A Trip to the Cranial Osteopath

Last week I was chatting to my physio about Bobby's abdominal pains. It's so heartbreaking to see him in pain as he alternates between being scrunched up in a tight ball to going long and rigid, thrashing his legs about.  The whole time he is grunting (or crying) and desperately trying to force wind (or a poo!) out.  And there's nothing we can do to help. So when my physio suggested taking Bobby to see a cranial osteopath to reduce these abdominal pains and help with general discomfort and distress I was intrigued.

Hands up if you want to go and give this a go

I did a bit of research on it before we went (it's amazing what your bleary eyes can take in at 3, 4 and 5am in the morning!). So it turns out that many midwives and health visitors are now recommending new mothers to take their babies for an osteopathic check up shortly after the birth to help wih discomfort, headaches, feeding difficulties, sinus problems, restlessness, colic or excessive crying and so on.

A penny for your thoughts

So we booked in to go and see Fiona Passey who has a nearby clinic.  Fiona started by asking me questions about Bobby's arrival to find out whether I'd had a good pregnancy and straightforward birth.  She explained that it was important to understand his birth as newborn babies can be subjected to enormous forces when they are born, twisting and turning as they squeeze their way to the outside world.  This can mean a lot of stress and pressure, particularly on the baby's head.  Once she had all the information she needed she began her work.

A picture from Sunday, meeting his cousins George and Issy

Fiona placed Bobby on the bed and held him gently, studying his face and movements.  She was so calm and gentle and Bobby was so perfectly still that I wondered if she was in fact some sort of Baby Whisperer! Bobby slept the whole time, moving only now and again, and clearly felt secure enough to sleep throughout.  Fiona said she could feel tension deep in the base of his skull; most likely to be caused by him getting 'stuck' during the labour.  She gently eased this tension and explained that this could be the cause of his digestive problems as tension here can impinge on a nerve that runs all the way down the spine and is responsible for digestion, winding etc.

Smurftastic!

Before we knew it this gentle form of manipulation was over.  Has it given Bobby a headstart for a healthy happy life? I hope so! Only time will tell! It barely looked like Fiona did anything to the naked eye but I'm keeping everything crossed she managed to release the tension and stresses in his body and head that may have been caused by the birth.

I'm not sure what to expect tonight. I'm hoping Bobby will settle without a fuss or that his crying is less prolonged.  We're booked in for a follow up appointment next week as some babies need more than one session.  Fiona told me that some babies show an improvement straight away, some need a further session and some (dare I say it) get worse before they get better!

I'll keep you posted with out progress!