DUNSTAN OSTEOPATHY

Osteopathy & Pregnancy

During pregnancy your body changes to a huge degree, it adapts and changes shape to allow room for the growing baby and for the pelvis movement needed during labour. If there are already restrictions within the body it can make these pregnancy changes uncomfortable or difficult. This is one of the reasons why a woman may get morning sickness, heartburn, back and symphysis pubis pain.
It can also have a bearing on the way the baby engages into the pelvis i.e. anterior posterior or breech presentation. It may be in some instances why the cervix has difficulty dilating.

For all these reasons and more, osteopathy is a great addition to you ante-natal care.

Post-natal treatment is invaluable; it helps the release of the shock and strains through the pelvis that occurs through giving birth. Helping low and mid back pain, symphysis pubis pain, pelvic floor problems and post-natal depression.
If you needed a cesarean, treatment is just as valuable. A cesarean can leave the body feeling confused as it was gearing up to give birth, also there is the scarring from the incision through the abdominal wall. This can have an impact on posture as the body unwinds the pregnancy posture.

Osteopathy & Babies

Just as giving birth is hard work for the woman, it’s also quite a journey for the baby. It is undoubtedly one of the hardest things we ever do. Babies can absorb a lot of the stresses and compressions of the birth process, due to the baby’s skull bones being soft with some gaps called fontanelles. This allows for slight overlapping of the bones as the head passes through the birth canal. This overlapping is known as moulding and this is why some babies are born with an odd head shape.

Just as baby’s head can mould to the birth stresses, they can also release this moulding by crying, suckling and yawning.

However, this moulding process is often incomplete. Some babies cope very well with this unresolves moulding; others struggle and have a difficult time.

Common signs that a baby may have some unresolved moulding are:

• A crying, unhappy and irritable baby,
• A baby who has difficulty latching onto the breast or who likes to feed more on the side,
• A baby who doesn’t sleep well,
• or a colicy, windy reflux baby.

A cranial osteopath can feel this unresolved moulding and can gently release it, leaving the baby happier and more relaxed. Most people can understand that a difficult delivery can lead to unresolved moulding, but it is also important to remember that even a short uncomplicated delivery or an emergency or elective cesarean can also leave moulding that needs a helping hand to release.

If unresolved moulding is left then as the child grows this can lead to other problems, for example: ear infections or glue ear, behavioural or learning difficulties and headaches or “growing pains”.
Many people find that occasional osteopathic treatment for their children helps them to concentrate and sleep better, and to generally be more relaxed and happier within themselves. We usually recommend treatments after vaccinations or when there are big changes, so when a baby starts solids or sits, crawls and walks.