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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Anyone with any experience of cranial osteopathy helping a baby born by elective section?

17 replies

alicet · 04/12/2007 17:30

Not sure if I'm in the right place...

Ds2 is 9 weeks old and seems to be quite an unhappy baby which is quite a change from ds1.

Changing to formula at 6 weeks (juggling constant bf with a 21 month old ds1 not working) and introducing a dummy have helped as has gaviscon for reflux. But he still has times where he just seems really distressed and nothing helps.

I have heard great things about cranial osteopathy helping babys like him but was unsure if its likely to benefit him as he was born by elective section. Does anyone know anything about this? Or have any tips?

All help gratefully appreciated!

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meep · 04/12/2007 17:55

We went to a cranial osteopath for a misaligned jaw - and I'd had an emergency section. She said that sometimes sections can cause more problems than v-births because the head does not go through the natural moulding which allows the skulll to spring out on delivery. So it might be worth a go - I don't think that having had a section woudl prevent any possible results?

SantaClausFrau · 04/12/2007 17:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Clydesdaleclopper · 04/12/2007 23:13

I had an elective section and took my baby along to my cranial osteopath as I had an appointment. I asked her to take a look at him while I was there presuming there wouldn't be anything wrong. She found that he couldn't turn his head fully to the right, his jaw was deviating to the right and he was holding a lot of tension in his back. After 2 sessions he has been sleeping much more and feeding much better. It's certainly worth going.

Original poster

alicet · 05/12/2007 08:48

Thanks ladies for your help! Will certainly look into it...

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Original poster

alicet · 08/12/2007 14:00

OK so I've booked ds in for cranial osteopathy next Friday... Will let you know how we get on!

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CarGirl · 08/12/2007 14:03

my friend had a baby born by c-section and he grizzled ALL THE TIME until a trip to the cranial.........

misspenguin · 09/12/2007 11:32

I am a cranial osteopath so obviously my answer will be encouraging but maybe I can shed some more light to explain. Some babies born both naturally or by C-section struggle with unmoulding (the change from being very squashed from being in utero to developing and growing in the outside world) and a session or two (maybe more in complicated cases) of cranial shows their little body how to do it properly.
You won't be able to tell much is goind on as the treatment applied is so gentle you can't see anything happening, but you can usually see a dramatic change in your baby's behaviour, they often melt into a relaxation or they look at either mum or the osteo for a long time - that expression usually says "yes, that's it, thank you". Some babies cry but I believe they shouldn't cry for long as it shows they aren't happy (not everyone holds that view!) The body, even in a tiny newborn, is inherently intelligent and it knows when something is good and feels right, so a baby will indicate to you that it is better (or when it is not!)
A key for you as a parent is that you are comfortable and you trust the osteopath as it is your precious little one they are working on and baby needs your confidence to relax.
I hope that helps, good luck

oljam · 09/12/2007 11:46

I took DS2 to see a cranial osteopath when he was about 9 months old and I was at the end of my tether, he'd been born by elective c-section and he was such an unhappy little boy. He had 3 sessions over three weeks, after first 2 sessions I was really wondering if I was throwing my money away. The day after the third session he woke up a completely different baby, OK he still has whinging sessions and tantrums but no more than any other child. My husband and I have always maintained that the cranial osteopath worked a miracle because it was such a dramatic change, so I would recommend cranial osteopathy to anyone. We recently took DS1, aged 5, for several session in the summer as he is clumsy and has difficulty concentrating etc, he hasn't had such a dramatic result, however he has got better and it all helps. So best of luck, let us know how your session goes.

Original poster

alicet · 09/12/2007 13:08

Cheers all esp misspenguin - very useful to hear from you!

Typically ds2 is much happier since we booked the appointment but I'm going to keep it anyway - frankly I would rather go and be told I've wasted my money than risk missing out on doing something for my little boy that might help him.

WIll keep you posted!

