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Original poster

Cranial Osteopathy

17 replies

poppynic · 28/02/2007 10:27

I am considering taking my one month old to a cranial osteopath as she seems to suffer quite a lot of pain from colic? or trying to pooh? or, well, I'm really not sure. Anyway, as a bit of a worry wort, just wondering about the risks and whether anyone has had a bad experience from taking their baby to one?

OP posts:

luciemule · 28/02/2007 13:37

hello - I've only got good things to say about cranial osteopathy - I think it's amazing but you'd never know why when you watch them do it as it looks like they're just resting their hands on your baby's head! I did think they were trying to rip me off! However, after only 2 weeks, my DS who was then about 1, started being able to lay on his back (he couldn't do it before due to headaches and tightness due a ventouse birth) and began to sleep for good lengths of time.
If you go to the offical cranial osteopath website, it will give you a list of registered practitioners in your area so they're all checked out and legit.
I've recommended it to lots of mums since who have all had good results. My Gp however, thinks it's all rubbish but he wasn't up all night with a newborn who couldn't lie still for more than a few minutes!!! The only thing I regret was not taking him sooner (it works better and more quickly on younger babies). He only needed about 8 session though. Generally they say between 2 and 6.

KezzaG · 28/02/2007 13:45

Im another advocate. Ds wouldnt even lay down flat, and he had a permanent frown. Took him at 12 weeks and he stretched, took a deep breathe and fell asleep on her table all relaxed and flat.

6 sessions and a different baby. Its well worth a shot.

ohsmellyjelly · 28/02/2007 13:46

Message withdrawn

FoghornLeghorn · 28/02/2007 13:47

I took DD as she was suffering from colic but was also concerned about her head, one side seemed to bulge a but whilst the other was pretty flat.

Cranial Osteopath sorted everything in 2 sessions. He said she would've been suffering from headaches because he her head was so severely squished (ventouse). He even taught me how to do the stomach massage to help with colic so I didn't have to keep paying to go back there

Defo recommend

Original poster

poppynic · 28/02/2007 14:12

Thanks guys - but didn't you understand - I asked for bad experiences no, I seem to think that there is a dearth of bad experiences out there - very encouraging.

Luciemulie - your story brought tears to my eyes - one year old before being able to lie on his back -

Foghorn - I'm worried about baby's head shape too - did your's actually change shape afterwards? Mine wasn't a ventousse but the midwife did tell me during the birth that I had to open my legs as I was squashing the baby's head! [yes, I was doing my very best to keep them closed - talk about post-natal guilt!!]

OP posts:

Carmenere · 28/02/2007 14:15

Just to let you know poppnic, my dp does cranial osteopathy and he says that for some reason babies almost always do a big poo right after the session

Original poster

poppynic · 28/02/2007 14:16

Thanks for the warning, very useful, I'll make sure that's not one of the occasions I forget to go out without nappies and wipes!

OP posts:

luciemule · 28/02/2007 14:20

they should also drink lots after the session.
ps - DS did sleep before he was one - just not on his back! Contrary to what the HV said I laid him on his front and side when he was newborn (heaven help me). If I laid him on his back ,he helplessly flailed his arms and legs everywhere. Actually, I can't believe I didn't take him before he was one - I feel so mean now!

ohsmellyjelly · 28/02/2007 14:21

Message withdrawn

washingqueen · 28/02/2007 14:31

No bad experiences here either....I have only praise for our cranial osteo lady. DS also couldn't lie on his back, in fact he would only sleep on one side I seem to recall until we took him for a few sessions when he was a few weeks old - he also seemed to really enjoy it!

MaeBee · 28/02/2007 19:19

afraid ive only got good experiences to add too!
luciemule - i thought my cranial osteopath was so gentle it was a ripoff too! not like the action you get on the backs of adult patients.
i took my ds when he was 2 months cos he was so miserable and hated lying down too, would only sleep on me most of the time.
we had five sessions and he really is a much happier baby, although STILL a moody one, and still prefers to sleep on his side, and is still more frustrated than any other baby ive met. but much better! i was going up the wall with him crying and grizzling all the time.
BUT,it could have been that he just outgrew the colicky stage. so at worst, you could be wasting your money, but, if thats it, its worth the risk i say.
oh, and my boy was a forceps and he was all squashed up too.

colander · 28/02/2007 19:25

Took DD1 when she was about 14 months. Before then she had had about 5 ear infections and she hasn't had one since (now 4). However, could be coincidence as kids do grow out of them. TBH I thought it was a lot of money, and other than the ear infections I don't think there were particularly any other benefits, however, worth a go imo.

shiningstar · 28/02/2007 19:26

good for me too! we had hysterical screaming in our 3 month old to the point of rages, red face struggling for breath! cured in 3 sessions would reccomend to anyone where are you and perhaps someone can reccomend theirs!

Dorisdaisy · 28/02/2007 19:32

Sorry girls but i used to take dd when smaller we had a session every other week. Basically hands on head behind ears, he said to ease colic and formation of plates of the head. Took 1/2 hour per session £35 for eight weeks, dd cried all they way through all the sessions, while I perspired all the way through and cried at the end of each session too!
It didn't work for us.

loomer · 01/03/2007 12:35

I took my six week old who was very colicky, we had five sessions in the end. It didn't make any difference at all. DD was very relaxed and happy throughout, and it was all very gentle and pleasant, but at the end of the day the osteopath couldn't tell us if it was worth pursuing (just kept saying "wait and see if you have a better week with her"), and we eventually cut our losses as there was no improvement at all.

FWIW we also tried (subsequently) a highly recommended chiropractor. Four sessions and £120 later, absolutely no change in DD's distress. But at least we felt that we were doing something by trying all these different treatments!

bampa · 01/03/2007 15:42

only good things to say too. Also jan de fries highly recommends it to ensure a strong immune system in later life.

littlestar · 04/03/2007 11:36

I can only add good things too. We took our very colicky DS from about 5 weeks and it definitely made a difference after a couple of treatments. They said because he was breech and born by c-section, he hadn't been properly stretched out during birth and his pelvic area was very constricted. He seemed to really enjoy the treatments, even though it doesn't look like they're doing anything much, and he always slept really well afterwards. We went to the Childrens Osteopathy Centre in London, where you pay what you can afford, which really helped, and they insisted on treating me at the same time! They were absolutely brilliant.

I'm now expecting my 2nd, and we're definitely going to go back, even if there's nothing obviiously 'wrong' with the baby (like colic). I hope this helps!

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