resulting from premature birth, cesarean birth, assisted birth, too fast of a labor or very prolonged labor, and separation from parents
BCST can help a woman’s body adjust to the changes created by pregnancy. Treatments during the term of the pregnancy can also support the new mother to approach labor with strength, confidence, and vitality. Working with mothers and babies postnatally can help with recovery from the rigors of childbirth.