Unsettled babies. The benefits of early osteopathic treatment.

One of the most common symptoms i see babies for is unsettled behaviour. It commonly manifests with crying and irritability, vomiting , sleep disturbance, colic, etc.

Osteopathic treatment it is well known to help to reduce these symptoms, improve sleep and general contentment for the baby.

It is common belief that babies should have no structural stresses and strains in their body because they’re so young and flexible. The reality is very different.

Birth is one of the most important events in one’s life but it can also be the time when some imbalance or dysfunction that an individual must deal with throughout life, are established.

During labour the infant’s head is subjected to large compressive forces which cause the head to undergo a process of moulding, in which the soft bones of the skull overlap, bend and wrap. This, reduces the size of the head and facilitate its passage through the birth canal.

The normal birth process it is a very stimulating time for the baby. It can be seen as a form of “awakening” of the baby, a process that prepares him/her to come into this life.

After birth, the skull begins to re expand and unmould to return to its normal shape, assisted by the crying, suckling and yawning. However sometimes labour may be difficult and stressful for both mother and baby. As a result of this, babies are unable to fully resolve the effects of birth. Strain can remain into the child’s body that will eventually display various symptoms.

Babies born by cesarian section can also show signs of discomfort. They can display a degree of “shock” from having experienced a very rapid transition from the protected uterine world to the external world. Also, part of the moulding process and compression of the infant head, begins in late pregnancy and so even the babies born by planned cesarean section may have areas of compression in their head.

To give a few examples – an unsettled and colicky baby may have been subjected to a long and difficult labour, perhaps with forceps or ventouse intervention, and therefore be experiencing pain; a baby suffering with reflux may have had a rapid delivery and experienced a shock on transitioning to life on the outside, tightening their diaphragm and leading to increased regurgitation or vomiting; and a baby with sleep disturbance may have experienced compression in an odd position in the uterus and struggle to get comfortable. A clingy child who may be reluctant to approach new situation, might have been born with a Cesarean section and his body has retained a degree of shock from being born too quickly.

If birth stress remains unresolved the baby’s body has to adapt and accommodate these stresses and strains as he/she grows.

This may cause the baby to be either physically uncomfortable, and therefore unsettled, or to develop in an asymmetrical way. If the baby’s body becomes strained at birth, the whole body will suffer from it and every structure of the body will be required to cope with this distortion.

Evidence of these distortions can be often seen in children’s faces or skull. Cranial asymmetry and tension often affect the neck movement and sometimes mums notice that the child can latch on, on one breast better then the other, or that their child always lies with his head turned to the same side.

Asymmetry can be also seen in other part of the body for instance one shoulder is higher that the other or one foot is turned outwards more that the other.

Unresolved birth stresses and the body’s adaptation to them, are at the root of many different problems both in childhood and into adult life.

These tension and stresses can be treated very quickly after birth or when the child is still very young, but become progressively more difficult to eliminate the longer they have been present.

Osteopathy is well known to help babies and children recover from the effects of pregnancy and birth, and can help to reduce crying and colic, improve sleep and general contentment for the baby. Osteopathic treatment aims at improving the child’s overall health and development.

As an osteopath I am interested in every aspect of the health of your child. I begin the consultation by taking a detailed case history covering all aspects of health and development, from pregnancy to the present day. This is followed by a comprehensive physical examination, assessing overall wellness and health, milestone attainment, joints, neuromuscular status and primitive reflexes. Treatment is very gentle and relaxing. It involves very subtle movements, working with the baby’s natural physical tendency to seek balance, equilibrium and health. The treatment is aimed at releasing tensions wherever they are present in the body.

Health is the most precious asset we have.

If you are concerned about the health of your child or you just want him or her to have a check up, do not hesitate to contact me to discuss how I can help your child.

“ I now have a very happy 12wk old baby all thanks to Paola Pizzuto. My Little Noah used to scream all evening until about 1am and I could see that he was really tense, he used to clench his fists and was stiff around the neck and shoulder. He didn’t feed well and he really suffered with wind and regurgitating his milk. His weight gain was poor too….. So if you have a baby with some underlying niggles that are affecting their well being – I’d highly recommend a visit to Paola” Karina

Paola Pizzuto is a registered Osteopath in Edinburgh with a commitment and dedication for helping people to achieve better health.

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