Cranial Osteopathy - What To Expect?

[GeorginaA]

I currently have an almost 3-week-old incredible non-sleeping baby and having tried almost everything else am considering cranial osteopathy. As I know next to nothing about it, I was hoping to pick the collective Mumsnet brain and find out more about it and your experiences. We haven't got much money to spare, and it does look expensive - really can't afford to throw money at it if it's going to be a waste of time.

Anyway, here are my questions:

Approximately how expensive is a session and how many sessions would I be expected to have?

What's the safety aspects like? Are there any potential side effects? Risks?

How do I find a good cranial osteopath in my area (Worcester)? What sort of questions should I be asking when I make the appointment?

Is it likely to help daytime sleeplessness in a newborn?

Thanks in advance.

Anyone?

Hi - I swear I am going to take my new baby to a cranial osteopath (in labour as I type!!) - I should have taken my first but we were skint and - like you - I wasn't convinced about the alternative route and the expense etc. BUT I have heard such great things and heard of many Mums who swear their children were definitely changed by it - esp. with colic. I think where I am sessions are aound £30-£35 and you should need no more than 3 and hopefully one will suffice. I've been given a number of someone near me with lots of recommendations. I'm new to Mumsnet and don't know if I can publish it here but contact me if you want it - or call your local NCT branch as they may have people in their newsletter near you. I think all your questions should be asked of the therapist - if they're good with babies they should be good with putting Mums at ease too!!!

georginaA. i have taken both of my ds's to a cranial osteopath. i don't know how it works - seems to be minute manipulation of the head and also chest and spine. my ds1 didn't sleep well, very colicky and as he got older when he was trying to fall asleep he use to press his head up against the bed to relieve pressure. if he was ever in a stressful situation he would headbang which was so distressing!! i would recommend word of mouth (as with any alternative medicine there are good and bad) or if you are willing to travel to devon for the day i would recommend the practictioner here - he is one of the most amazing and wisest people i have ever known, a real inspiration and changed my mind about 'alternative medicine'. i took my ds1 for 3 sessions. the first time i went my ds1 crawled under the table and the guy just followed him and started talking to him, he then picked him up put him in my arms and worked on his head. my ds1 fell asleep in my arms - the only way i can describe it is he sort of surrendered to the treatment. when i took him home he fell asleep for 4 hours and did so each treatment.with regard to questions - he/she will ask for detailed medical history - especially the birth. it cost £30 per session and it definately helped his sleep. another thing i found helpful is to get your ds/dd teddy or muslin square rub it over your neck/armpits/boobs and give it to him/her to hold as he/she is going to sleep and black out blinds or black card over the window can also help.
hope you both get some lovely long sleep soon. best of luck and i will post cranial osteopaths details if you need them
p.s also swaddling may help.

Hi Georgina, I can really sympathise. I totally agree with shrub as the osteopath I saw for dd (4 months) really did work wonders. The colic immediately stopped and she became much more settled and content. I had quite a long labour with a ventouse delivery and he called the treatment 'processing the effects of the ventouse', whatever that means! My first session cost £35 then subsequent sessions were £27. We really only needed 1 session but I took her back anyway just to make sure then he checked her over again at 3 months. I'm in Gloucester and can thoroughly recommend the one I used if you can get here- email me if you like. Otherwise, I think there is a website, not sure the address tho.

I have taken dd for 3 sessions with an osteopath - 1st one was an hour and cost £38, subsequent sessions were 45 minutes and cost £30. I went because of breastfeeding problems (the osteopath was recommended by my community midwives) but I've heard it's great for colic. Would imagine that a difficult-to-settle baby is the sort of thing they would expect to be able to help. Be prepared to talk at length about your pregnancy, labour etc.
To be honest, I have no idea if osteopathy has helped my dd in any way but I figured it was worth a try.
I guess when trying to find a practictioner (sp?)you should check if they specialise in working with babies and children.