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LolaLadybird · 10/12/2007 20:13

I went to a McTimoney chiropractor with DD, now 2, when she was a few weeks old (born by em cs). I beleive McTimoney is fairly similar type of treatment to cranial osteopathy - v gentle, works on alignment etc. Anyway, transformed my daughter. Before we took her she was colicky and v unhappy and we could never get her to burp no matter how much winding we did. After the first visit, I fed her in the waiting room before going home and got a huge wet burp - music to my ears! It made such a difference, we went back once more to check nothing had moved back but it was fine and never went again. Best £25 I've ever spent.

DS is now 2.5 wks old and has also had some similar symptoms - started off v happy but we have had a run of nights where nothing will settle him between feeds. Have an appt tomorrow and so hoping that will help. Tbh, as alicet says, I'd rather try and be reassured than kick myself later. So fingers crossed for tomorrow's appt.

By the way, DH is a BIG cynic about such things (called the osteopath a 'witch doctor' b4 my visit with DD!!) but even he has been convinced.

Fizzylemonade · 10/12/2007 20:48

Alicet- I wanted to comment on the reflux thing, I believe cranial ost will help. Both my boys had reflux to varying degrees and I have waxed lyrical about it in the past.

My advice would be to try a Haberman Feeder -a bottle that Mothercare now sell -google it. It is a valved bottle and it is my biggest regret that I didn't get one.

My son started on gaviscon but it didn't help (he was about 10 weeks old) and then we were referred to a private paediatrician who was brilliant. My son was put on a prescription formula rather than medication and he stayed on this until he was 14 months!!

You can get SMA staydown which I believe is similar (if you look at the tin it will say to mix it with COLD water) mine was called Enfamil AR which contained rice starch that thickens on contact with stomach acid. He still sicked up a little bit but it wasn't accompanied by the screaming and back arching.

It is just worth bearing in mind. Good luck.

Original poster

alicet · 14/12/2007 21:44

Thanks for your tips fizzylemonade - will certainly be investigating them if co doesn't work...

Well we had our first session today. I didn't really know what to expect and as I had been warned it really didn't look like he was doing much but watching ds2 you could really see the effects. For example he said his diaphragm was too loose and manipulated it following which his breathing became noticeably more regular and he became calmer. He has recommended another 2-3 treatments so fingers crossed! If it doesn't work I feel we won't have lost anything other than a bit of cash but if it makes my little boy happier it will be worth every penny and more!

Will keep you posted in case anyone out there is in a similar situation and would find it helpful...

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Original poster

alicet · 18/01/2008 14:36

Just thought those of you who posted on this might be interested in how we got on...

Being a doc I have a healthy dose of scepticism as to whether non mainstream things like this actually work as there is no hard evidence they do. However, lots of people spoke wonders about it so I thought it was worth a try. Can't say for sure that ds2 chilling out is due to this as it was a week or so after his last session and could have just been him changing as he got older. But he has become a much calmer, happier and more settled little boy and so it hasn't done any harm. And if it IS the CO causing this I would have paid ten times the £90 odd quid it has cost me.

So I would have to say anyone even thinking about this give it a go! Doesn't do any harm and if it works then it's a bargain!

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bossybritches · 18/01/2008 14:40

Well done allicet-glad it helped!!

I'm a great fan of CO.

Ubergeekian · 18/01/2008 16:52

It's a load of hoo-ey. Even conventional osteopaths tend to be a bit embarrassed by cranial osteopathy. Here's some useful stuff on the quackwatch website.

Can it do harm? Yes, if gullible people choose it instead of real, evidence-based and effective treatments.

vikt · 19/01/2008 10:57

Oh Ubergeekian, hoo-ey it ain't, when practised by a fully qualified osteopath. Solved my vertigo years ago, when the docs said it was my ears and nothing to be done (it was my neck) sorted out my DS upset stomach when he 6months old.... But, Cranial Sacral Therapy without the osteopathy not the same thing at all, possibly hoo-ey.

Ubergeekian · 19/01/2008 11:51

The evidence seems to be that osteopathy is about as effective as a massage for some back pain. All the other claims are hooey (subluxations, forsooth!) and should be consigned to the same dustbin as reiki, iridology, homeopathy and the rest. Checkput quackwatch to see what reputable osteopaths think of the cranial stuff.

Anyone who has their child's soft, growing skull manipulated needs their head, um, let me think about this...

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