10/16/2024
Why is CranioSacral Therapy so helpful for babies?
❖
Doctors at the University Hospital Center, in France, captured MRI images in 3D of babies as they were making their way through the birth canal in the second stage of labor.
❖
Seven birthers actually gave birth in an MRI machine for doctors to be able to capture images of what happens to a baby’s head during birth.
❖
The photo on the left is the fetus resting in utero and the photo on the right is when the fetus has progressed into the birth canal.
❖
The bones in a baby’s skull compress and overlap to mold and change shape as the baby moves through the birth canal.
❖
Ideally these bones slide back into place after birth. Sometimes a baby’s experience during labor & birth can impact their body’s ability to return these bones to proper alignment after birth.
❖
Experiences that can impact this process include: interuterine growth restriction & breech pregnancy (body tension before birth), difficult or prolongued labors, stress or trauma during pregnancy or labor, birth interventions like vacuum, forceps & cesareans that alter innercranial pressure, pulling or twisting on baby’s head to assist with the birth of the head, and medications that alter communication between mom’s body and baby’s body like Pitocin and Epidurals.
❖
When the cranial bones don’t return to an optimum alignment, tension builds up in the fascia and starts pulling on the surrounding bones and soft tissues of the brain, brain stem, cranial nerves, and other areas of the body.
❖
Physically this can look like: a misshapen head, suture lines that remain visible on a baby’s head after birth, bulging at the temples, recessed jaw, head only turning to one side, c-curve to a baby’s body, clenched fists, tight jaw, tongue-tie and oral tension.
❖
Behaviorally this can look like colic, reflux, difficulty latching, disorganized feedings, falling asleep at the breast, tongue thrusting, biting or chomping while feeding, back arching, digestive distress, sleep challenges, & baby’s cues that are difficult to read.
❖
CranioSacral Therapy is gentle, non-invasive, and highly effective in resolving innercranial tension. The sooner a baby receives CranioSacral Therapy after birth, the less tension has a chance to build up in the head and impact surrounding tissues, nerves, and bones. By releasing this tension, your baby will be able to eat more efficiently and your family will experience more ease in the newborn period.
❖
PhotoCred: Dr. Olivier Ami - CHU Clermont Ferrand, France