I definately recommend cranial oestopathy. I went for my ds, and have really seen a change. He suffered badly from wind, and although he does get bouts of it now - it is nowhere near as bad as it was pre-treatment. My first session was 1 hr and cost £38 where the oestopath asked lots of questions especially about the birth. Subsequent ones were £30 for 30mins, of which I have had 3.

My friend went to one for her ds, and her ds went from a baby who hardly slept and would only sleep held upright on either her or her dp, to a happy baby, who would stay happily under his gym for 30 mins !

The oestopath I went to specialises with babies and children, was highly recommended and she was fantastic. I would say she was worth every penny. (She is based in Surrey.) Try to go to an osteopath that is recommended if at all possible.

Oops I just saw your other questions GeorginaA.

A good oestopath will not charge or do any un-necessary treatment if they think your ds doesn't need it - or so they say!

Side effects - I was warned after treatment I would see one of the 3 possible outcomes foloowing the sessions 1) More sleepiness after the treatment, 2) No change 3) Becomes worse before getting better. However my oestopath did say if my ds got worse and showed no improvement to bring him back.

i Have had it with two of my three - the forst sessio costs more and \I had about 5 in all.

cured ds2 of colic and calmes ds3 dwon recently - see the sleep thread..
cod

I had it for my first. He is now 9 months. After the first session my partner said - well, that's much like drycleaning! He has this theory that you hand your clothes to the dry cleaner, pay the money and then they just put your clothes in a plastic bag and hand them back a few days later!
He said this because it's hard to see anything being done in the sessions but believe me, it works! My son went initially because of a ventouse delivery but as time went on and he discovered thumb sucking, he started to get a flat head from lying on one side. This affected the way he would hold his head. He would only turn to one side.
I still go - only every few weeks and I can see the difference.
I got the first sessions when he was under four weeks for free. Then paid eighteen pounds until he was six months. And from then onwards pay twenty two pounds.
Recently he has had a few falls, as he learns to crawl. Once this was just before a session. The woman was able to tell on which part of his body he'd landed, and whether he'd done any damage. They are very good.
Other people I know have only had to have a few sessions. It's very good for babies ot help recovere from the trauma of birth. So yes, it should help sleep. Although looking back it's often hard to tell a direct link as we tried many things.
It does seem to give them a good start and can help problems that you may not even be aware of. So I think it's worth it.

Does any of you know a good cranial osteopath in Yorkshire?

Rubineski - am v glad to read your post as am taking ds2 for CO tomorrow for the first time and , like GeorginaA, didn't know what to expect. He suffers colicky pains and doesn't sleep long so fingers crossed this will make a difference.

bump

I swear by C/O. My DS2 had it for behaviour but I've heard of loads of mums who swear by it for their babies for colic/sleep problems.

Chandra, have u tried keying in cranial+yorkshire? I'm in County Durham and my Cranial osteopath is good but I know if you ring the cranial osteopathy society they'll recommend someone.

have a look at this

HTH

I think some of my friends who are mums wonder why I'm still going and whether I'm being conned. Or they think I'm doing it because I'm worried about my son's looks. But I do trust the woman who does it. A good one will explain what they're doing - esp if prompted. You realise that all the bits in the head impact on other bits of the body. My son has a big of a wonky jaw because of the thumb sucking problem so it helps with that too.
As with most stuff to do with our babes - trust your instincts! If you think it's helping, if only to calm them down - carry on.

Aero - glad to help. Let us know how it goes.

Thanks all - well we went for our first appointment today. Didn't get my first choice osteopath (she was booked up for the next 2 weeks and I couldn't wait that long!) but chose one she recommended who fortunately had a cancellation this morning.

Ds2 was very good letting him feel up his spine and head but howled his head off during the manipulation - was obviously very uncomfortable for him and I felt very mean just sitting there watching him

Apparently he's got tight ribs near the bottom and the neck and base of his head is a bit compressed. I've been warned he could be sleepy this afternoon but more unsettled tomorrow. Not looking forward to that!

