Has anyone tried cranial osteopathy for their child's sleep problem?

[MoroccoBorocco]

Hi,

I have a very unsettled daughter who goes to sleep around 7/7:30pm and wakes up around 6 times a night (last night was a bit more!). I've tried CIO and I know it's not hunger or teething. I've read lots of reviews online about how it's cured the night time madness but jut wondering if anyone in this community have anything to say? Did it help your child and if so how many treatments did you need to get through before you noticed a difference?

Thanks

[MoroccoBorocco]

Forgot to addy daughter is coming upto 7 months now

[DomesticGoddess31]

yes, see the thread I started earlier today. My DD is 22 mths and My only wish is that we didn't try it earlier. Can't hurt to give it a try I say.

[gruffalobore]

I too have a 7 month old non sleeper, he was born by c section but I think I've read somewhere that cranial osteopathy can help babies born that way too, does anyone know if it can?
Ds is up in the night at least 3 times I'd say, and only one of those for a bottle (around 5am). He does however nap well during the day but only in his cot with white noise.

[MoroccoBorocco]

I think I'm going to take the plunge and book an appointment. I am losing the plot! I wish it was only 3 times a night, yesterday was 8!! My DD was delivered via the suction cup so it may have caused some distress :( but yes any other advice please do share!

[sparklekitty]

Our DD was ventouse (suction cup) delivery. We took her for cranial osteopathy at about 4 weeks old. Worked wonders for her unsettled-ness/colic. It hasn't made a difference to her sleep tho, still up anywhere between 3 and 8 times a night at 7 mo.

Maybe it would work if we took her now, not sure. Think it depends on if the non sleeping is due to underlying issues or not. As far as I can tell our DD just doesn't need much sleep.

[MoroccoBorocco]

Sparklekitty sounds like you are in the same boat as me, DD sleeps well in the day and is generally a healthy & happy little girl. It's just at night she is so unsettled. Ivegot my first appointment tomorrow so will give it a few weeks and let you know how I get on.

[YouDontWinFriendsWithSalad]

Didn't work for us. But I know that feeling of wanting to try anything so I would give it a shot anyway.

There is a school that offers it cheaply in South London in Southwark I think, can't remember the name but it's about £10/session if you're around that way.

[minipie]

DD used to wake multiple times a night, refuse to nap and was generally a very 'wired' baby.

Cranial osteopathy helped her to be less 'wired' (took 3 sessions) but we were then still left with bad sleep associations (she needed rocking or feeding back to sleep) so the night wakings didn't really improve.

A variation on CC solved the sleep associations and from then on she has slept pretty well (not perfect but we have never gone back to multiple wakings... touch wood!)

So I would say the cranial osteopathy helped, but was never going to fix the problem by itself, if that makes sense. V glad we did it though.

[BikeRunSki]

Not yet OP, but our first appt is tommorow. DD is 19 months old and can't have even vaguely slept through more than 10 nights ever. Have toyed with the idea for ages, was a random woman in the swimming pool changing rooms who convinced me.

[MoroccoBorocco]

Thanks all for your comments.

Took DD yesterday and it was interesting. The osteopath basically checked her over and did a treatment. She said the next 24 hours would e pretty much the same but advised us to add some fleeces under her bedding to make her cot matress softer as she thought the reason for her waking several times a night is due to head aches from pressure. Gave that a try and she only woke up 4 times last night! Next treatment is next week and I'm hoping that we will see more of a difference in the coming days.

I really hope it works!

[TallGiraffe]

Holy. Moly.

DS (7m) saw the cranial osteopath today and for the first time in his life he is lying in his cot calmly babbling rather than screaming with rage at the mere thought of sleep. Obviously he has yet to fall asleep and the real test is yet to come but this is nothng short of miraculous!

[BikeRunSki]

Well, DD had her first cranial session on Saturday and loved it so much she fell asleep! She has slept much better at night since, although is now so refreshed in the mornings she doesn't nap in the day anymore! Another session on Friday.

Annoyingly though, DS (4), always been a champion sleeper, has started getting up in the night. It's like they discussed it. Aaaaarrrgggg.

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

Sorry to drag up an old thread but I'm now considering Cranial Osteopathy for my 8MO DS, who wakes multiple times a night and basically screams as soon as he lays down. It's so expensive in this area though - we're looking at about £50 for the first consultation and then £40 per session. It will be a real stretch for us (actually, we don't have the money. It will have to come out of our overdraft), but I'm pretty desperate now. Did you guys find it worked long term?

[larlemucker]

Marking place as 9m DS is a terrible sleeper. Currently co-sleeping so I can feed and doze but we want our bed back!!

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

Hello larle, I co-sleep some nights when it gets really bad but I have to be honest I don't enjoy it. I can't relax and only ever doze. I inevitably end up aching from not moving at all! Also can't co-sleep with DH as he's all over the place at night and frequently kicks / slaps me. Couldn't risk it with DS!

[MillionPramMiles]

We had three sessions with a recommended osteopath when dd was 4 months old. It made not one jot of difference.

By all means try it but be prepared for it to be a waste of money.

[larlemucker]

Will have to see what they charge, there's a fella locally that does it.
I'm getting to the end of my tether now, I haven't slept for a full night in a year (had bad PGP) and not for more than 3 hours since DS was born.
Sleep deprivation is a form of torture