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Original poster

Cranial Osteopathy - miracle cure or load of old cobblers

107 replies

Pennies · 08/01/2006 09:25

Have previosuly been of the school of thought that it was just another right on baby problem solution which merely provided pyschological reassurance and resolution. now faced with DD2 who cries a huge amount, feeds badly and generally seems to be an unhappy baby despite me taking every step I can to ensure she's not windy / colicky / sleepy / hungry / wet I am now consdiering it as a possible way of making her more content.

So, is it any good?

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georginars · 08/01/2006 13:06

or here even

Hausfrau · 08/01/2006 13:09

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georginars · 08/01/2006 13:14

oh dear!
Yes, I used to come home from seeing my antenatal group having been up all night - they'd be saying how their babies had slept through, how tired they were though etc. and I would come home and sob for ages about how useless I was.
Recently another friend had a baby who cried a lot in the evenings, and I was able to help her a bit as - yet again - noone else she knew had a colicky baby. Hoever, turned out he had a stomach problem that they fixed in hospital quite easily & quickly, and I was pathetically jealous that they had a definite reason Colic is so frustrating and everytime I read about someone suffering it I feel sick with sympathy and wonder if I'll ever dare have another baby!

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Hausfrau · 08/01/2006 13:26

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NotQuiteCockney · 08/01/2006 16:48

glitterfairy, the OP asked if it was a load of old cobblers. I said that was my suspicion. But that I'd try it if stuck (neither of my babies were colicky. I know people who've gone through that, and can understand why they'd try anything reasonable). I don't think that's a horrible thing to post.

I wouldn't share my skepticism about osteopathy on a thread that was just a "where are there good cranial osteopaths" thread.

Davros · 08/01/2006 18:16

I am skeptical but don't see any harm. Have tried it with DS, who is autistic, and DD, who had blocked passages and big tonsils etc. Saw no difference with either and DD hated it after the first 3 sessions!!

cod · 08/01/2006 18:16

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harpsichordcarrier · 08/01/2006 18:58

anecdotally (sp) i know lots of people who swear by it
and i am the world's greatest sceptic
(yes I tried it when the end of the tether was long gone and yes it seemed to work)

what's the harm?

NotQuiteCockney · 08/01/2006 19:01

hc/davros: that's pretty much exactly the point I made in my first post! I am skeptical, but don't see any potential harm, so would probably try it if I felt it would help.

Original poster
Pennies · 08/01/2006 19:45

The thing is I just don't know what is causing it. Colic doesn't seem to fit because she doesn't scream for hours just mainly during feeds. She suckles for about 5 mins and comes off and then the games commence. She starts to cry and winding her, new nappy, changing boobs etc doesn't seems to work. Sometimes she'll latch back on again but never for long. She calms down a bit when I sit her upright but goes mental again when I try to resume the feed.

But she also seems to cry a lot when not being fed - but I put this down to hunger due to rubbish feeding - she always seems happy to start a feed at any point but just won't stay on for long enough to satsfy her hunger.

She sleeps pretty well - following Gina's timings.

OP posts:
Freckle · 08/01/2006 19:48

Have you tried feeding her in an upright position? Maybe it's the suckling in a prone position which is causing the problem. Something which I'm sure an osteopath could sort.

Original poster
Pennies · 08/01/2006 19:52

Yep, tried that and also tried the rugby ball hold and tried lying down. Have had latch checked several times and they all say it's OK.

She seems generally happy to have a bottle but DH has reported that she can be a bit lairy with this as well at times (he does the 11pm EBM feed).

OP posts:
cod · 08/01/2006 19:56

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IlanaK · 08/01/2006 19:57

Just want to give another vote for the osteopathis centre for children in farringdon, london. We have been taking both our boys there on and off for 1.5 years for respiratory problems. I think they are fab! I only wish they had not moved from Harley STeet as I could walk there, but now it is a total PITA to get there!

WestCountryLass · 08/01/2006 20:00

DS had glue ear as a baby, never passed his hearing test at 8 months. Took him to audiology at hosp and they diagnosed the GE, he had hearing tests ever 3 months which he never got a satisfactory result for. When he was 2 and speech delayed (surprise, surprise) they said if he had not passed the HT at the next appt, they would give him grommets. (At each appt until that appt they had told me it would sort itself out as he grew and I believed them...) Anyway I wanted to avoid the grommets because of the general so I researched the best treatments and took him to CO. At his next appt, 3 months later his glue ear was gone. Audiologist said it was a coincidence

Spidermama · 08/01/2006 20:00

Leap of faith. One I always seem to be prepared to take.

georginars · 08/01/2006 20:40

thanks Hausfrau, you have given me hope!

grumpyfrumpy · 08/01/2006 21:08

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goldenoldie · 08/01/2006 21:10

Pennies - I'm in Hackney too. My baby has terrible reflux and is generally an unsettled and unhappy baby.

This is the place I go to - an easy walk from the Angel, in Clerkenwell. Donations, no fees, so you can't be fleeced. www.occ.uk.com/home/home.html

Only had one session, so don't know if it is working yet, jury is out..............

Caroline5 · 08/01/2006 21:26

dd2 who has special needs has been seeing a cranial osteopath for about 9 months and has made a lot of progress in that time. It is hard to pin it down to the osteopathy but I do think it has made a difference. There is no harm in giving it a try (other than to your bank balance!)

amanada · 08/01/2006 21:31

We took DS to a cranial osteopath and it was a miracle cure in our opinion. 3 sessions and he was a different baby. In fact DH wants to book Bump in to see her on the way home from hospital this time!
and yes, i had previously thought it was a yummy mummy load of old codswallop and had to eat my words...

Passionflower · 08/01/2006 21:58

Health insurance pays for ours so it can't possibly be cobblers! I can't believe they'd pay if there wasn't scientific evidence of its theraputic value.

Anecdotally, DD1 had a horrendous birth - was very nearly a ceasarian delivery and as she got bigger you could see lumps on her head where the bones joined and had been pressed together. She was an appalling sleeper and very colicky and as she grew into toddlerhood started to have the most awful tantrums. We decided to try cranial osteopathy and it helped DD enormously.

My advice is try it.

matnanplus · 08/01/2006 22:03

Have taken 2 babies recently one needed very little help but the other had major tension down his neck and was uncomfortable and had huge pain on feeding. 4 sessions helped him 100%.

waggledancer · 08/01/2006 23:21

Ds2 has been treated at osteopathic centre for children in Manchester, same people who work in London, since last October. Since they are a charity and you can pay what you can afford I believe they see you only as long as necessary and only if they can help. Sleep problems were why we went, not miracles but definitely improvements

cranberryjampots · 08/01/2006 23:56

slight hijack - would this work for my 9yo ds's extremely bad constipation?