Have another appointment for next week - I just hope this is doing some good. Will let you know how I get on.

Rubineski

The session went very well and reads a bit like GeorginaA's. She did explain what she was doing and I'm happy with the outcome so far. He fell asleep pretty much straight after (also cried during), then fed totally peacefully for next two feeds. She saw him wriggle during a feed whilst we were there so this in itself has amazed me. He's also sleeping now and has been for two hours (unheard of b4). They didn't mention being grizzly tomorrow, so watch this space.......
This sceptic might turn convert overnight, but it's early days yet. He has another appt next week. Worth every penny today though. We're v fortunate to have an osteopathy school near us, thus halving the cost. It's done by 4th yr students under supervision. Am v impressed not to mention astounded so far...........

GeroginaA and Aero -
Glad it went well for you all today. Sounds like it was worth it.
Yes, I know what you mean about just sitting there, watching them scream and cry. Some sessions are like that and I have wondered whether I'm being cruel, etc. But - without sounding too heartless - you do get used to it. My woman has a load of toys in the room that I can use to distract ds. So I sit there for half an hour, pushing buttons, shaking rattles, etc. The best distraction I've found so far (and this is for nine month old) is to play with his toes! I pretend I'm going to try and eat them. He also loves me blowing on them. I'm sure Freud would have a field day but hell, it works!

This wee man is totally chilled at the moment! Unbelievable. Dh has even commented on how chilled he appears!! Marvellous!

Hmm, I seem to have hit the unsettled stage a day early Skipped over the chilled part... feeling horribly guilty for putting him through this.

George - If youa re worried then ring her - I had this with ds2 - colic and he got worse after hte first tratment.

I rang her when he was bawling and she fitted me in later at night. she could hear us coming up the street - that second session cure d the 5 hour scramathon there and then

I must reiterate I am/was a total sceptic and do not do all this stuff normally

Chandra I live in north yorks and recently used a fantastic cranial osteaopath. Officiallky she is a sacro cranial therapist but DD was not eating and had never been a good sleeper. After just one session she ate and slept through for the first time. I found it all very wacky but it worked. Cost me £20 an session and we stayed a lot longer than the hour alloted. She normally charges £30 i believe but will help you out if like me you are skint! She is called Penn Sherring and lives outside Reeth in North Yorkshire? I have a number if you want it.There is another good one in ripon. The daytime sleeping bit id avoid black out blinds as they can cause more problems? It is difficult to get them to sleep when its light if they get used to the dark? My HV gave me very good advice on the sleep front, I decide when and where she sleeps not DD! So if shes tired she gets put in her cot, and end of story. I tried the going in and checking her everey 10 mins but it made her worse so i just had to sit on my hands for a couple of weeks whilst she howeled the house down! now however she will nearly go to sleep 99% of the time!

yes it is fantastic, both for calming babies down after birth, and for various childhood ailments such as glue ear.

and do consider having a treatment yourself, as it can perk you up no end, and you get a sense of what it feels like for the baby.

I went with both my babies. Cranial osteopaths have to be trained as normal osteopaths first, so I would think the national association or royal college or whatever should have a list of registered people. but a recommendation is great. (I know a great one in North London who is also a teacher, if anyone wants a recommednation).

yes it is fantastic, both for calming babies down after birth, and for various childhood ailments such as glue ear.

and do consider having a treatment yourself, as it can perk you up no end, and you get a sense of what it feels like for the baby.

I went with both my babies. Cranial osteopaths have to be trained as normal osteopaths first, so I would think the national association or royal college or whatever should have a list of registered people. but a recommendation is great. (I know a great one in North London who is also a teacher, if anyone wants a recommendation).

Treatments are very gentle, with no obvious manipulation or distress in the child. (Even a grumpy 3 year old!)