Craniosacral Therapy for mothers and babies
Craniosacral Therapy is a very gentle form of body based therapy which is ideally suited for the pregnant woman and the newborn baby. It works directly with the body’s own innate ability to move towards optimum health and functioning.
For the mother
Craniosacral helps in the reduction of discomfort during pregnancy and in resolving restrictions in the pelvis as part of preparation for birth. Similarly, after birth it helps the body and especially the pelvis to return to its pre-birth state. This is particularly true in Caesarian births or difficult births, when the pelvis has not gone through its normal full cycle of opening and closing.
For the baby
Pre-birth and birth are often the time when unhelpful patterns of physical compression become held in the body, which affect the functioning of the body and which persist and are built upon throughout the rest of our lives. Much of the work that craniosacral therapists do with adults involves addressing these birth related patterns. Addressing these in the baby, as soon as possible after birth, is a great start for life and a support for optimal health throughout the rest of life.
What baby will benefit?
Any baby is likely to benefit from craniosacral treatment, but where a parent is aware that their baby is suffering some physical discomfort, crying a lot or having difficulties with feeding, digesting, sleeping or bonding, then craniosacral therapy may well be able to help. Caesarean births and those involving forceps or suction caps are more likely to lead to symptoms in the baby. Parents are often surprised and delighted by how a baby will respond and improve from craniosacral sessions, which they generally experience as relaxing and easing.
A treatment
A treatment session starts by noting the medical history of you or your baby. For the adult this includes physical accidents, injuries, operations and any difficult life situations. For pregnant women, I will be looking at how your body is preparing itself for birth, as well as any areas of discomfort. For your baby, I will pay particular attention to both the birth process and to how the baby was lying in the womb prior to birth. Adults are treated fully clothed on a treatment couch, babies are usually held by their caregiver. The touch used is feather-light, just enough to engage the body in a conversation about what it is trying to deal with. The rest of the session involves supporting you or your baby’s body in its process of releasing and easing the compressions and holding patterns that are causing discomfort.
For more information, see the “Mothers and Babies” link on my website https://www.keithfarvis.co.uk/family/babies/
Appointments are made with Keith Farvis, for more information about Keith see here
or contact him on 0131 447 8292 or email craniosacral@pregnancyandparents.org.uk